Introducing: Two One-Off Sets Of Three Universal Genève Tribute To Compax Chronographs — “The Nina” Returns
Hold your horses; Universal Genève is still warming up for a full launch in 2026. For now, we have to settle for ultra-exclusive stuff. You could call it “clickbait,” but that would be too crude for two sets of three Universal Genève Tribute to Compax chronographs in white and pink gold with different dials. You can’t buy the watches separately; only the two sets that the brand has put together are available, and these sets are one-offs. Also, each set of precious metal homages to “the Nina” is available exclusively by request. Still interested? Contact the brand and have 135,000 Swiss francs at the ready, plus a few thousand more because this price does not include sales tax.
Universal Genève has been teasing the watch crowd ever since the launch of the brand campaign in 2024. After that, three one-off SAS Polerouter watches were launched, but we were told loudly and clearly that new models, along with authorized retailers, wouldn’t emerge until 2026. My memory obviously isn’t what it used to be, because when I saw the press kit of the six Universal Genève Tribute To Compax chronographs, I thought they were the first production models from the revived brand. I was wrong. The six watches are part of two one-off sets of three, which are only available upon request. That makes sense when you consider the pre-tax price of CHF 135,000. Now, let’s take a look at what that money buys you, apart from the good feeling that you’re supporting the Geneva Watchmaking School.
Nina Rindt wearing her Universal Genève Compax
Introducing two sets of three Universal Genève Tribute to Compax Chronographs — The return of “the Nina”
The Universal Genève Compax became famous not because of a Formula 1 driver but, instead, because of a Formula 1 driver’s wife. Finnish model Nina Rindt was the wife of German driver Jochen Rindt, who tragically died in a crash in 1970, but despite that fatal misfortune, he still won that year’s championship because of his massive lead in the standings. In better times, Nina was often seen trackside timing her husband’s laps with a Universal Genève Compax strapped to her wrist. But this was no ordinary chronograph. Nina’s personal touch transformed it into one of the most sought-after vintage watches of the 20th century, now affectionately known among collectors as “the Nina.”
The watch on her wrist had been a gift from Jochen himself. According to legend, he even replaced the chronograph’s black seconds hand with a red one to improve visibility during races. Yet for Nina, the watch’s steel bracelet felt too utilitarian — too masculine.
During a trip to Paris, she noticed a wide leather cuff in a boutique window. Known as a Bund strap, this design was initially created to shield pilots’ wrists from the heat inside the cockpit. Its shape echoed the martial cuffs of ancient Greece and Rome — decidedly rugged yet ripe for reinterpretation. Being a fashion model, Nina saw the potential. Sliding her Compax into the cuff, she reinvented the watch entirely, making it bold, unconventional, and unmistakably hers. Pictures of her wearing that watch trackside became famous. It also turned a functional timepiece into a fashion statement, and collectors immortalized it under her name.
Satoru Hosoi at work
Bund 2.0 straps from Paris
Now, for the first time, Universal Genève reintroduces “the Nina,” crafted from 18K white and red gold in two ultra-exclusive sets of three Tribute to Compax chronographs. The watches come fitted with handcrafted Bund straps made by Japanese leather artisan Satoru Hosoi. Trained in both Japan and Italy, Hosoi refined his artistry at Hermès and Moynat, earning the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2015. Working from his Paris atelier, he has reimagined Nina’s iconic strap with a couture sensibility that transforms its military roots into something more refined and elegant.
Each strap comprises three interlocked pieces of calfskin, sewn together so that they cannot be separated. It’s an intentional departure from traditional detachable Bund designs. The result mirrors what Nina Rindt once brought to her UG Compax — a bold redefinition of function through style.
While the 1960s original was powered by the Valjoux 72, these new editions feature Universal Genève’s in-house caliber 281, making them the only “Ninas” ever to house this historic movement.
The six watches in two sets of three
The first set of three Tribute To Compax chronographs consists of the references JU281121A1X1 (white gold, panda dial), RU281121B1X1 (red gold, reverse panda dial), and RU281121Q1X1 (red gold, brown dial).
The second set features the references JU281121B1X1 (white gold, reverse panda dial), RU281121A1X1 (red gold, panda dial), and JU281121C1X1 (red gold, blue dial). The 50-meter water-resistant cases measure 36mm in diameter, have a thickness of 12.67mm (not including the bund strap, of course), a lug width of 19mm, and a lug-to-lug length of 44.44mm. And for those who wonder what material that black bezel is, don’t worry, it’s historically correct aluminum, not ceramic.
Universal Genève found six 281 movements from the original Compax era in its archives and revived them. The manual-winding, column-wheel chronograph caliber measures 28.5mm in diameter and 7.1mm thick. These movements were once the technical foundation of Universal Genève’s solid reputation. Their reintroduction is a nod to history, but it signals the brand’s forthcoming return to in-house movement making.
Six watches, four dial colors
Precious metal cases, handcrafted Bund straps of the highest quality, and a revived historical movement deserve a special dial. And that’s what the six watches got. Universal Genève chose to outfit the Tribute To Compax chronographs with dials featuring Grand Feu enamel. This centuries-old technique utilizes mineral powders infused with metallic oxides, which are fired at temperatures exceeding 800°C and reapplied up to 10 times until the surface achieves a luminous depth and unrivaled presence. The collection’s six watches feature four dial colors. Classic opaque white and black are available in both the white and red gold models, with each dial donning case-matching indexes. Alongside those is a translucent blue dial in a white gold case and a translucent brown one in a red gold case.
Now, which of these six Tribute to Compax chronographs is your favorite? Do you think these two sets do “the Nina” justice, and what are you hoping to see from Universal Genève in 2026? Please let me know in the comments section below.
