Universal Genève White Shadow 842143, ca 1972-1977

Presentation

The sleek, elegant appearance of the White Shadow was the work of one of the 20th century’s most influential watch designers: Gérald Genta.

If we had to retain a word to qualify the look and feel of this model is simplicity. Two hands, a sober white dial and a thin and elegant case hiding an automatic calibre.

The dial & hands

The dial of this White Shadow is very simple, lacquered white with thin baton hour markers, all identical.
The ‘U’ logo and the name of the brand are located at very standard position. The model’s name and the ‘automatic’ mention are located on the lower half of the dial.
The hands are simple baton ones. There isn’t any second hand, it is consitent with the fact that the micro-rotor movement was designed to be thin.

The case

This White Shadow features a refined, tonneau-shaped case, reflecting the stylish, forward-looking aesthetic of the late 1960s and 1970s. The stainless steel case of the White Shadow kept the watch thin, elegant, and dressy. The dimensions are 35.0 mm x 37.7 mm x 8.5 mm. The thinness of the watch is quite remarkable, knowing that the crystal is a dome acrylic which counts for at least a third of the total thickness.

The crown is ‘U’ signed, as it is on every Universal Genève watch. The case back is screwed, the reference of the model and the serial number are engraved on it.

The movement

The extreme thinness was achieved by employing a micro-rotor for the automatic winding system. Unlike a full-sized central rotor, the micro-rotor is integrated into the movement’s plate, allowing for a much flatter overall profile.
It measures an astonishingly slim 2.5 mm in thickness. It held this world record until 1978.