Unimatic’s New Dive Watch Is Hiding Something Rare Behind Its Gorgeous Dial

Dive watches are almost always associated with the ocean, which makes sense, but Unimatic’s new collection celebrates another venue for aquatic leisure: the swimming pool.

The Italian watchmaker introduces a trio of new dial colors to the Modello Uno diver and the Modello Cinque field watch. Together, the Crystal Blue, Infinity Mint and Acqua Laguna dials are affectionately called the Swimming Pool Collection.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

I was fortunate enough to spend some time with the Modello Uno ref. UT1-IPT, featuring the Infinity Mint dial. Just as the collection’s theme suggests, it is a capable tool watch adapted for summer leisure.

The Modello Uno’s standard sandblasted 40mm stainless steel case, equipped with a sizable crown guard and a coin-edge unidirectional bezel, is unchanged. Ironically, it even packs the same 300m water resistance, despite 10ft being sufficient for the theme.

Where the Swimming Pool Collection really shines, literally, is the dial. All three dials have a shimmering texture that reflects light like the water’s surface. Despite my best efforts, photographs don’t do it justice.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

The eye-catching dials are enhanced by Unimatic’s 3D-block Super-LumiNova applied hour markers. Introduced earlier this year, they appear to float atop the dial like a raft in a pool.

There is no date or any other complication disturbing the balance, just the classic triangle-dot-dash index pattern encircled by a printed blue dash minute track. Both models in the collection sport Unimatic’s standard handset, enhanced with green-emitting Super-LumiNova.

Can’t beat that

I was immediately captivated by the color scheme of the Swimming Pool Collection. Even the matte navy blue bezel insert, marked only with a pearl pip, is satisfyingly minimalist.

But not long after strapping it to my wrist, my attention turned to the unusual movement of the seconds hand. To power both models in the Swimming Pool Collection, Unimatic chose the obscure Seiko Caliber VH31A, a quartz movement with a twist.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

Rather than beating once each second with a divisive lurching motion, the seconds hand ticks four times per second. It creates a sweeping motion very close to a standard mechanical movement that ticks six times per second.

Even though TMI, Seiko’s wholesale movement distributor, introduced the Caliber VH31A in 2018, I’ve never seen it in action. At arm’s length, it is almost indistinguishable from a mechanical watch, but up close, there is a slight drag to the motion.

Image by Brad Lanphear for Gear Patrol

TMI claims an accuracy of +/-15 seconds per month with a battery life of two years for the Caliber VH31A, which is far more accurate than basically any mechanical movement.

For anyone turned off by quartz watches because of the lurching seconds hand, as I admittedly am, this novel Seiko creation convincingly hides that tell-tale sign.

The swim team

While the Modello Uno in Infinity Mint is my clear favorite, all six watches in the Swimming Pool Collection are beautiful. The lighter blue is called Crystal Blue, and the darker one is called Acqua Laguna.

All three dial colors are also available on the 36mm stainless steel Modello Cinque, which is powered by the same Seiko Caliber VH31A quartz movement.

Unimatic

All six watches come on a navy blue TPU quick-release strap, but it has a fluted texture on the Modello Uno and is smooth on the Modello Cinque.

Availability and pricing

You don’t see many purpose-built pool watches, but Unimatic nailed the concept here. The tough-as-nails build of the Modello Uno is cleverly obscured by a tranquil motif, and the smooth-ticking quartz movement alone makes it one of the brand’s most intriguing sub-$1,000 releases.

The entire Unimatic Swimming Pool Collection is available now from Unimatic, with the Modello Uno priced at $740 and the Modello Cinque priced at $700.

Unimatic

Unimatic Modello Uno ‘Swimming Pool Collection’

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Seiko caliber VH31A quartz
Water Resistance	300m

• $740 at Unimatic

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