Timepieces Trade Market

Universal : History

Descombes & Perret was the name of the new star in the galaxy of watch companies that rose over the Jura town of Le Locle in 1894.
One of their first advertisements proclaimed that the two manufacturers provided watch-cases, dials, movements and similar supplies.
However the partnership was not to Iast.
In 1897 Georges Perret teamed up with Louis Berthoud as "Perret & Berthoud". Their joint brand, registered on 2 September 1898, was Universal Watch".
The goal of the new enterprise was to make complicated time-pieces, especially chronographs, and to deal in watches of ail kinds.
1917 saw the arrival of a large wrist-chronograph with a 17-ligne movement.
Shortly afterwards the firm moved its headquarters to Geneva, because the two entrepreneurs had their eyes on the international markets, and the city gave them better access to distant countries.
In around 1920, an eight-day wristwatch, "Uso Ferrovie", was introduced tor railwaymen.
Were it not for a group of ambitious investors, Perret & Berthoud would have hardly survived the crisis of the 1930s.
Thanks to a powerful injection of cash, Louis Berthoud and Raoul Perret (Georges' son), managed to get an attractive collection of precision-watches going.
They were particularly popular in the Mediterranean countries.
In 1936, the company placed large advertisements for the Universal "Typ
Colonial" chronograph.
Its movement was effectively protected against rain, snow, dust and other such vagaries of climate.
In 1937, Universal registered a patent for the first chronograph movement with an additional 12-hour, elapsed-time counter.
Collectors have a particular affinity for the "Compur" and "Compax" models. Among the "Compurs" was the 10'A-ligne Universal 289 chronograph caliber.
The "Aero-Compax" chronograph movement had an extra dial at 12 o'clock, the "Medico-Compax" offered a pulsometer scale; models with a full calendar and moon-phase were called "Tri-Compax," while "Dato-Compax" designated a simpler version with a date-dial at 12 o'clock.
In 1958, Universal presented an automatic movement with a mini-rotor.
Electric "tuning-fork" wristwatches were also provided under the aegis of the Bulova company, which were masters of the house of Universal from 1967 to 1977.
In 1986 Montres Universal S.A. was sold to the Stelex Group.