Universal 281 Tri-Compax

	Brand:	Universal
	Family:	Universal 281 Family
	Height:	7.15 mm
	Jewels:	17
	Reserve:	36 hours
	Frequency:	18,000 A/h
	Winding:	Hand winding
	Diameter:	27.80 mm (12 ligne)
	Complications:	2-Button, 8-Column Chronograph, Chronograph, Column Wheel Chronograph, Date, Day, Month, Moon Phase, Quick Date Correction, Quick Month Correction
	Hands:	12 Hour Chronograph Hand at 6:00, 30 Minute Chronograph Hand at 3:00, Central 60 Second Chronograph Hand, Central Hour Hand, Central Minute Hand, Date Pointer at 12:00, Day Window at 10:30, Month Window at 1:30, Moon Phase Wheel at 12:00, Small Seconds Hand at 9:00

Distinguishing Technical Characteristics
Hand-Winding Clockwise Balance Cock 8-Column Chronograph Balance Balance at 12:00 Column Wheel Column Wheel at 6:00
Production:  –
1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s

The “Tri-Compax” version of the Universal Cal. 281 is a hand-winding column wheel chronograph movement with hour and minute registers as well as a full calendar with moon phase. It has a distinctive four-subdial look.

• Month window at 1:30 (advanced by pusher at 10:15)
• Chronograph 30 minute counter at 3:00
• Chronograph 12 hour counter at 6:00
• Small seconds at 9:00
• Day window at 10:30 (not quickset)
• Date pointer at 12:00 (advanced by pusher at 8:00)
• Moon phase disc at 12:00 (advanced by pusher at 9:45)

Many of the Universal Cal. 281 family were produced in different versions: The basic “Compur” or “Uni-Compax” movement features only a 30 or 45 minute chronograph counter and small seconds with two subdials, the “Compax” or “Bi-Compax” version adds a 12 hour counter with three subdials, and the “Tri-Compax” includes a full calendar and moon phase with four subdials. The “Compax” naming scheme is often confused today, with two-subdial versions often called “bi-compax” and three-subdial configurations “tri-compax” even though this is incorrect.

All Universal movements were produced in the Pellaton family factory in Les Ponts-de-Martel near Le Locle in Canton Neuchâtel. As of 1942, Universal president Raoul Pellaton was president of the company, and the factory bore the name “Universal”, but it remained an independent business. After Universal divested from the factory in the 1950s, Zenith purchased it.

Universal was also unusual in using the same name for movements with various complications. There were only three basic movements in the “golden age” Universal chronograph family: Cal. 281 (12”’ and larger), Cal. 285 (14”’ and larger), and Cal. 289 (10.5”’). Larger-diameter versions of each were numbered differently (e.g. 281, 381, 283, 383, 481) regardless of whether they featured a minute totalizer only (“Uni-Compax” of “X”), an hour counter (“Compax” or “AX”), a date (“Dato-Compax” or “DX”), or a full calendar (“Tri-Compax” or “TX”). The calibre number corresponds only to the diameter and hairspring used.

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