News
Breitling Acquires Universal Genève: What It Means for Watch Fans
News
Breitling Acquires Universal Genève: What It Means for Watch Fans
Why Universal Genève’s vintage watches are so celebrated
Just as in modern watches and many other pursuits, hype is a force in vintage watches. Certain models such as the Polerouter are particularly well known, but the brand Universal Genève itself is something like a darling among collectors. Why? And why is the brand’s resurrection such a big deal?
It’s tough to definitively say why a watch brand or model is popular, but the above factors certainly play a role.
So what happened to Universal Genève?
Simply put, Universal Genève was a casualty of the so-called “Quartz Crisis” when battery-powered technology uprooted the traditional (mechanical) watchmaking industry and spelled the demise of many a brand that couldn’t adapt. The full story, however, is less simple, as Universal Genève never technically or completely died. Read more about Universal Genève’s history here.
What Breitling’s current approach tells us about Universal Genève’s future direction
What we know about Breitling can be extrapolated to some degree to look ahead at Universal Genève’s revival. Breitling CEO Georges Kernes explains that “a dedicated team will be brought on board to allow Breitling and Universal Genève to operate as separate maisons.” So while it’s not clear whether or not Kernes himself will be leading the company, we feel a similar approach to what he’s done with Breitling in recent years can be expected.
There will be new Universal Genève watches, eventually
All this is exciting, but watch fans will need to tamper their enthusiasm as we won’t be seeing new Universal Genève watches quite yet. So far, the acquisition has only been announced, and there’s no timeline or much detail on how the brand’s future will unfold. In its press release, Breitling describes the future of Universal Genève as “rebuilding” and it says it is “not a quick endeavor—it is a meticulous labor of love that we anticipate will unfold over the coming years.” Bringing such a storied brand back in the way that enthusiasts crave is a challenge, indeed, but the potential seems genuinely huge.
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