1941 Universal Genève 'Wilhelmina' Black 30mm 31250

Here we have a rare 1941 Universal Genève 'Wilhelmina' Black 31250, issued to the Dutch Army during World War II. Although the Netherlands declared neutrality at the start of World War II in September 1939, the country was invaded by Germany on May 10, 1940. The Dutch fought bravely, but they were overwhelmed by the German forces. After just a few days of fighting—and after the Germans completely destroyed the city of Rotterdam with bombs—the Dutch Army surrendered on May 15, 1940. Featuring a 30mm chrome round case with fixed spring bars, perfect for NATO straps. Its curved flanks lead to a comfortable lug-to-lug length of 36.5mm and a case thickness of 9.5mm. On the right side, a coin-edged crown. A smooth bezel holds a domed crystal above a black military-style dial. An outer minute railtrack features Radium pips at the hour, with white-painted Arabic numerals marking the hours. Elegant steel hands are filled with lume, sitting above a sub seconds complete with a steel stick hand. At noon, the Universal Genève motif appears above the ‘W’, and the crown represents Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands' initial, signifying the royal warrant granted to Universal Genève in 1939 to produce military watches. On the reverse, a solid snap-on case back, inside a manually wound UG Cal. 262, 17 jewels, beating at a leisurely 18,000 beats per hour. The watch comes paired with a well-suited 16mm aftermarket NATO strap.

This watch is sold “Watch Only” and therefore comes with no original Universal Geneve box or papers. The watch comes paired with a well-suited 16mm aftermarket NATO strap. The watch is from Circa. 1941 is in fair vintage condition for its age, with signs of wear and patina across the watch, as you can see from the photographs. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.

This is the fascinating Universal Genève 'Wilhelmina' from 1941 with its original matte black dial and contrasting radium markers and hands. This reference 31250 comes in a surprising 30mm case that wears great. The story of the 'Wilhelmina' is an interesting one and debated. I would highly recommend reading the great article by 'vintage-view' as they go into great detail. I would not hesitate to add this great Universal Genève to your collection today!

Reference : 31250
Movement : Manually Wound UG Cal. 262
Age : Circa. 1941
Year : 1941
Case Size : 30mm
Case Thickness : 9.5mm
Lug to Lug : 36.5mm
Lugs : 16mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : None
Case Material : Chrome
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

Universal Genève was founded in 1894 in Le Locle, Switzerland, as Universal Watch, by two Horology students, Ulysse-Georges Perret and Numa-Emile Descombes. By 1919, they had moved their operations to Geneva and renamed the brand Universal Genève. They have been owned by Stelux, a Hong Kong investment group, since 1989. In December of 2023, it was announced that The Partners Group, a private equity firm that owns a majority stake in Breitling, is planning to acquire the Swiss luxury watch brand Universal Genève from Stelux Holdings. This Hong Kong-based holding company has been the brand's custodian since 1989. Over the years, Universal Genève has struggled to gain investment and marketing direction under Stelux Holdings, leading the brand to fall behind its competitors in the luxury watch market. However, the acquisition by The Partners Group is expected to change that. The move is largely driven by Georges Kern, the CEO of Breitling, who has expressed his desire to bring back the historical brand and help it regain its former glory. Kern has successfully turned around the fortunes of Breitling since he took over in 2017, and he is expected to apply the same strategy to Universal Genève. The acquisition comes at a time when there is increased interest in vintage watches, particularly those made by Universal Genève. The brand's vintage timepieces have been fetching record prices at auctions, indicating a renewed interest in the brand. With the cash infusion from The Partners Group, Universal Genève is expected to launch new models and expand its product line to cater to the growing demand for luxury vintage watches. The market is receptive to new offerings from the brand, and the acquisition is seen as a positive step towards reviving Universal Genève's reputation as a leading luxury watch brand.