Universal Genève announces new release date, logo, and launches new website

Borna Bošnjak

Ever since the announcement dropped that Breitling (alongside a couple of private investment firms) purchased Universal Genève in 2023, enthusiasts had been waiting for any signals of intention with bated breath. Nearly a year after that initial announcement, we finally got what we were waiting for – some of us for way longer than others. While the big news for the revived brand is the launch of its new website, I hadn’t expected it to also announce the release date for its first new release since the early 2000s – at the moment set for autumn of 2026.

Much like with Breitling, CEO Georges Kern is employing the enthusiasts to spearhead this revival, though the main figure leading it alongside him will be Managing Director Gregory Bruttin who ends a nearly 23-year-long stint with Roger Dubuis. Speaking on community engagement, Bruttin says: “This is a beloved brand with an active community. Our advisory board is working with us to build the brand in a modern way while remaining true to the considerable heritage of Universal Genève.”

So, what can you expect from Universal Genève over the next couple of years? For starters, the website will host the UG Magazine, meant to tell stories about the brand’s rich history – a bit of a no-brainer, if you ask me. The announcement also promises “a series of pre-launch events and timepiece releases” that have already been planned, and briefly touches on Universal Genève’s most notable pieces such as the Polerouter, Nina Rindt Compax, and Eric Clapton Tri-Compax. In fact, it makes special mention of the 70th anniversary of the Polerouter that will be celebrated next month, as the original piece was made for Scandinavian Airlines in 1954.

While the big question of “when?” has been answered, I’m afraid we’ll have to wait to find out the “what?” over the next two years. Nevertheless, the press release and new Instagram page do reveal a new Universal Genève logo that is perfectly serviceable, with the former also hinting to potential future collaborators. Currently, the Instagram page is only following three accounts – Breitling, ug_tokyo (a Universal Genève collector that you should absolutely follow), and Nino Niederreiter, a Swiss hockey player who announced his partnership with Breitling just four weeks ago. I’m sure you can tell I’m excited – and you should be too.