A perennial favorite amongst vintage collectors, the Universal Geneve Polerouter is an oddity, going against common collecting convention. Famous for being designed by a young Gerald Genta, who incidentally also designed the two most iconic watches of the 20th century (Royal Oak and Nautilus), the Polerouter is very well just as iconic.
I call the Polerouter an oddity because they have always been great value pieces, and priced very reasonably. While collectors move up the food chain and begin to buy larger ticket items, at often times they never ever look back to the cheaper stuff, yet the Polerouter is one of those watchers that endures.
I suppose one has to strap one on the wrist to realize how good it just is. Great design is often not very obvious and felt rather than observed. The Polerouter perfectly epitomizes this notion, as it might not be very overwhelming in photographs, but when you strap it on the wrist, you realize how well the twisted lugs rest on your wrists and how the circular case is juxtaposed with the boxy overall feel achieved through the wide lugs. And then the glossy dial, beautifully executed with a crosshair and luminous markers, the outer imposing silver track is perhaps what makes this watch so unique. It certainly carries that Madmen-Esque vintage dress feel.
What makes this particular example so special is how the dial has aged to a beautiful tropical tone. With even browning occurring across the dial, when the light hits the dial, it is truly a spectacle. I do suppose that is also a reason why collectors love the Polerouter as it has both variability in its many references and also the way it ages.
