The Universal Genève Polerouter relaunches in force, with no less than 11 new models
Borna Bošnjak- Reviving its most well-known model, Universal Genève launches no less than 11 new Polerouter watches in 37mm and 39mm.
- Five will become part of the permanent collection, while the other six form a limited-time “Capsule” collection, sporting hardstone dials and diamond setting.
- Staying true to the movement that made the Polerouter famous, UG is powering them with the new UG-110 micro-rotor calibre.
Just in case you had any fears that Universal Genève’s relaunch is going to be a shy affair, this banker’s dozen of Polerouters ought to put your mind at ease, and that’s even before you look at the Compax, Cabriolet, Disco Mini and many others launching alongside it. There are loads to get through here, so let’s get right to it, but before that, a little overview of how the brand is going to be structuring their releases going forward. Their whole revived ethos is centred around being le couturier de la montre, or “watch designers”, but UG have taken the “couturier” part quite seriously, inspired by the strategy of many high-end fashion brands. So, five of the new releases will form part of the permanent, Prêt-à-porter collection (ready to wear), with the other six being seasonal Capsule collections focusing on one particular aspect of design. Got all that? Great – let’s finally get into some watches, something I’ve been waiting to talk about ever since the news of UG’s acquisition dropped (I’ll also never miss the chance to mention I actually predicted this happening, regardless of how incorrect the details were).
The first three references of the new Polerouter see a subtle, evolved take on the iconic crosshair dial. They also measure in at 39mm in diameter, and though this isn’t the first Polerouter in that size – shoutout to the ref. 872101 – it is undoubtedly signalling a new era for its most recognisable form. All the case signatures are here – smooth bezel, twisted lugs (though perhaps not as twisted as I expected them to be, I’ll reserve judgment until I see them in person), and I adore the brick bracelet that accompanies the blue-dialled steel model. At 9.5mm thick and 47.6mm lug-to-lug, they’re spot-on proportionally, if a little large for my personal tastes.
Available in steel or 18k rose gold (something echoed by the rest of the line-up), you have a choice of blue or black dial for steel, and lovely chocolate brown for the gold. To further elevate these and bring them up to modern standards, Universal Genève has highlighted the crosshair with mixed dial finishes, interpolating the sunburst finish with matte sections. The outer index ring has a pronounced texture, and its date window references the trapezoidal shape of some vintage models, matching the case and handset material. Speaking of the hands, they’re dauphine (as god intended), but with curiously tapered tips that make them appear a tad softer.
| Brand | Universal Genève |
| Model | Polerouter Date Prêt-à-porter |
| Reference Number | UGPO001 UGPO002 UGPO003 |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 9.5mm (T) x 47.6mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel 18k rose gold |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Blue, brown or black, dual finish |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap |
Steel brick bracelet, butterfly clasp
Alligator leather strap with case-matching clasp |
| Movement | UG-110, micro-rotor automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Autumn 2026 |
| Price |
CHF 14,000 (steel, leather)
CHF 16,000 (steel, bracelet) CHF 32,000 (18k rose gold) |
Rounding out the Prêt-à-porter collection are two 37mm models, also slimming down to 9.35mm in height and 46.2mm lug-to-lug. These are the measurements I’d suspect most expected to see with a Polerouter revival, but that’s perhaps me projecting my own hopes. Other than material choice, there are marked dial differences that subtly push the look of these watches into a dressier direction. For starters, the dials have lost the date, the round lume plots and minute hashes, and the hands are now lumeless too.
The 18k rose gold variant also shows us the first signs that Universal Genève isn’t looking to purely stick to historical re-issues, as the mother-of-pearl and diamond bezel combo is quite a contemporary design choice. I’m also not one to unnecessarily gender watches, though I can’t help seeing the classic attempt at capturing a corner of the market that skews more feminine with this release, as well as the 37mm Capsule collection we’ll look at shortly.
