THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: UNIVERSAL GENEVE
MODEL: 20217-5
YEAR: 1954
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 35mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

In the early 1950s, commercial aviation was rewriting the map. Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) pioneered a bold new route—charting a course over the magnetic North Pole to connect Los Angeles and Copenhagen faster than ever before.

To mark the occasion, SAS turned to Universal Genève. The brief? Create a watch worthy of this milestone in modern exploration. The result was a design by a young Gérald Genta—who would go on to create some of the most iconic watches in history. At just 24 years old, he came up with this: the Polarouter (as it was initially named), issued to SAS pilots and crew, and built to navigate extremes with both precision and style. It wasn’t long before its reputation left the cockpit and hit the wider world. The watch was soon renamed Polerouter, and the rest is history.

The present example is a very early ref. 20217, featuring the cal. 138SS "Bumper" movement (and if you've never owned one of these, you're in for a treat…). Dating back to 1954, this watch remains in incredible condition. The "Second Execution" silver dial is pristine after 70 years of life, with only light aging. The radium markers are all intact, having developed a rich pumpkin patina. The case remains full and sharp. The caseback has been polished before and the serial numbers are faint. 

We’ve just had the movement regulated and checked over—it’s running at +4 s/d, 255 amplitude, with a beat error of 0.4 ms. 

Polerouters are the Alfa Romeos of the watch world. If you're even remotely into cars, you know that at some point you have to own an Alfa. The same goes for watches—everyone should experience a Polerouter. Sublime.