Apparently based on a never actually made design from 1942, the limited edition U-Boat U-1942 watch is an Italian blast from the past. The story goes that the Italian Navy commissioned a special watch to be made, but it never made production. This U-1942 watch is based directly on that design - and it is really sharp looking. The oddest part of the watch is of course the crown. It extends out.. maybe too far. It is kind of silly and phallic to be honest. I mean it works, and looks cool, but you know.... Lets just say that it looks like a periscope...yea that's it. The crown is meant to have a functional use though. The idea is that it is meant to be easy to use with gloves. Easy to use meaning winding it and adjusting it. Not sure how easy it will be to release the crown while in the locked position with gloves though, but probably pretty simple. Further, I believe that the crown can be adjusted and wound underwater... which should be nice.
The watch is big! Really big with a grade 5 titanium case of 64.4mm wide and over 18mm thick. What a beast! At least being in titanium it won't be too heavy. This takes massive watches to a new level. The sweet looking diver's bezel rotates in both directions and has a special lever that locks it into position and keeps it from rotating. The design certainly has a lot of Ennebi in it, which itself is based on retro Italian looks. So all in all this is cosmetically "very Italiano." The darkened case is water resistant to 400 meters, with a great looking dial that shares a design theme with Panerai watches. Interestingly enough the watch hands are done in German Silver (which does not actually contain any silver).
Nothing completes a traditionally styled Italian diver watch like a rich brown thick cordovan leather strap - with a large titanium buckle. Inside the watch is a Swiss Unitas 6497 manually wound movement. It is a solid movement, and ideally decorated a bit, though a really simple movement. U-Boat, and other brands like this movement a lot, but I'd like to see them mix it up a bit with a little more variety. For the serious collectors, this movement is not as exciting as the outside of the watch is. Still, buyers of this U-1942 watch will be proud owners due to the cool design - which it certainly is. I do like how U-Boat always places in the cute little subsidiary seconds dials. They just sorta look charming don't they? Of course the dial is covered with lots of lume, and is quite legible.
The U-Boat U-1942 watch is a limited edition of just 29 pieces - really not that many to satiate the U-Boat fans out there, of which there are a lot. Not sure about pricing, but given standard U-Boat watches, I would say that we are talking at least $5,000, probably more.
See U-Boat watches on eBay here.
See U-Boat watches on Amazon here.
 Mens MULTI TIME U Boat WATCH Military SILVER 386slb BIG  US $37.97
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 U-BOAT Flightdeck 55 Black Steel Chronograph Watch 1090 US $2,930.00
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 U-BOAT Flightdeck 55 mm Steel Chronograph Watch 1756 US $2,660.00
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 U-BOAT Flightdeck 50mm Automatic Chronograph Watch 1863 US $3,040.00
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 U-BOAT Classico Left Hook With Box and Warranty Card US $1,000.00
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 U-BOAT Left Hook Chrono Black 53 mm David Beckham US $825.00
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I really have a problem with U-Boat as a brand. A few years ago, they were approx 200-300 euro, laying around in clothing shops. Nothing special, just fashion watches (mostly quartz) lifting on the ‘hype’ of the Panerai watches. Just a few years later, they position themselves as serious watches, in the same segment as Panerai or Anonimo. U-Boat is just a sad brand, using the same course that was so succesful for Panerai.
People in Italy will raise an eyebrow if they catch you wearing this watch. The way to go is either Panerai or a vintage Rolex that hangs loosely on your wrist.
Sorry for the rant, but U-Boat positioning themselves as being more than a fashion watch make my stomach feeling funny
RJ
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I post this in response to RJ. Perhaps I am biased, because I sell U-Boat watches, but that also puts me in a position where I have seen many of them, and know a lot about them.
My take on U-Boat watches is that they are really well designed! People love the look of these watches and for this reason the brand continuously sold out their production during the time that they were making fashion quartz watches. At one point U-Boat was confronted with the choice of mass-producing the same watches or keep smaller production numbers, but create new models of much higher quality. U-Boat watches are now high-end, luxury watches in every way.
You mentioned Panerai. These are roughly double the price of U-Boat watches and are based on the same movements, materials, and manufacturing practises. If you can remember, before the Richemont Group pumped millions of advertising dollars into the brand, Italians and everyone else scoffed at Panerais like they do at U-Boats now. I think Italians will mostly scoff at anything. Thats just what we do. Its unfortunate that the U-Boat started with fashion watches, because that image has really stuck in peoples minds.
In closing, this may or may not reinforce RJ’s beliefs, but The U-1942 will retail for US$ 40K.
Hi Marco,
Thanks for your thoughts and joining the conversation. Take care.