Designed by Genta in 1954 when he was just 23, the Universal Geneve Polerouter is the watch that kick-started the designer's illustrious career. Launched to commemorate the beginning of Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS) flights from Europe to Los Angeles and New York, the Polerouter has aviation at its core, as referenced by its name. The routes flown by SAS from Copenhagen to LA flew over the North Pole, which shortened flight times between the two points from 36 to 22 hours, thus creating the name Polerouter. In addition to being named after its route, the Polerouter's construction was also influenced by this route, as the North Pole's magnetic force would wreak havoc on most watches and instruments in the plane. As such, Universal Geneve needed to make the Polerouter resistant to magnetism. One of the most iconic pilot's watches around, the Polerouter has grown a cult-like status amongst watch collectors as they fawn over its understated design and rich heritage linked to the dawn of transcontinental aviation. However, while it is famed as a pilot’s watch, the Polerouter also welcomed other use cases into its repertoire, with a diving variant also being created, which is what we have here, the Polerouter Sub ref. 20369-1. Launched in the 1960s, the Polerouter Sub ref. 20369-1 features a 42mm stainless steel super compressor case with dual crowns and a rotating inner bezel to allow its wearer to accurately time dives, while also offering a wonderfully legible dial through the use of large luminous hour markers and hands.

The watch is generally in very good condition. The stainless steel case displays some surface scratches as expected for a watch of this vintage. The dodecagonal case back is excellent, with some scratches and shallow nicks. The serial number on the caseback has been worn off at some time and is no longer visible. The upper crown is signed UG and the lower one has the crosshatch patter (Which is correct for MK3 watches) The black gilt dial is excellent, with most of the small lume dots in the hour markers intact. Upon close inspection with a loupe, there is minor wear on the surface. The hour and minute hands have lume that is lighter in shade than the hour plots and show some light scratches. The inner rotating bezel remains in excellent condition, with lume on the 0 triangle to 20 markers. The watch is fitted with a brown Hodinkee leather strap and a stainless steel pin buckle.

An obscure subcollection of an iconic family of watches, the Polerouter Sub is a wonderful and whacky part of Universal Geneve's history as one of horology's most important watchmakers, at least through the middle of the 20th century.