Few names occupy as important a place in twentieth-century watchmaking as Universal Genève. Renowned for landmark creations such as the Compax chronographs and Polerouter, the manufacture spent much of the post-war era at the forefront of technical and aesthetic innovation. Although the brand entered a quieter period during the 1980s and 1990s, it continued to produce a number of fascinating references that have only recently begun to receive the recognition they deserve from collectors.

Produced around 1993, the reference 873.435 is one of the rarest of these late-period creations. Limited to just 1,000 examples in black, alongside an exceptionally scarce white-dial version believed to number only 100 pieces, it combines the practicality of a GMT watch with the romance of a traditional worldtimer. A rotating city bezel works in conjunction with a 24-hour chapter ring to display the time across the world's major time zones, while its restrained 39.5mm stainless steel case makes it a remarkably wearable everyday companion. Combining genuine rarity with an increasingly appreciated chapter of Universal Genève's history, the reference 873.435 offers collectors an opportunity to acquire a highly unusual travel watch from one of Switzerland's most celebrated manufactures.