View evaluation: Unimatic Modelo Uno UT1 entry-level tool Watch for enthusiasts

As early as 2024, the dubto -fold helped to present some of Unimatic's New timepiece of the “Toolwatch” collection, including short hands -on with the currently reviewed Unimatic UT1 and the Unimatic Toolwatch UT4 GMT. The unimatic UT collection currently consists of four models. The clocks are either delivered smooth or rotating timing bezels and either with a time or a quartz movement in the GMT style. My personal favorite model so far is the one shown Unimatic Modelo Uno Ut1 Because I like the cleaner dial and the utility (and the visual style) of the timing bezel in the rotating diver in style. I have now worn the Unimatic UT1 clock for a while and believe that it is a pretty solid watch for many people. This is also the first unimatic clock that I have checked since the physical visit to the brand office in Milan, Italy. The visit further helped me appreciate the brand and the characteristic founder of the company, Giovanni Moro. He is a man who loves tools, so it makes sense that these tools were designed with a lot of love.

In the title of this article, I mention that this is an “entry-level tool clock for enthusiasts”. In fact, there are many simple and practical watches that we call this Unimatic UT1 In fact, the Unimatic Toolwatch collection begins at 350 euros for the same clock without the Togling (known as Modelo UN UT4). My crucial point was for “enthusiasts”. This means that people who not only demand a certain performance or specifications from their watches, but also appreciate certain design elements and functions of clock collectors.

The best example of this “enthusiast approach” is perhaps the choice of Unimatic movement for the UT1 clock, which is actually a Seiko Sii VH31 caliber. This is a decent but strange movement that has been around for about a decade. The VH31 is part of Seiko's Sweed Second Quartz series ”and as the name suggests, a quartz-based movement with a comprehensive versus-ticking hand. However, the battery life has an effect. If you watch a comprehensive (compared to ticking) seconds.

The UT1 dial is most characterized by the use of Arabic numerals, which is a strong contrast to almost all other unimatic watch leaves that use geometric hour markings. The dial (without date) is otherwise clean, symmetrical and inspired by classic military field or diving watches. A lack of shiny surfaces and high contrast black and white indicators ensures a very readable face. Unitmatic also uses a good amount of superluminova illuminating material on the hands and hourly markings for darkness. Around the dial there is a unidirectionally rotating bezel with a black aluminum insert. Note that the bezel is a “temporal bezel”, which means that the digits run backwards. This allows you to count (instead of upwards), as the case is the case with most bezels of this type. The small piece of orange color in the seconds and selection text offers the otherwise sober readability focus of the UT face a welcome feeling of personality.

An important utility function, which is easy to overlook in the UT collection of Unimatic, is that each of the models in the MIL-STD 810H specifications is shocked. Quartz movements are usually a little more resistant to shock than mechanical movements, but can also be damaged by extreme shock or vibrations. The solution for the UT clock is a gummatic owner ring that keeps the movement within the housing in place. This is a very useful solution, but is rarely used in watches of this style or price point.

Unimatic did not have to design a new case for the UT collection because they use the company's standard model. The steel housing has a sandblasted finishing (good -looking for guards in the tool style) and is waterproof of 300 meters with a screwed crown. Unimatic confirms that each case is checked individually to ensure proper water resistance (most low-end clocks are not tested individually in this way). The housing has a flat sapphire crystal above the dial that doesn't seem to have much (although it has some on the underside of the crystal) AR-Coating (probably one of the few areas in which you can see that Unimatic has tried to stick to a certain price). The housing is a very portable 41.5 mm wide, 13.2 mm thickness and has a 49 mm-long lug-to-lug route. Thanks to the 22 mm wide straps, the housing is on the larger side, and I personally like this style. There is a double black nylongurt on the clock. You could easily replace it with any number of other straps, but I like this combination of traditional straps with the nylon material that combines people with straps in NATO style. The good thing about the mostly black and white dial of the UT1 clock is that the housing can look good with a variety of strap colors and materials.

The reason why I like the UT1 clock so much is related to my greater interest in watches than tools. While I admire timepieces of all kinds, I think that my own interests lead me to targeted timepieces. This means that I have a weakness for watches that survive difficult conditions and offer constant reliability (as much as possible). Nevertheless, I also want my tool clocks to be pretty and sophisticated. You have to have as much personality as functionality, and this is usually the result of a talented designer behind the product (which is certainly the case with Unimatic). If you are not enthusiastic about the Unimatic UT1 toolwatch after reading, products like this are not necessarily for you. This is okay because there are many other options out there. For those who are looking for a well-designed and high-functioning toolwatch to an entry price that was designed with a view of enthusiasts, they will surely see what Unimatic does with its toolwatch collection. Price for the Unimatic Modelo Uno Ut1 Is €425 EUR. Find out more on the Unimatic website.