| Brand | Universal Genève |
| Model | Polerouter Date Prêt-à-porter |
| Reference Number | UGPO007 UGPO009 |
| Case Dimensions | 37mm (D) x 9.35mm (T) x 46.2mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel 18k rose gold, diamond-set |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Black with dual finish White mother-of-pearl |
| Lug Width | 18mm |
| Strap | Alligator leather strap, case-matching clasp |
| Movement | UG-110, micro-rotor automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Autumn 2026 |
| Price |
CHF 14,000 (steel, leather)
CHF 34,000 (18k rose gold, diamonds) |
Historically, Universal Genève has been no stranger to stone dials, but they mostly featured later on in the brand’s lifetime, most famously in the Shadow line. The Capsule Hardstone collection sees a steel and two rose gold references adopt bull’s eye (also known as red tiger’s eye), lapis, and tiger’s eye dials, thankfully not obstructing them with a date window, and once again highlighting that crosshair split with stone marquetry (a really neat touch). The case dimensions are shared with the 39mm Prêt-à-porter collection, though I do think the rose gold brick bracelet trumps the steel when it comes to pure cool factor.
| Brand | Universal Genève |
| Model | Polerouter Capsule Hardstone |
| Reference Number | UGPO004 UGPO005 UGPO006 |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 9.5mm (T) x 47.6mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel 18k rose gold |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Stone marquetry in bull’s eye, lapis lazuli or tiger’s eye |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap |
18k rose gold brick bracelet, butterfly clasp
Alligator leather strap, case-matching clasp |
| Movement | UG-110, micro-rotor automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Autumn 2026 |
| Price |
CHF 20,500 (bull’s eye)
CHF 38,850 (lapis lazuli) CHF 65,100 (tiger’s eye) |
The final trio in this barrage of new Polerouters are also the most decadent expression of the model’s new era. The Camaïeu Capsule all features diamonds – you have a choice of bezel or bezel and lugs – while the dials employ a special colouring process that gives the collection its name. Camaïeu is to colour what grisaille is to a greyscale pallette, where different tints of the same colour are used to create light and shade. Unlike some of the 18th-century artworks you may see where camaïeu is used to depict entire scenes, UG uses it to differentiate the dial sectors. A small touch, but one that is a good show of a brand that pays attention to small things, is that the crosshair print matches the tone of the case.
| Brand | Universal Genève |
| Model | Polerouter Capsule Camaïeu |
| Reference Number | UGPO010 UGPO011 UGPO012 |
| Case Dimensions | 37mm (D) x 9.35mm (T) x 46.2mm (LTL) |
| Case Material |
Stainless steel, diamond-set
18k rose gold, diamond-set |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front and back |
| Dial | Camaïeu mint, toffee or berry |
| Lug Width | 18mm |
| Strap |
Colour-matched alligator leather strap, case-matching clasp
|
| Movement | UG-110, micro-rotor automatic |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Autumn 2026 |
| Price |
CHF 17,000 (aqua)
CHF 34,000 (toffee) CHF 40,320 (berry) |
One of the big questions that arose around the eventual revival of the Polerouter was Universal Genève’s choice of movement. It’s a Polerouter after all, so it had to be a micro-rotor, and I’m glad to see that the new management delivered, though details of its development are somewhat scarce. The UG-110’s dimensions are appropriately proportioned and result in decently slim watches, though the calibre itself isn’t as slim as I thought it could be – an ETA 2892A2 is a full-rotor movement and 3.6mm thick, while this measures 3.8mm. It does have a more shock-resistant, double-sided balance bridge that backs up the sporty, 100-metre water-resistance rating of all the new Polerouters, with the balance beating at 4Hz for up to 72 hours thanks to what look like dual barrels. The micro-rotor – or should I say Microtor – is quite large, even UG calling it a three-quarters rotor, displaying some lovely sunray engraving. This architecture is very different from the brand’s previous approaches, where the rotor would truly be small, sitting deeper inside the movement.
There’s a nice mixture of perlage and striping, the soleil brushing on the barrel covers is very pleasant, and there’s thin anglage to all the plates and bridges. We’ll get a better idea of how the renders translate to real life once we get some live shots, but it’s looking good so far. In terms of the movement’s origins, Universal Genève calls it a “Manufacture” calibre, though that’s a loosely defined term these days, so we’ll make sure to update this section once we receive any additional information.
Universal Genève Polerouter 2026 collection pricing and availability
Universal Genève’s new Polerouter collection is split into Prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear) and Capsule collections. The former will be mainstays of their offering, while the Capsule models are “limited seasonal editions”. Price: starting from CHF 14,000, see tables for exact pricing