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Lot Essay
The Archives of Universal Geneve SA confirm the year of manufacture of the present watch as 1955.
It is a superb example of one of Universal’s exceedingly rare wristwatches featuring a cloisonné enamel dial, furthermore in excellent overall condition.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the use of cloisonné enamel dials on wristwatches became very popular, buyers were ready to spend large sums of money to acquire an example. The ‘Montres & Bijoux’ exhibition held in Geneva in 1950 gave Universal the platform to launch its first watch with cloisonné enamel dial. These dials were mainly made by Carlo (known as Charles) Poluzzi (1899-1978), one of Geneva's most renowned enamellers. Poluzzi specialized in the production of dials decorated with cloisonné enamel scenes which he supplied to important watch manufacturers such as Universal, Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Rolex and Omega.
The production of cloisonné dials was extremely costly as they had to be individually made by a skilled craftsman and not on a production line. The artist created the outline of the desired motif by arranging thin gold wires on a dial. These partitions, called "cloisonné" in French, were filled with small quantities of enamel powder in the desired colour. The dial was then fired in an oven at around 1000 degrees Celsius causing the powder to melt. Finally, it was hand-polished until a perfectly flat surface was obtained.
Cloisonné enamel dial watches were and still are considered the most unusual and attractive watches ever made and thus keenly sought by collectors.
Interestingly, the case of the present watch was made by the Geneva master casemaker F. Baumgartner, whose punch mark of number 2 in a key is found inside the back. Baumgartner made the cases for some important Patek Philippe watches during the 1950s, including the legendary reference 2526.
Other examples of Universal wristwatches with polychrome enamel dials are illustrated in: Universal Watch Genève, Chronographes et Montres à Complications, by Pietro Giuliano Sala, Edit Vallardi 2010, p. 29.
It is a superb example of one of Universal’s exceedingly rare wristwatches featuring a cloisonné enamel dial, furthermore in excellent overall condition.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the use of cloisonné enamel dials on wristwatches became very popular, buyers were ready to spend large sums of money to acquire an example. The ‘Montres & Bijoux’ exhibition held in Geneva in 1950 gave Universal the platform to launch its first watch with cloisonné enamel dial. These dials were mainly made by Carlo (known as Charles) Poluzzi (1899-1978), one of Geneva's most renowned enamellers. Poluzzi specialized in the production of dials decorated with cloisonné enamel scenes which he supplied to important watch manufacturers such as Universal, Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Rolex and Omega.
The production of cloisonné dials was extremely costly as they had to be individually made by a skilled craftsman and not on a production line. The artist created the outline of the desired motif by arranging thin gold wires on a dial. These partitions, called "cloisonné" in French, were filled with small quantities of enamel powder in the desired colour. The dial was then fired in an oven at around 1000 degrees Celsius causing the powder to melt. Finally, it was hand-polished until a perfectly flat surface was obtained.
Cloisonné enamel dial watches were and still are considered the most unusual and attractive watches ever made and thus keenly sought by collectors.
Interestingly, the case of the present watch was made by the Geneva master casemaker F. Baumgartner, whose punch mark of number 2 in a key is found inside the back. Baumgartner made the cases for some important Patek Philippe watches during the 1950s, including the legendary reference 2526.
Other examples of Universal wristwatches with polychrome enamel dials are illustrated in: Universal Watch Genève, Chronographes et Montres à Complications, by Pietro Giuliano Sala, Edit Vallardi 2010, p. 29.