Comments on: U-Boat U-1942 Limited Edition Watch: Giant Retro Italian Diver

By: admin

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:02:02 +0000

Hi Marco,
Thanks for your thoughts and joining the conversation. Take care.

By: Marco

Marco — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:49:27 +0000

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.

By: Do it for the Fame » U-Boat U-1942

Do it for the Fame » U-Boat U-1942 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:50:07 +0000

[...] Link [...]

By: U-Boat U-1942 : Future Collective

U-Boat U-1942 : Future Collective — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:36:57 +0000

[...] Link Tags: fashion : style : watches Leave a Comment Name: Required [...]

By: Robert-Jan

Robert-Jan — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:43:35 +0000

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