1960s Universal Geneve Dress Watch 14K YG

Universal Geneve is often considered the quintessential "watch enthusiast's watch brand" – within its cult-like following, there is a ton of reverence, but the brand has somehow remained largely under the radar among the more general audience. That's not to say, however, that the brand doesn't have any icons under its belt. With unmistakable models such as the Gerald Genta-designed Polerouter, the "Nina Rindt" Compax chronographs, and the ultra-complicated Tri-Compax that Eric Clapton made famous for wearing, there's no shortage of history here.

Born in 1894 in Le Locle, Switzerland, as Universal Watch, the co-founders, Ulysse Perret and Numa Descombes, originally set out as a watch part manufacturer, but as their business grew, so did their offerings. In 1919, they moved their operation to Geneva, officially creating Universal Geneve. By 1925, UG had designed its first automatic movement, known as the Auto Rem, before eventually releasing those aforementioned icons.

Though Universal Geneve eventually produced a broad range of watches intended for vastly different applications, each model shared one crucial commonality: elegance. And this beautiful dress model is no exception, with a lithe 14k yellow gold case that easily slips under the cuff and a light silver dial with contrasting black Roman numerals for hour markers. It's as classic as it is memorable, and is a perfect addition to the collection, whether you're a Universal Geneve superfan or a first-timer.