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Unimatic’s Flagship Automatic Dive Watch Gets a Race-Ready Revamp

Two of Italy’s great aquatic performance brands come together.

Black marbled watch case with black dial and round white markers, paired with a black ribbed strap on a red background.Unimatic
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By Brad Lanphear

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For those who are unfamiliar, the best way to describe Tullio Abbate is the “Ferrari of the sea.” Like the renowned sports car brand, it is Italian, a leading name in its industry and holds unparalleled records.

But that moniker was solidified in 1985, when Tullio Abbate, with Enzo Ferrari’s personal approval, built a speedboat powered by a Ferrari engine.

Black marbled watch with white markers and "Tullio Abbate" signature on the dial, black rubber strap, on a red surface.
The U4S-C-TAB dial is signed with the Tullio Abbate logo.
Unimatic

Now, the Lake Como-based boat manufacturer lends its design philosophy to the world of watchmaking through a collaboration with Unimatic. It is another natural partnership between Italian brands with a shared philosophy of advancing performance through pragmatic design.

The Unimatic x Tullio Abbate collaboration consists of two watches, each focused on a different aspect of speedboat design. The more performance-forward entry is the Modello Quattro U4S-C-TAB.

It features a standard 40mm Modello Quattro case constructed entirely of forged carbon, including the signature monoblock fixed bezel. It has a black-and-gray marbled texture, reminiscent of Italy’s most famous stone.

Black wristwatch with a textured dial and white hour markers worn on a person's wrist.
The U4S-C-TAB  is made from forged carbon.
Unimatic

While it is the more aesthetically understated of the pair, it bears the most apparent mark of the collaboration with the script Tullio Abbate logo running across the dial’s center.

It comes on a black version of Unimatic’s new standard TPU quick-release pin buckle strap.

Pleasure boating

Like most of Unimatic’s core catalog, the U4S-C-TAB is a function-forward tool watch designed for practical use. It has a time-only dial with strong legibility provided by the white, framed hour markers set against the marbled black forged carbon dial.

Black wristwatch with marbled bezel, black dial featuring white markers and "Tullio Abbate" signature, on a ribbed black strap.
The U4S-C-TAB has a time-only dial.
Unimatic

It features Unimatic’s standard handset with green-emitting white Super-LumiNova set in matte black frames. The seconds hand has a red tip opposite the lollipop counterbalance.

This lightweight, tough-as-nails tool watch is perfect for high-speed boating. It features a screw-down crown, shock-resistant movement cage, flat AR-coated sapphire crystal and 300m water resistance.

Close-up of the back of a marbled carbon fiber watch case with engraved text and logo.
The U4S-C-TAB caseback is etched with the Tullio Abbate logo.
Unimatic

The U4S-C-TAB screw-on forged carbon caseback is etched with the full Tullio Abbate logo. It conceals a Sellita Caliber SW200-1 b automatic movement, which beats at 4Hz and provides a 41-hour power reserve.

The first mate

The other half of the Unimatic x Tullio Abbate collaboration celebrates the elegant finishing found on the renowned Italian speedboats. It is a standard Modello Uno, the watchmaker’s flagship diver, with a handsome paint job.

Wristwatch with white dial, blue bezel, luminous hands, and gray fabric strap worn on a wrist.
The U1-TAB  has a 41mm stainless steel case and runs on a Seiko Caliber NH35A automatic movement.
Unimatic

The dial is glossy white with a seconds track and fine framing around the hour markers in electric blue. The standard Unimatic handset features matte blue frames with green-emitting inlays that match the hour track with a slight green hue in daylight.

It has a 41mm brushed stainless steel case and unidirectional coin-edge bezel with a royal blue aluminum insert. The metallic 60-minute track features a lume pearl at 12:00, and the only numeral is a script five, a nod to Tullio Abbate’s competition number.

Blue Unimatic wristwatch with white dial and blue bezel on a blue metallic surface.
The U1-TAB comes on a blue TPU quick-release pin buckle strap.
Unimatic

This affordable Modello Uno is powered by a Seiko Caliber NH35A automatic movement, which beats at 3Hz and provides a 41-hour power reserve. It comes on a blue TPU quick-release pin buckle strap, and a gray nylon NATO strap with brushed steel hardware is provided.

Availability and pricing

Unimatic is the new king of indie watch collaborations, but I can’t think of a partner that aligned more in philosophy and provenance than Tullio Abbate. Both are design-forward Italian brands with a love for the water.

The Unimatic x Tullio Abbate collection is available now from Unimatic. The black forged carbon U4S-C-TAB costs $2,740 and is limited to 50 pieces, while the stainless steel U1-TAB costs $920 and is limited to 200 pieces.

About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.

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