THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: UNIVERSAL GENEVE
MODEL: 20217-3
YEAR: 1954
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 an 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 "non-lume" silver dial is gorgeous after 70 years of life, gaining a champagne colour patina. 

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.