You're Being Sold.

In this video I cover the recent press buzz about the now Breitling-owned Universal Geneve watch brand. I like the vintage watches and I am excited to see what Breitling does with the company. Though, I cover how watch buzz and media generally plays out in this scenario.

[Molloy]

We could start calling it “The Hoodinke-Philips Auctions Effect”.

[nadiakent]

With most of the watch market being exciting as a yawn, it is exciting to see something come back that could throw some excitement and randomness across watch designs. Succeed or fail, something will happen, and that is fascinating.

[rodg]

Breitling CEO stated in an interview last year that UG will be a line above Breitling. Expect big $$$!

[Molloy]

Thank you for speaking out about this, John

[h]

Whatever is rare, it will fetch the value up. In recent years, the high end brands have been releasing central minute chronograph ie: Lange Odysseus chronograph, Moser streamliner chronograph and other brands that use Agenhor chronograph caliber. The movement in these watches are an eye candy and nicely decorated. Central minute chronograph is easy to read and has a cleaner dial as well.

The alternative to Agenhor caliber and Lange caliber is the Lemania 5100, Lemania 1340 and Longines 12.68z. I also found that these vintage chronograph are getting hot but less supply in the market. While the price still looks reasonable at chrono24 but 12.68z and 13zn become more expensive now. These vintages are the un-song heroes that filled with chronograph development history and maximum reliability. 12.68z and 13zn are highly sort after as a flyback central minute chronograph caliber (circa 1930 ~ 1940); Lemania 5100 & Lemania 1340 are famous for its toughness, reliability and military grade central minute chronograph caliber. Hidden gem will only appear at the right hand when the master know what they owned.

[WestCoastAce]

Thanks for the information - you’re probably correct. I do hope they re-release some of the sportier models.

I hope your new venture is doing well.

[MJagger]

So… they’re just engaging in good business practices to maximize profit to recoup all the upfront costs to acquire UG? I mean… like it not. Isn’t this all expected?

[marcn]

That’s how the entire watch industry works. What’s so special about the nautilus for example?
More all about hype and market price that begets itself. As long as they can sustain and execute then more power to them.

They paid for UG brand and need to recoup their investment.

🤝

[vdbdg]

George Kern isn't gonna 👍 this accurate video. What do they really do? Copy-paste, buzz, overcharge, bank

[HRM.H]

I just hope they do a proper revival of the company. Not just a random automatic, but a new microrotor movement to go with it.

[Joe-xoxy]

I left a comment to ben Climer on his last work on UG where it featured a die hard UG collector from Italy. I advised them that if they were going to execute those watches, they had to have great elements on them that commanded the price point they were considering. Example will be using lacquered dials that gave them some sort of richness, may be the micro rotor movement, industrially finished but well done etc.
Well, we have to wait and see but it will be a shame if they mess it up.

[TimothyKasch-fmbn]

This is called advertising. Every company does it in every field.

[LeccareNewHandle]

It's amazing that in the middle of the trans-hype Breitling didn't bring back Transocean.

[VixCrush]

Its like the the new Elypse patek is selling the new one for 60k when the vintage ones are 9.

[williamfarrell]

I firmly expect the Compax to be priced higher than a Daytona, somewhere along the lines of a Breguet Type XX.

[abumpersticker]

While I am excited to see the return of Universal Geneve, I am not excited to see another product experience a supply squeeze and sudden price increase. It gets old.

[francoisvandensteene]

They don't revive a brand as a philantropic gesture. Problem for collectors (not flippers and watch dealers), the market for vintage UG pieces is already reacting. Just got myself a rare square white shadow few weeks ago for about 600 bucks. Now saw the same advertised by a vintage watch dealer at 3.5k. 🤦‍♂️

[bertholdbach]

Didnt they say that the "entry" for UG will be around 15000 Chf?

[thewholecut]

If the new retail models look anything like these one off pieces I’ll eat my hat! I’ll be amazed if they’re not 39mm with thicker cases and a 5 figure price tag. Like you say they’re trying to build the hype so when the new retail models drop in 2026 the prices don’t seem so outrageous.

[s]

If you living in Hong Kong, Universal Geneva exists, and sold for a very very cheap price, they just sold the brand to Brietling and start to hype it up 😂 15000 francs for a base model is insane