UNIVERSAL GENÈVE Military-style Calatrava – 1940s

This Universal Genève from the 1940s is a time capsule—an untouched New Old Stock (NOS) piece that perfectly embodies the brand’s mid-century military aesthetic. A field-style Calatrava in every sense, it features a crisp, brushed silver dial with bold black Arabic numerals and perfectly aged radium lume plots at each hour marker. The blued steel syringe hands, also with full original lume, remain sharp and vibrant—an uncommon sight for a watch of this age. Its stainless steel case, measuring approximately 33mm, shows no signs of prior wear, maintaining factory edges and an unpolished, razor-sharp profile. The sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock adds to the balance and vintage charm. Powering this piece is a manual wind Universal movement, which helped define the brand’s reputation for technical excellence during the war era. The movement runs strong, and the alarmingly preserved dial and case condition suggest it has spent its life untouched in storage. Finding a Universal Genève in such pristine NOS condition is no small feat – especially one with this level of historical and aesthetic appeal. A true collector’s piece, ready for a deserving wrist or display.