Unimatic’s Tough, Stealthy Chronograph Packs an Impressive Automatic Movement

All black everything.

Black metal wristwatch with a textured bezel and three push buttons on a blue gradient background.Unimatic

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Unimatic’s new Modello Tre chronograph, created exclusively for Maxfield, a chic clothing boutique and art gallery with locations in Los Angeles and Malibu, is notable for two reasons.

First, it is one of the stealthiest watches that the Italian brand has ever produced, taking its modern industrial minimalism to the extreme. And second, it is likely the most expensive watch that the typically affordable brand has ever sold.

Matte black metal wristwatch with a round face, black dial, and black metal link bracelet.
The U3S-M is made exclusively for the Los Angeles boutique Maxfield.
Unimatic

In hopes of avoiding sticker shock, I’ll disclose upfront that the Unimatic x Maxfield U3S-M costs $4,295. Impressive specs can explain part of the relatively staggering price — it has one of the best movements the brand has ever used, while scarcity and a dash of hyped exclusivity account for the rest.

This blacked-out chronograph is powered by a Sellita caliber SW510 BH b automatic movement with a 4Hz beat rate and a 62-hour power reserve. For comparison, when Unimatic placed this respectable movement in its first automatic chronograph earlier this year, it was priced at $3,345 and came with an additional leather strap.

Matte black metal wristwatch with chronograph features worn on a wrist with a black sleeve.
The U3S-M has a steel case and bracelet with a matte black DLC coating.
Unimatic

The U3S-M achieves its stealthiness in part from a matte black DLC coating over the steel case and bracelet, which the previous Sellita-powered chronograph lacked.

That said, one of Unimatic’s most impressive releases of 2025 was the black DLC-coated U1S-MD, a high-performance time-and-date diver powered by a Sellita caliber SW200-1b movement. This unfortunately sold-out reference was priced at only $1,510.

Matte black metal wristwatch with a black dial and chronograph subdials on a matching black metal link bracelet.
The bi-compax chronograph features a running seconds dial at nine o’clock and a 30-minute totalizer at three o’clock.
Unimatic

So, where does the extra cost come from? The U3S-M is a limited production of 30 pieces, which is small even for Unimatic, and it comes with an air of exclusivity that is baked into every product Maxfield stocks.

A signature lack of color

Maxfield is one of the original chic Los Angeles boutiques. It was founded in 1969, moved to Melrose Place in 1985 and now has an art gallery annex and a storefront in Malibu.

Its menswear assortment is stocked with obscure Japanese streetwear brands and European high-fashion labels — think $6,000 leather blazers and $3,000 oversized jean jackets. The boutique’s dominant color, or lack thereof, is black, so the U3S-M fits right in.

Matte black Unimatic wristwatch with chronograph subdials and metal link bracelet.
The U3S-M has a matte black dial with snailed black sub-dials and printed glossy black dash indices.
Unimatic

The dial is matte black with snailed black sub-dials and printed glossy black dash indices comprising a seconds chronograph track and separate, larger hour markers. There is a 30-minute totalizer at three o’clock and a small seconds dial at nine o’clock.

Unimatic’s signature obelisk hands are wireframe, and the seconds chronograph hand is notably missing its lollipop counterbalance. Needless to say, there is not a single speck of lume on the dial.

Back of a black metal wristwatch showing the automatic movement through a sapphire crystal case back.
The U3S-M has a signed rotor on the Sellita automatic movement, visible through an exhibition caseback.
Unimatic

The unidirectional bezel has a stainless steel insert with the same DLC coating as the case, marked only with a glossy black pip dot. Only the screw-on caseback, featuring a sapphire crystal window, is not black — instead, it sports a brushed steel finish.

Availability and price

Even though it has 300m water resistance, thanks to a screw-down crown and pushers, along with high-performance shock resistance and a great movement, this is more of an artistic statement watch than a functional tool watch.

As cool as the uniform black dial looks, it is far from the most legible chronograph out there.

The Unimatic x Maxfeld U3S-M is available now exclusively from Maxfield for $4,295 and is limited to 30 pieces.

Matte black Unimatic wristwatch with metal link bracelet and chronograph buttons on the side.Unimatic

Unimatic x Maxfield U3S-M Chronograph

Specs

Case Size 41mm
Movement Sellita caliber SW510 BH b automatic
Water Resistance 300m

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