UNIVERSAL GENEVE 18k MEDICO COMPAX 1950s

Start the chronograph and watch the blued steel hand begin to move.

As if confirming the living heartbeat of a human being through the pulse felt in the hand, the chronograph stop pusher is pressed on the fifteenth beat. In that moment, the number revealed by the scale may have given people a sense of reassurance — perhaps even reminding them of the simple fact that they were alive.

It was with this idea in mind that Universal Genève introduced the third model in its Compax series to the world: the MEDICO-COMPAX.

In the late 1930s, as the world gradually moved toward war and the demand for military instruments increased, chronographs began to emerge in rapid succession. The era saw the rise of numerous movement manufacturers — from prestigious ébauche makers such as Angelus, Excelsior Park, and Lemania, to central industry suppliers like Valjoux and Venus.

Amid this flourishing world of chronographs, it was Universal Genève that brought a new spirit of modular thinking to the field. By creating specialized chronographs tailored to different situations and functions, the brand introduced distinctive model names for each purpose.

In 1941, Universal Genève established a movement manufacturing partnership in Switzerland with Martel of Pont-de-Martel (founded in 1911). From this collaboration came an extraordinary series of chronographs. Alongside the piece presented here were the two-register UNICOMPAX with its 30-minute counter, the pilot-oriented AEROCOMPAX, the calendar-equipped DATOCOMPAX with a 31-day dial, and ultimately the legendary TRICOMPAX, the pinnacle of the Compax series.

And now we arrive at the MEDICO-COMPAX.

Born in the early 1940s, this watch carries a vintage aura that fills the surrounding space with the presence of more than seventy years of history. Its solid 18-carat rose gold case radiates a warm and captivating glow that only time can create.

The watch remains in entirely original condition. The case bears numerous marks from decades of life, yet these traces only deepen its authenticity. The applied Universal “U” emblem, the indexes, and the elegant dolphin hands are all executed in matching rose gold.

Along the outer edge of the dial, the pulsometer scale displays heart rates from 200 down to 25, inviting the imagination to consider why such a function was so essential in its time.

Within the compact yet commanding 34 mm case, the chronograph mechanism comes alive. The large operating lever — unmistakably characteristic of Universal Genève — transmits motion to the column wheel, through the charming clutch mechanism, and finally to the driving wheel. In that instant, the movement awakens and begins its life as a chronograph.

And above all, the large screw-balance wheel, designed to push the limits of precision in its era, quietly reveals the true essence of this remarkable timepiece.

It is this mechanical heartbeat that defines the soul of the watch.

- wrist size in our picture is 17cm circumference -