Unimatic: The Brand
Unimatic is a contemporary Italian watch brand founded in 2015 by industrial designers Simone Nunziato and Giovanni Moro. Their timepieces reflect a blend of minimalist aesthetics and rugged functionality, with a focus on durability and quality that makes them true tool watches.
Each model is produced in limited quantities—even those in the permanent collection. This strategy allows Unimatic to uphold its standards of craftsmanship and precision while giving the brand the freedom to explore innovative designs and features without the constraints of mass production.
Modello Quattro U4 CLASSIC – UC4: Overview
The Modello Quattro U4 Classic is a watch that instantly caught my attention. It is a diving watch, an interesting evolution of the Modello Uno, and it’s part of the permanent Unimatic Classic collection. A timeless, modern design featuring a high legibility black matte dial. Since we’re looking at a true tool watch, it is featuring Super-LumiNova® C3 pale green for optimal performance in any condition.
The Modello Quattro is a unique combination of a rugged look with a minimalist dial design: the end result is a robust yet elegant appearance, a statement piece without being flashy.
Specs:
- Ref #: UWK-UC4
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: NH35A
- Battery Life: 41 hours
- Case Width: 40 mm
- Lug-to-Lug Distance: 49 mm
- Water Resistance: 300 meters
- Price: Around $500
Dial
The dial itself is not overdesigned by any means. There are no Arabic or Roman numerals, just larger shapes as the hour indices. The hour and minute hands have a wide pencil (or index) design that takes up the negative space in the center of the dial. The hand for the seconds is a very interesting design solution that I’d like to highlight. At first glance, you might think this is a lollipop design, but it is not your traditional lollipop second hand, as the round shape is actually a visual counterweight sitting on the opposite end of the hand.
This design solution is subtle, yet genius. If Unimatic would have gone with the classic lollipop design, the outer edge of the dial would have been too busy. Had they picked another design that doesn’t have a “weight” towards the center of the dial, the negative space would have created a vacuum. This way, the dial is perfectly balanced visually, while using mainly dynamic, sporty elements with a subtle touch of elegance.
It is also very interesting to note that the dial doesn’t have the brand name at the usual spot – just below the 12 o’clock position. It is placed above the 6 o’clock position, with the additional information we usually expect to see: Made in Italy, Water Resistance 300 meters.
The dial perfectly represents my statement about the overall look of this watch: a minimalist dial design with an overall rugged look.
Bezel
The bezel was something I wasn’t entirely sure about until I saw the watch in real life. Thick, brushed stainless steel bezel, with nothing engraved on it. Just by looking at the pictures, it is hard to decide if it looks cool or dull, or possibly even too heavy.
In my opinion, it’s actually the perfect fit for this watch design, and I absolutely love it. This bezel gives a real tool watch feel: it successfully reinforces the essence of the watch and feels substantial to the touch in the best way.
Case
The actual width of the Unimatic U4 Classic is 40 mm, with a lug-to-lug distance of 49 mm. Just by looking at these dimensions, you’d think the size is pretty average, and it is. Worth noting however, is that it definitely looks substantial on the wrist. This is due to two factors: one, the thickness of the watch is 13.7 mm, so it’s definitely a statement piece on the wrist, the other reason is more the visually strong appearance of a wide stainless steel bezel.
For reference, my wrist is 6.5 inches (15 cm).
The screw-down caseback is engraved with the ‘Rosa dei Venti’ (wind rose) diagram – this was a tool used by seafarers before the compass. All pieces are individually numbered, and your timepiece’s unique number is also engraved on the back.
Movement
The Unimatic U4 Classic is equipped with the NH35A movement.
This caliber is manufactured by Seiko, and is a popular automatic movement known for its reliability, durability, and excellent value. It features 24 jewels, a 41-hour power reserve, and a beat rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour, offering a smooth (though not ultra-smooth) sweep of the seconds hand. It supports both automatic and manual winding, and includes hacking — a feature not found in all entry-level movements. While its factory accuracy ranges from -20 to +40 seconds per day, it often performs better in real-world use.
While it’s not as refined as high-end Swiss calibers, it’s incredibly dependable for its price point. It’s considered a workhorse movement that can take a beating, and ultimately that is a perfect match for this timepiece.
Strap
As a default, the Unimatic U4 Classic comes with a black NATO strap. Honestly, this is my least favorite part. It is subjective, and I know a lot of people like NATO straps, and in all fairness, the functionality of the NATO strap goes well with the watch itself, so I can’t complain a lot. But overall, NATO straps make the watches look bulkier as the strap goes under the watch case, and that’s how it sits on your wrist. And see, that’s where my slight disklike comes in. The watch case is 13.7 mm thick, so a bigger piece to begin with, and it looks even bulkier with the NATO strap.
So in my opinion, if you are blessed with a more muscular, athletic forearm and larger hands, you can absolutely pull it off as is. If not, it’s still an absolutely great looking watch, and it might look better on you with a different strap. I actually bought a black tropic style strap, and I highly recommend this, if you’re on the fence.
Pros and Cons
Let’s take a look at the summary of pros and cons, in my humble opinion:
Pros
- Robust dive watch with a truly unique design.
- Excellent value and great quality.
- Simplistic, minimalist design, yet has a rugged look.
Cons
- Could look bulky on smaller wrists.
- The default NATO strap is not my favorite, and it adds to the bulkiness that can be a problem for more slender wrists.
- While I love the very sporty look, the Unimatic U4 Classic is a tool watch that can’t be dressed up easily, so not an ideal choice for more elegant/formal settings.
Takeaway and Final Thoughts About Unimatic U4 Classic
The Unimatic U4 Classic is a great new take on modern dive watches: a tasteful combination of an overall rugged look with a minimalist dial design. The design of this tool watch enhances and perfectly complements its functionality, creating a very masculine appearance.
The Unimatic U4 Classic is a statement watch without being flashy, and that was exactly what I was looking for in a tool watch.
Specs:
- Ref #: UWK-UC4
- Movement: Automatic
- Caliber: NH35A
- Battery Life: 41 hours
- Case Width: 40 mm
- Lug-to-Lug Distance: 49 mm
- Water Resistance: 300 meters
- Price: Around $500
Written by
Maté D
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