Over the last several years, something has happened to the humble Universal Geneve Polerouter. This watch, once a go-to recommendation for collector?s looking to get their feet wet in the world of vintage, has risen in stature, value, and overall name recognition as the watch market has expanded. As with any niche hobby that, over time, approaches the mainstream, hidden gems become less hidden. The Polerouter, while not a household name like the Speedmaster or Submariner, is not nearly as under the radar as it used to be. 
While those of us who have been around this stuff for years might mourn the availability of great examples of the Polerouter on the cheap, it?s hard not to be happy that people are discovering and appreciating the watch. As a gateway to the hobby, and vintage specifically, it?s a collection that could lead a curious collector down any number of paths, each one rewarding in a different way. That?s because there are so many ways to approach the Polerouter: as a creation from the mind of the biggest name in the history of watch design, as an elegant sports watch that helped set a template for some of the most popular watches of the current era, and as an uncommon mechanical triumph. And, of course, it?s still a relatively accessible piece of a key part of watch history, and a great representation of Universal Geneve, a brand that exists today as a time capsule. 
Perhaps one of the clearest signals that the Polerouter has crossed a threshold of so...