ALESSANDRO FANCIULLI: THE STORIES TIME KEEPS

For Alessandro Fanciulli, collecting Universal Genève watches isn’t just about ownership; it’s about stewardship. Each piece has a life story, waiting to be revealed.

Alessandro Fanciulli is matter-of-fact when he tells UG Magazine, “I’m the guy who can take care of these pieces. They don’t belong to me. They have their own life and soul and energy. I’m lucky to take care of them until the next timekeeper.”

For the watch influencer – who goes by the Instagram handle, Mr. A – the journey with Universal Genève began in his hometown of Milan. Fanciulli describes his fascination with the brand as immediate: “UG, we can say, was my first watch love. There is pure perfection in the case, the dials, the hands, the movement, the crown – every single element. They were these little ticking time machines that you could go out and enjoy the world with.”

What fascinates Fanciulli isn’t just the objects themselves, but the lives behind them. Two of his prized pieces put the stamp of their former owners front and center.

One is a Polerouter, the Universal Genève watch designed to accompany Scandinavian Airline Systems (SAS) pilots on their first commercial flights over the North Pole. The 18-karat gold caseback is engraved with the name of T.H. Nilert, former president of SAS North America, along with the two decades of service his watch commemorated: 1941 to 1961. Its gold hands, painted black for better contrast against the gold dial, were likely Nilert’s personal modifiction for easier reading. “I’m extremely proud to own this piece because it’s truly a piece of history,” Fanciulli says.

Another standout is a customized time-only piece depicting a map of Venezuela. Unlike the colorful enamel dials of its era, this watch features a silver base contoured with resins and dipped in galvanic baths to achieve its bespoke design. Comissioned from Universal Genève by Caracas-based retailer Henrique Pfeffer, it features a rare-for-the-time retailer move: his “HPC” signature on the dial. Fanciulli notes, “That a client in Venezuela in the 1950s would have worn this watch and that the retailer so proudly put his name on it – that is, to me, the epitome of coolness.”

Fanciulli doesn’t just collect individual watches – he gets a kick out of reuniting pieces. “I thought about my watches as a little family; I put them back together. It became a sort of Pokemon quest to find them all.”

A perfect example is a set of watches he calls his “flame lugs” pair, featuring small seconds in a subdial at 6 o’clock, and lugs that truly resemble licks of fire. The first one he found was the steel version, a sculpted marvel he describes as “stupidly cool.” Later, he discovered its golden counterpart. “I was in love with this piece, and then I finally found its sibling. The idea that they would sculpt something out of steel like this doesn’t make sense – but also makes perfect sense.”

As Fanciulli reflects on Universal Genève’s long-awaited return to watchmaking, he expresses hope that the new custodians of the brand will embrace its daring spirit. “UG was really a creative outlet. It made some unbelievable and audacious designs; never afraid to make unique-looking watches. I really look forward to seeing that in the revival of Universal Genève. It will be very important to keep the historical boldness, uniqueness and beautiful aesthetics of the brand.”

Consider it a challenge accepted – to carry forward not just watches, but the stories they’ve yet to tell.