Universal Genève FS Ferrovie dello Stato (Italian State Railways) ref. 864 107 Second Series (Mark 2) – Serviced

The railways and horology have a long shared history.
Long before timepieces had taken to men’s wrists, train conductors carried mechanical pocket watches styled to enable flawless legibility at a glance, even in low-lit conditions. Those watches’ accuracy was of paramount importance, as whole railway systems were set up in accordance to their melodious ticking. Nowadays, the utilitarian aesthetic of the railway watch is symbolic of the times when mechanical watches occupied a position of vital importance in everyday life and society.
Of all the railway watches favoured by contemporary collectors, few have been as enduringly popular as Universal Geneve’s Ferrovie dello Stato watch. That is due partly to Universal Geneve’s standing as one of the most prolific and innovative horological manufacturers of its day, and party to the timepiece’s quality, but there’s more to this story.
Yes, the UG FS is a masterfully crafted timepiece executed at a standard far exceeding your typical railway watch, but what makes it truly unique is how and why that came to be.
You see, Universal Geneve was commissioned with building the First Series 1 FS watch shortly after the Second World War ended. The Italian State Railways were undergoing a grandiose overhaul, which sought to raise the morale of the men who had just returned from war and were now employed by the company. This was, in turn, part of a larger plan concerned with revitalizing Italy after the devastation of the war, and since the Italians have always known that beauty and fine craftsmanship can heal man’s soul, the State Railways went to the best for their watch.
The specific example on offer here dates to circa 1972 and is in excellent condition. Its case remains sharp-edged even if it appears to have been lightly polished at some point in the past, and its dial is well-preserved and entirely authentic – i.e. has never been refinished. Where this watch misses the mark, however, is the crown, which is an original UG one but is not correct to this model. The movement within, the in-house cal. 64, was always designed to be sturdy and dependable, so it’s little surprise that it’s keeping good time after being serviced by our watchmaker.

Covered by a limited warranty of 1 year, starting on the date of purchase.

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Universal Genève
 

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At ChronoTimepieces, we take great pride in the quality and authenticity of our watches.

Every watch undergoes a thorough inspection process to ensure that it is in fully-authentic condition, both externally and internally. This includes checking all components for authenticity and functionality, as well as servicing and testing where needed.
All of our modern watches are carefully inspected and serviced where needed to ensure that they are in excellent condition and ready to be worn and enjoyed for many years to come. We only source our from reputable dealers, private sellers and manufacturers and we take great care to ensure that they are authentic, with non-questinable origins and have not been tampered with in any way.

For our vintage watches, we go above and beyond to ensure that they are in excellent condition and have not been tampered with over the years. We check each vintage watch against our database of original examples to ensure that no components have been replaced or tampered with, and we try our best to only use OEM parts for servicing.
We understand that many vintage watches sold online have been re-dialed, overpolished, or have movement parts with questionable origins, so we are committed to upholding the highest standards of authenticity and quality in our vintage watches. If there are any exceptions to this, we will always disclose them in the descriptive text for the respective timepiece.

In addition to our commitment to authenticity, we also offer a 1-year warranty on all of our watches. This gives you peace of mind and confidence in your purchase, knowing that if any issues arise within the first year after purchase, we will be happy to repair or replace the watch.

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Unless agreed otherwise in an individual case, ChronoTimepieces does not give any guarantees as to the characteristics of the goods which go beyond the statutory warranty rights or any other warranties.

  • All our watches come with a limited warranty of 1 year, starting on the date of purchase. The cover of said warranty is limited to the function, continuous operation and fair timekeeping and it does not cover misuse, neglect, abuse, water damage or any other form of wearer-inflicted damage.
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For more info, please refer to our Terms of Service.

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Each item sold by ChronoTimepieces is covered by a no-questions-asked 14 day inspection period, unless otherwise stated in the description of the purchased item. The item, however, must remain unworn and unmolested within that period of time – and in the same condition that it left our offices. If a return is requested, simply email info@chronotimepieces.com and we will respond with instructions. Insured shipping for returns must be paid for by the buyers and buyers assume all risk for it. A before and after video comparison and inspection is required before returns are cleared.

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In the event of an effective return of order, the price of the purchased item/s will be returned to you. The shipping costs for returning the item will occur at your own expense and will be deducted from your refund. Shipping costs are non-­refundable.

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For more info, please refer to our Terms of Service.

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