Not every watch I have reviewed can prove a complete summary of the brand’s heritage. U-Boat U-42 not only asks me to provide a discourse about the luminous past of U-Boat, but it is actually the history of U-Boat.
Ilvo Fontana is the designer and creator of high-precision engineering instruments. In 1942, he was selected by the Italian Navy to design a new wrist watch for its naval pilots.
The main content of the design brief is maximum reliability and readability under any light and weather conditions. This is what he came up with.
As a former engineer, I am happy to study the original blueprint of 1942 for the U-42 concept. I admit without embarrassment that there are pictures on my wall. Ilvo follows the standards of the Italian Navy to create an underwater, legible, and robust timepiece. I like to imagine him piecing together his fantastic ideas on his workbench into the final concept, the U-42. It can be said that it does not require much imagination or design skills to make a clear watch of oversized size. However, Ilvo proposed two radical (even today) brain waves. Bezel locking mechanism and clever crown system. For more information on these two useful devices, see below. swiss watches price
Due to the long-lost environment in history, the project unfortunately failed to materialize.
When Ilvo Fontana’s grandson Italo happened to inherit the original technical drawings and specifications originally designed by his grandfather for this extraordinary diving watch, he jumped into the turn of the millennium. These 58-year-old schematics became the inspiration for Italo to make watches of the same height. Reliable and clear appearance, just like his grandfather’s work.
This is the advent of U-Boat fake watches. A very successful brand, it is now recognized worldwide for making super-large luxury timepieces.
The following review will be based on my own favorite 47mm U-42 limited edition.
Design and features:
Although I worked in the design department during my time as an engineer, I didn’t have any clothing training, so I didn’t have any idea about why the various components of U-42 form a perfect whole.
The only starting point for the introduction of U-42 is the unique crown system and rotating bezel locking mechanism.
The crown design must be the easiest to use, while wearing thick gloves (professional divers). Simply press the brass knurled edge handle end to release the extended crown from the case. In the main position, the mechanical movement can be wound. Pull the crown out to a position to “cut” the second hand and set the time.
Pull out the lever highlighted in the figure above to release the bidirectional bezel that is rare in a diver’s watch. Combined with the coin edge design, this makes the bezel the easiest to use and accurately set I have ever experienced. I also like the ceramic ball used to locate the 12 o’clock position (zero for divers).
The case is made of grade 5 titanium. Due to the soft rounded edges of the case, the bezel and the clinical edges of the lugs merge together, so it has a beautifully carved appearance. The sapphire glass has an anti-reflective coating on both sides.
The U-42 series are limited editions. My own 47mm example is part of the 999 stroke. The screw is located on the left side of the case and highlights this beautifully. It is this tiny detail that elevates the U-42 above most other luxury diving watches on the market.