The Unimatic U1 Classic is a minimalist dive watch, total diameter 41.5 mm, with a 120-click unidirectional rotating bezel. Hour markers and rotating bezel dot have pale green SuperLumiNova lume. The exceptional thing about this watch is its “reduce to the max” ethos that gives it a remarkably distinctive look. Dots, rectangles and circles for the hour markers are nothing new, but if you compare the Unimatic U1 Classic to a watch like the Rolex Sea-Dweller, the difference is immediately apparent. The Unimatic looks quieter, the second hand is “reverse lollipop” so that the circular motif is a counterweight and not a marker, there are no time markings on the bezel and no texts on the bezel rehaut.
Dive watch purists would probably say that the hour and minute hands are too similar and that timing dives is not entirely accurate, but this watch is above all a very attractive concept piece. It is an essay in design purity and harmony, with a fine balance created by the circular case, bezel, hour markers and crown. The case is 13.6 mm in thickness which is quite a lot, even more when wearing the Nato strap which adds another couple of millimetres. The resistance rating is 300 metres, with stainless steel case and screwed-in caseback. The Seiko NH35A movement runs at 21,600 bph, with 41 hours power reserve.
The caseback has a decorative relief design with compass bearings, directions and Italian wind names, along with the watch’s individual serial number at the centre. The watch has a 2-year guarantee. Accesssories available for this watch include a bright or sandblasted steel bracelet (€180), and various leather straps (from €75 to €200).
The Unimatic U1 Classic, reference UWK-UC1, costs €525, inclusive of the two-slot Unimatic Tough Case.
Read more and order on the Unimatic website.
