By Jovan Krstevski
Some watches earn nicknames posthumously. The “Nina” earned her trackside in the 1960s, strapped to the wrist of the Finnish model Nina Rindt as she timed her husband, racing champion Jochen Rindt, through the paddock corners.
That Compax, modified with a red hand and worn on a broad leather cuff, became legendary enough for Universal Genève to resurrect it now, just shy of their 2026 relaunch under Breitling’s stewardship. Two trios only, each watch housing an original Calibre 281 pulled from the vaults.
The case is available in 18k white or red gold, measures a pleasantly restricted 36mm x 12.67mm. It should be a snug wear from the likes of it, in line with the period aesthetic. This architecture is complemented by a fixed aluminium bezel with a tachymeter scale, while its cambered sapphire crystals are thankfully glareproofed on both sides. Fifty metres of water resistance secures its practical credibility.
Six dials, divided into two trios, each carrying its own personality. The first trio: white with black counters, black with white, and brown with black. The second trio: black with white, white with black, and a restrained blue with black subdials. Every piece, whether in white or red 18k gold, is marked by that vivid red chronograph hand, enamelled across all variants, echoing Nina Rindt’s famous trackside modification.
The Calibre 281 represents the historical crux here. This hand-wound column wheel mechanism, original to 1960s Compax references, oscillates at 18,000vph and stretches 36h between windings.
Japanese artisan Satoru Hosoi constructed the bund straps, his first horological commission after years of dressing Hermès and Moynat leather goods. Each three-piece cuff arrives sewn seamless, co-signed HOSOÏ-PARIS and Universal Genève. Brown or black accompanies white gold, taupe or olive pairs with red. Pricing remains on request. Proceeds fund Geneva’s watchmaking school. Just two full sets exist.
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