Unimatic, the Italian watch brand known for bringing a contemporary design language to a variety of classic sports watch tropes, has just unveiled their new permanent collection, the Toolwatch Series. The new watches, at a glance, might not look all the different from previous Unimatic releases. This is not a rethinking of the brand’s aesthetic, and they are not trying anything completely revolutionary here. But the Toolwatch Series feels like a logical extension of what Unimatic has been up to since their founding all the way back in 2015, and could provide a new foothold for curious collectors to enter into the brand’s ecosystem.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Unimatic’s new watches are tailored to enthusiasts with “active, adventurous, lifestyles” who need their watch to keep up with the unusual demands of their lives. This is something we brands tell us all the time, and honestly I’ve gotten to the point where I tend to just glaze over any mention of “adventure” in a press release for a new watch. But it appears that Unimatic is putting their proverbial money where their watch is. Each watch in the Toolwatch Series meets what’s known as the MIL-STD-810 standard, which is a benchmark set by the United States military to guarantee the durability of items like watches that servicemembers rely on.
What does that mean for the Toolwatch Series? It means that each watch goes through a battery of tests to ensure its robustness. Specifically, Unimatic conducted drop tests on these watches from a height of 1.22 meters onto concrete, ensuring that each watch faced a drop on every one of its surfaces. That means each piece was dropped 26 times part of its testing. According to Unimatic, all watches remained functional after the drop tests, thanks in part to what the brand calls the 360° protection system that they’ve designed from the ground up to keep these watches safe.
At launch, Unimatic is releasing a total of four variants within the Toolwatch Series: two Modello Unos and two Modello Quattros, each available in a time only and GMT option. All watches share matte black dials and custom designed Arabic numerals, as well as a stainless steel case with a sandblasted finish. Watches in the Toolwatch Series also include a second hand with a bright orange accent, and note that the GMT variants track a second time zone through an aperture below 12:00, and also include a date window at 6:00.
All watches in the Toolwatch Series are powered by quartz movements, which should not be surprising given the focus on making each as robust as possible. Prices start at 350 EUR for the Quattro and 425 EUR for the Uno. You can find out more via the Unimatic website right here.
