The name Aero-Compax first appeared in 1941 to describe a chronograph with an additional dial at 12 o’clock position. Conceived as a memory register, the feature allowed the user to establish a start time by engaging the crown on the left hand side. For pilots and military personnel, this was often used to mark the start time of a mission.
The present piece is a later generation Aero-Compax, from 1967. The increase in transatlantic flights during the 1950s encouraged the production of watches that could display two different times simultaneously. In terms of design, the most challenging point was to differentiate the day and the night time. Universal Genève’s answer was a 24-hour movement which it coupled with a rotating bezel, also displaying 24 hours.
This watch, in virtually untouched condition, is a great testimony of how watches were when they left the factory, and would be a great addition to any demanding collection.