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Lot Essay
Fresh to market, from the family of the original owner, and offered without reserve, the present Universal Geneve 'Eric Clapton' reference 881101⁄1 is a highly rare and attractive example further complemented with its steel Universal Geneve buckle and presentation box.
The 'Eric Clapton' Reference 881101⁄1
The Universal Genève reference 881101⁄1, affectionately known among collectors as the “Eric Clapton,” is one of the most coveted vintage complicated chronographs ever produced by the storied manufacture. Made for only a brief period during the mid-1960s—approximately from 1963 to 1967—the model housed the celebrated manual-winding caliber 281 and combined an extraordinary suite of complications: a column-wheel chronograph, triple calendar displaying day, date, and month, together with moon phases, all within an elegant 36 mm. case. Its enduring nickname stems from the legendary musician Eric Clapton, who famously wore the reference during the height of his 1960s career, with period photographs cementing its place in collecting lore and elevating the model to near-mythic status. Today, as Universal Genève undergoes a highly anticipated revival under the stewardship of Breitling, the reference 881101⁄1 stands as a shining symbol of the brand’s golden age—an icon whose rarity, mechanical sophistication, and cultural provenance continue to captivate a new generation of collectors.
The 'Eric Clapton' Reference 881101⁄1
The Universal Genève reference 881101⁄1, affectionately known among collectors as the “Eric Clapton,” is one of the most coveted vintage complicated chronographs ever produced by the storied manufacture. Made for only a brief period during the mid-1960s—approximately from 1963 to 1967—the model housed the celebrated manual-winding caliber 281 and combined an extraordinary suite of complications: a column-wheel chronograph, triple calendar displaying day, date, and month, together with moon phases, all within an elegant 36 mm. case. Its enduring nickname stems from the legendary musician Eric Clapton, who famously wore the reference during the height of his 1960s career, with period photographs cementing its place in collecting lore and elevating the model to near-mythic status. Today, as Universal Genève undergoes a highly anticipated revival under the stewardship of Breitling, the reference 881101⁄1 stands as a shining symbol of the brand’s golden age—an icon whose rarity, mechanical sophistication, and cultural provenance continue to captivate a new generation of collectors.