The WatchTime Q&A: An Interview with Gregory Bruttin from Universal Genève

On November 15, Universal Genève celebrated the 70th anniversary of the first Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) flight from Copenhagen to Los Angeles over the North Pole with three 35-mm tribute Polerouter SAS tribute watches, this occurring ahead of the highly anticipated revival of the brand (full story, here). During the event, we got to sit down with Gregory Bruttin (pictured on the left), the newly appointed Managing Director of Universal Genève.

How does it feel to be working on one of the most anticipated relaunches in the watch industry?
Opportunities like this are rare. There’s also a lot of pressure since expectations are high from clients and collectors. But it is a nice challenge; finding a good balance between historical inspiration and creativity.

What do you consider to be the main challenge?
The movement, because it takes time to develop a reliable movement. Universal Genève was famous for its movements; it was a supplier for many other brands. That legacy adds pressure, to create a very beautiful movement linked to the DNA of the brand, but with a great reliability. It is the reason why we will relaunch the brand in 2026 and not before, because we really want to come with our own movement.

Can you already disclose anything about the new collection?
It’s not because I don’t want to give you the information, it’s because we don’t know yet. We are reconstructing a brand, and the first step for us is to choose the movement we want to use. With a brand like Universal Genève, you have a lot of iconic products, not one. You have the Polerouter, the Compax, the Tri-Compax, the Golden Shadow, the Dual Time, Cabriolet, the Uni-Compax “Big Eye”. We have a lot of products.

What role do collectors play?
Collectors are crucial. We have an advisory board, and we work with some selected collectors to help us to make the right decisions. That is the beauty of Universal Genève. The collector community is huge, and the knowledge is really incredible. Sometimes they come with incredible products we’ve never seen before, unique pieces. It is really interesting to collaborate with these guys, and they help us to develop the brand in the right direction. I think this really is key for the future.

Which model would be a great way to start a collection?
I think the Polerouter is a great choice. The price is still reasonable today. That will change in the future, for sure. It’s a good watch, very comfortable with a lot of brand DNA, and it’s very recognizable.

You’ve teamed up with Laurent Jolliet, a craftsman who happens to be the last chainmaker in Switzerland. What role do artisans like him play?
Universal Genève was very creative in terms of bracelets, and has developed plenty of incredible designs in the past. Preserving that craftsmanship is key for us. It’s the reason why, with the money from the auction [of the white-gold Polerouter], we will support CFP Arts in Geneva. It’s the school where Mr. Jolliet gives lessons, passing on his expertise. And we want to work with Mr. Jolliet to preserve and pass on knowledge about this craft, to not lose it, because it’s very much linked to Geneva. Our goal isn’t to internalize this craft, but to preserve it, which aligns perfectly with our slogan of “Le Couturier de la Montre.”

How did you get into the watch industry?
When I was young, it was very important to me to do something creative, because it’s part of my DNA. I love that. I love to push the boundaries all the time, to challenge the status quo. Watchmaking was a very interesting way to do so, because, in Switzerland, we don’t have a lot of possibilities to be creative and to create something concrete. As a banker, you can be creative, but it’s not linked to art. And for me, it was very important to do that. It’s the reason why I started my studies in watchmaking, and very quickly I fell in love with it. Back then, in 1997, nobody wanted to be a watchmaker, it was not paid well. But to me it was very interesting, because at that time, watchmaking started to become very creative. Today, my philosophy changed a bit, watchmaking was very creative during the last 15 years, and now it’s time to come back to something functional. Today, a lot of clients are asking for very reliable, very comfortable and easy to wear, yet refined watches, which perfectly fits the vision of Universal Genève.

What was your first contact with the brand?
When I was 17, I became very passionate about movements, and bought a Universal Genève Caliber 215. To me, this movement was incredible, it was genius. By placing an oscillating mass on top of a beautiful movement, you hide the beauty of the movement and the watchmaker’s craftsmanship. But the 215 was perfect. They put the oscillating mass inside the movement, showcasing its beauty. And this is the reason why I bought this movement. It was a mix between the aesthetics and the functionality that made me fall in love with it. I still have this movement, and yes, it’s really stunning. I have had a very strong affection towards the brand for a long time.

To learn more about the first tribute watches from Universal Genève, follow this link.