U-Boat Watch Brand Review – Are They Good Quality Watches?
Italian watch brand U-Boat draws great inspiration from the city it is based in – Tuscany.
Perfectly combining Italian craftsmanship and styling with precise Swiss movements ensure U-Boat’s success. Amongst the most recognizable watch brands, U-Boat credits this character to its large crown design. In the twenty years of the brand’s existence, U-Boat has grown exponentially to an internationally sought after watch brand. To better understand’s the brand’s legacy and birth, we must start in the year 1942. The Italian Navy commissioned wristwatches for its pilots with precise technical specifications. A pilot’s watch is an important and integral instrument in the cockpit. As a result, the task itself was quite a challenge. More importantly, watchmaker Ilvo Fontana drew up designs that guaranteed optimum visibility and waterproofness. The unique design was unlike anything before. However, Ilvo’s designs never made it to production, and the designs remained shelved.
Meanwhile, decades passed and the new millennium arrived. In the year 2000, Ilvo’s grandson chanced upon the designs and blueprints of his grandfather. Subsequently, grandson Italo Fontana founded the U-Boat brand with his grandfather’s designs proving to be a great source of inspiration. Above all, Italo envisioned the brand with the motto – ‘A new dimension in time’. This marked the beginning of the brand as we know it today. Meanwhile, Italo Fontana elevated these designs with his own personal signature. His contemporary vision, design aesthetics, and personality combined with the vintage designs presented the brand with a distinct USP.
Italo Fontana’s creative drive and perseverance to innovate stand out through the brand’s timepieces and success story. “I’ve always been fascinated by design, I create in total freedom, I don’t follow any trend. I try to do what other brands don’t do. I don’t have an obligation to always create the same things.” His quote, even to date, stands as a testament to his creativity. Consequently, U-Boat in its twentieth year of existence continues to grow. Based out of Tuscany, the brand currently boasts of presence in sixty key markets.
Currently, the brand offers nine very distinct collections to choose from. In addition, the brand garners acclaim for the extensive configuration options available under each collection. Under Italo Fontana’s leadership, U-Boat embraces modern and unusual techniques. In a similar vein, the brand also explores a host of materials to manufacture its watches. Above all, U-Boat watches feature the crown at a unique 9 o’clock position. We will look at such examples as we detail the collections.
There aren’t many successful watch brands that design such inspired models. U-Boat has garnered global attention and followers due to its design and use of materials. Amongst them are leading celebrities from many cultures. Legendary actors Nicholas Cage and Arnold Schwarzenegger have worn U-Boat watches in their films. Furthermore, artists like Emin, Till Lindemann, Renato Zero, Cesare Cremonini, Claudio Baglioni swear by these watches. This validates the brand’s growing stature and Italo Fontana’s vision of memorable timepieces.
Much like any other watch brand, U-Boat attracts mixed reviews. While watch enthusiasts love the brand for its designing and looks, they also believe that the prices are way off for using basic quartz movement.
If you love chunky watches that are big on your wrists, then you may fall in love with U-Boat. However, this is a major disadvantage for smaller wrists as these watches may not fit properly. That said, watch lovers also point that these watches do not retain their value post-purchase. Unlike Rolex, U-Boat will be subjected to heavy depreciation just for the fact that their movement and face of the watch are plain and basic. Yet another word of caution from the watch aficionados, some U-Boat watches may come with a marking on the movement when you look closely at it. While the exact reason for such a marking is unknown, this internal scratch could potentially give rise to problems.
However, as we say across all our reviews, don’t let just the style or design of a brand be the deciding factor. Consider options like pricing, watchmaking history, usage, purpose, along with its competitors to make your final call.
