1960s Universal Geneve Compax (Ref. 885103/01) "Evil Nina" W/ Base 200 UPH Bezel

There are many collectible vintage watches, but only a few references have been propelled to pop-culture status, receiving the namesake of a past icon that was known for wearing the specific timepiece. Paul Newman with the exotic dial Rolex Daytona, Eric Clapton with the Universal Geneve Tri-Compax moon phase, Steve McQueen with the Heuer Monaco, Nina Rindt with the white dial Universal Geneve Compax, and Joe Siffert with the white dial Heuer Autavia to name a few. These iconic people were looked at as the gold standard of “cool” for their achievements, taste, and style which transcended to the watch community as collectors noticed the exciting timepieces they chose to daily drive.

Nina Rindt was a style icon in Europe and a well-known model. However, her most noticeable appearances were at the Formula One track where she was often seen timing her late Husband Jochen Rindt who was a famous F1 racer throughout the 60s. Jochen Rindt was also notably known for wearing a Heuer Autavia ref. 2446 and gifted Nina the Universal Geneve Compax ref. 885103/02 which would later become a wristwatch icon on its own.

While Nina Rindt made the ref. 885103/02 famous, featuring a white dial with black sub-dials, the Compax was produced in another dial colorway that bears the "Nina" nickname as well. The ref. 885103/01 Compax is essentially the inverse of the white dial variant and can be more theatrically described as its evil twin, featuring a matte black dial with white sub-dials and a bright red center chronograph hand. Subsequently, this black dial variant was dutifully nicknamed the "Evil Nina" and has risen in the ranks of notable timepieces alongside its white dialed counterpart. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all ships, though we think the Evil Nina deserves to be celebrated as a standalone and respectable timepiece from one of the most exciting companies from the 20th century.

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