1940s Universal Genève Dato-Compax Ref. 12495

Why This Watch Matters This Dato-Compax has character from a life well used but, relative to other examples of this rare reference, the 18k yellow gold case is strong and has an outstanding overall look. The Full Story The Compax series of chronographs are some of the most iconic and well-known models from Universal Genève's rich history. The model line hit the market in 1936 and would come to include a number of different "Compax" variations, such as the Aero-Compax, Uni-Compax, Tri-Compax, and Dato-Compax. Universal Genève offered these chronographs in a variety of configurations and case metals. Stainless steel cases with luminous dials and hands were meant to be "tool watches" of the era, where gold cases with non-luminous dials and hands were more formal and dressy. The Compax line was sold at retailers like Henri Stern in New York and proved to be a great success at its lower price point compared to other chronographs it shared a showroom with. The ref. 12495 was produced through