72 — the Compax column-wheel chronograph

In brief

Compax was the name Universal Genève gave to its complicated chronographs — hour and minute counters, and on some versions a calendar or moonphase — gathered under a single commercial banner. The 72 is one of the hand-wound, column-wheel calibres that ran them.

Short history

Along with the Polerouter, Compax defined Universal Genève for much of the twentieth century. Valjoux sold its ébauches to whoever would buy them; Universal Genève signed and marketed these chronographs as its own, which makes attributing a Compax to its original calibre a straightforward job today.

Watches that used it

• Universal Genève Compax