Big News: Breitling Acquires Universal Geneve

October 02, 2012

Breitling just announced its acquisition of Universal Geneve. The legendary brand, previously owned by an investment firm from Hong Kong, is set to be brought back to its former glory under new ownership. Is the sky the limit for this heritage brand under Breitlings wings?Universal GeneveUniversal Geneve was founded in Le Locle as Universal Watch in 1894, and the company moved to Geneva in 1919. Universal released the Compur and the military Aero Compax chronograph in the 1930s. Later versions, such as the Uni-Compax and Tri-Compax?are highly collectible chronographs today.In 1954, Universal introduced the Gerald Genta-designed Polarouter, which would later be renamed Polerouter. One year later, the bumper-automatic caliber inside was replaced by a micro-rotor movement, which would become emblematic of the house. The Polerouter would see many versions during its production run, including a diver called the Polerouter Sub.Interestingly, Universal embraced the new quartz technology in the 1970s, phasing out its mechanical watchmaking in favor of it. It was one of the few Swiss watchmakers to do so. Unfortunately, it could not match the production efficiency of new Asian players, and the brand fell into decline. Universal was purchased by Hong Kong-based investment firm Stelux in 1989, continuing production but never again truly living up to its rich heyday.Breitling Chronomat Automatic GMTBreitlings intentions with Universal GeneveSo what does Breitling intend to do with its fresh acquisition? Well, if the brief press blurb is to be believed, we might be in for a treat. The aim is -to restore the prestige of a hallowed name in the world of luxury timepieces. The announcement describes a few crucial things we can go by for now. One is that a dedicated team will be brought on board to ensure that Breitling and Universal Geneve will operate as two separate maisons. This makes sense, as I assume the majority of the value of this acquisition is in the brand, not the underlying watchmaking business as it is today.The announcement also mentions that this is not a quick undertaking. It is supposed to be a labor of love that will unfold over several years. This all sounds like we might see the resurgence of a big name to its former glory.We can also infer from the use of language in the announcement that Universal Geneve is to be reinstated as a luxury brand. Seeing as it used to operate at the same price level as, for instance, and IWC, that comes as no surprise. Dont expect Breitling to put UG forward as a budget brand anytime soon. We fully expect it to sit proudly alongside Breitling itself.What we hope to see from Universal Geneve under BreitlingI, for one, am excited to see where Breitling will take UG. To be honest, Universal Geneves modern collection is a bit of an eyesore, as is the bot-translated website and lack of overall presence and significance. If there were ever a name in need of proper reinstatement, it would be Universal Geneve!At Fratello, we hope to see proper contemporary incarnations of key UG collections and technologies. Wouldnt it be amazing if the brand became a frontrunner in micro-rotor watchmaking once more? The biggest pitfall is for Universal Geneve to become purely a backward-facing brand. The last thing we need is a lineup of straight-up reissues with a bunch of faux patina and the inevitable size increase. That wouldnt do justice to the houses former glory but merely capitalize on it.What if a modern Polerouter could take the fight to the Datejust/Explorer and the Aqua Terra? What if Universal Geneve could become the go-to name for chronographs? The foundation and potential are most certainly there. Lets just hope the execution will not be too sentimental. I have to admit, I am a bit jealous of the people who get to run this revival! What an amazing challenge and honorable task.Image: Amsterdam Watch CompanyClosing thoughtsBreitlings acquisition of Universal Geneve caught us by surprise, but it makes a ton of sense. Breitling knows what it means to be a successful watch brand with a rich heritage. With Universal, Breitling now has a chance to reinstate one of the big names of yesteryear.We will keep a close eye on the next steps. As it stands, it is unclear how long it will be until we see the new Universal. It seems evident that we will see the reintroduction of heritage names. Why else would one brand buy another with such an illustrious history? The current collection comprises Okeanos models, but I am sure that Breitling is more keen on reinstating the Polerouter and Compax lines. Whether that is something we will see in the short term is anyones guess at the moment.What do you think of Breitlings acquisition of Universal Geneve and its intention of building it out as a separate Maison? Let us know in the comments below!