We’ve been many a place and seen many an astounding thing over the years, but the incredible surge in popularity and value of the Universal Genève Compax chronographs has blown us away. Seemingly out of nowhere, these gorgeous chronographs have begun to receive the attention that they have truly deserved all along, and we at analog/shift have been extremely lucky and proud to serve as the best source for enthusiasts looking to add one of these rare and fine watches to their collection.
This reverse panda dial Compax, similar to the panda dial “Nina Rindt” Compax (see the last one that we sold ), and affectionately nicknamed the “Evil Nina”, is just as stunning as it’s famous sister watch, and gives UG fans a way to get one of these amazing watches on their wrists at a lower price point. Accented by a bright red seconds hand, the Evil Nina Reference 885103/01 is a bit sportier than the Nina and evokes the style of a black Rolex Big Red Daytona.
While the Compax watches were once dismissed by all but a small group of hardcore UG fans as a budget alternative to the Rolex Daytona (the case size, style and movement are extremely similar), UGs have really come into their own lately, and they have developed a rabid following that is completely independent of their Rolex analogs. Collectors now recognize how special and rare these watches are, and with one UG for every 100 Paul Newman Daytonas, finding one is no easy feat (despite having become somewhat of an analog/shift specialty).
We are proud to offer this fine example of the Evil Nina Compax in collector-worthy condition, with a case that is in excellent shape, a near-flawless dial and original hands with light patina and clean tachymeter bezel. The small details are what make the watch so special, namely the small lines of tritium lume on each of the hands (an extremely unusual feature) and the elegant, gently curved lugs. Packaged in a 36-37mm case, the watch just oozes class, and we wouldn’t change a thing about its size even if we could. We appreciate a bit of understatement, and believe that it is an important quality in any truly great watch. The Evil Nina nails that aesthetic perfectly, something few sports watches achieve.
The Compax is powered by the Valjoux 72 manually-wound chronograph movement, which is a legend in its own right, renowned for its robust and accurate performance. The same movement that is found in the Rolex Daytona (and many of the time period’s best chronographs), the tri-compax subsidiary register configuration features a running seconds hand, 12-hour and 30-minute counter, all topped off with a central sweep seconds hand.
As you probably already know, this is a truly rare opportunity to get your hands on one of the most desirable chronographs from the golden age of sport chronographs.
We’re sure this one will go fast, so contact us at [email protected] for more information.
To learn more about the Nina Rindt Compax and Universal Geneve, visit our friends at Hodinkee .
