Universal Genève
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Privately held company (1894-1989) (1989-present) |
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| Industry | Watchmaking |
| Founded | January 18, 1894 in Le Locle, Neuchâtel, Switzerland |
| Founder | Numa-Emile Descombes, Ulysse Georges Perret, Louis Edouard Berthoud |
| Headquarters | Geneva, Switzerland |
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Key people
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Vincent Lapaire (CEO) |
| Products | Watches |
| Website | www.universal.ch |
Universal Genève SA is a Swiss luxury watch company, founded in 1894 as "Universal Watch". Since its beginnings, the company has produced complete watches with in-house movements, and throughout the 20th century, distributed many notable and important timepieces. Along with neighboring Geneva companies Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux, Patek Philippe and Rolex, Universal is internationally regarded for its style of craftsmanship and manufacture. In addition, the brand also makes historical claim for creating the first-ever chronographic wristwatch in 1917.
Started and briefly based in Le Locle, co-founder Ulysse Perret would relocate Universal to Geneva in 1919, solidifying the company's status as a Genève brand. During the company's tenure in much smaller Le Locle (Neuchâtel region), Perret had conceptualized the company as Universal Watch in 1894 with classmate Numa-Emile Descombes, both of whom were horology students at the time. Although Universal began only as a manufacturer and retailer of cases, crowns, dials and movements, the company whilst under Perret and Descombes patented the brand's first 24-hour indication watch.
After Descombes' death in 1897 at the age of 34, Perret recruited Louis Edouard Berthoud as a co-manufacturer of complications, and both briefly operated under the registered name Perret & Berthoud before switching to Universal Watch et Company (UWEC) Genève, Ltd. after relocating to Geneva. Under both trademarks, the horologists created various pocket and trench watches for both sides during World War I. By 1925, the duo created the brand's first patented self-winding timepiece called the Auto Rem, an octagon-shaped men's wristwatch with lozenge-styled hands and a 15-jewel movement.
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