1959 Universal Geneve Polerouter Jet 20355/1

Up for sale is this truly immaculate Universal Geneve Polerouter Jet 20355/1. The Jet variant of the immensely popular Gerald Genta-designed Polerouter, was introduced in the tail-end of the 1950's, only a few years after the original Polerouter came to market.

With a serial number dating to 1959, this example is assumed to belong to one of the early production runs of the "Jet". the 20355/1 runs on a "microtor" automatic movement - Universal Geneve's in-house version of the then new micro-rotor technology. 

Applying to patent the Microtor movement in 1955, Universal Geneve was one of the very first watchmakers to innovate and adopt this style of automatic movement - a design that used a mini or micro-rotor, integrating flush into the movement (as opposed to resting on top), allowing the watch to achieve a much slimmer profile. All this while still benefiting from the automatic winding function the spinning rotor was originally designed to provide. 

I personally spent some time with this piece and fell in love. Measuring in at a 34mm case diameter, this watch is on the smaller side. But with the aggressively long lug design, reaching out towards the edges of my 6.76 inch wrist

(you can really see it in the pictures), the watch wears surpassingly well, especially in more formal attire, or neatly tucked under a cuff. 

CONDITION & SPECS

This unpolished example from what is likely from one of the first production runs of this watch, shows clean, crisp lines on the case and lugs. The case is in particularly impeccable, overall near-mint condition.

The watch is equipped with a “U” stamped crown. The caseback cleanly shows the Polerouter Jet stamped logo, and is covered in a protective plastic, which I must assume was placed there on a previous service. 

The watch has been serviced within the last 2 years, and is running as it should.

The hour hand is showing a bronze-like discolouration that was possibly caused by sitting under the minute-hand for an extended period of time. You can see the colouring in the attached pictures.

The crystal shows some light surface scratches that can easily be buffed out with some polywatch.

The watch comes with a beautiful lightly worn green calf leather strap from DeLugs.