Universal Genève “Wilhelmina”: a false nickname?
A manual wound wristwatch made by Universal Genève with a black military inspired dial and a precarious symbol underneath the brand logo; a W with a crown on top.
The watch commonly nicknamed the “Wilhelmina”. A theory that became fact.
Universal Genève “Wilhelmina”
Browsing the internet will give you many hits on this watch. All telling the great story of a Dutch military watch:
“Universal Geneve also made military watches, and one of these models were sold to the Royal Dutch Army. These watches were issued to the Dutch soldiers during the late 1930s, just before World War II started for The Netherlands (on the 10th of May 1940). The dial of the Universal Geneve features a ‘W’ symbol, which was the initial of Queen Wilhelmina of The Netherlands. Queen Wilhelmina ruled The Netherlands from 1890 till 1948 and is the grandmother of our current queen, Beatrix.” - Fratello Watches (more in this article from 2011)
Origin of the story
A statement must start somewhere right? In the book ”A concise guide to military Timepieces 1880-1990” by Z.M. Weselowski (1996) this watch is mentioned. And in the book it’s claimed that this watch was a military watch made for the Dutch military with the famed Wilhelmina logo.
The other watches with Crown W logo
Although the Universal Genève is mostly associated with the Crown W logo it isn’t the only watch ever seen with it.
Also Brands like Montilier, ERA and Titus have been seen with the logo.
Picture by Carlton-Brown on Omega Forums
The “other” story: gEBRUDERS wEBENDORFER
Are these produced solely for the Dutch army before the war? Would this single country be ordering numerous “custom” military watches before the war even started?
Is the logo even that from Queen Wilhelmina?
The serial numbers
An easy place to start research is at the serial numbers which are known and confirmed by Universal Genève.
Production years 1938-1941
Serial number range 700.000-800.000
Production years 1941-1942
Serial number range 800.000-900.000
Disclaimer: All watches shown are plausible genuine delivered UG Wilhelmina’s. Found within 5 minutes on Googling.
With a only a few hits on the internet we will find multiple examples with serial numbers in the high 8xx.xxx range which should come as a late 1942 watch.
With the invasion of The Netherlands on the 10th of May 1940. Followed by the bombings of Rotterdam on the 14th of May 1940 it was the end of the Dutch command. Signing the capitulation early the next morning on May the 15th 1940.
So serial numbers that doesn’t match the “1939” pre-war story.
Queen Wilhemina’s logo
The logo that “clearly” resembles the official logo of Queen Wilhelmina. I tried to find for something consistant but the official logo of Queen Wilhelminia seems to vary a bit. But some examples:
A rifle produced in 1948 for the Dutch police forces, FN Wilhelmina rifle.
All official logo’s but none of them look like the logo on the dial.
The “other” logo
A logo from the webpage Mikrolisk
Logo as seen on the dial of the “Wilhemina”
On the webpage Mikrolisk (the horological trademark index) you can find a logo of the Gebruders Webendörfer - Trade organisation; Hamburg, Germany; registered in 24.9.1941.
So a logo very similar to ones seen on the dial that also fits in the correct period after 1941.
Gebruders Webendörfer
Gebruders Webendörfer was a trade organisation from the late 1800’s. Known for selling rebranded items like blades, car parts, ammunition etc.
GWH stamped ammunition. Probably made by Braun & Bloem(Cartridge manufacturer) and rebranded as GWH.
Webendorfer Bros, 187 Clarence Street, Sydney to the Town Clerk enclosing a price list for Electric Carbons for Brockie Pell Arc Lamps and Incandescent Lamps which are lower than their competitors with lamps lasting 1000 hours compared to 800 of other companies. They have a contract with the General Post Office and also supply to the Government Railways. Note. Price list retained by City Architect. (1896)
With subsidiary’s known in Austrilia (Webendrofer Bros. Sydney) and Sweden (A/B Weggers Stockholm).
After the First World War they came into financial troubles which involved splitting the Australian activities to the ones in Germany and Austria.
Not much is known after 1922 but a small snippet from a 1941 trademark sheet shows the Gebr. Webendörfers activities among “Uhren”.
So it still the “Wilhelmina” watch? Or can we definitively say it’s a debunked fable and most likely the “Webendörfer”? If you ask me; it’s a German watch now.
Also ending on an extra little rabbit hole…
