Hands-On: The Unimatic Modello Uno And Modello Quattro GMTs With Japanese Movements
The Unimatic GMT is no stranger to us at Hodinkee. Back in 2021, Unimatic’s first GMT was the Hodinkee collaboration U1H-GMT, which saw the introduction of the Sellita-based SW330-2 to the brand. Since then, we have seen a few (but not many) additional GMTs added to the archives – from a titanium GMT with ETA movement to a Modello Quattro done in collaboration with Canadian menswear retailer Henry Singer, and of course the second Hodinkee edition in forged carbon. With those editions, prices have generally hovered around or above the mid-$1,000 mark, and as much as $3,000 for the forged carbon cases.
The original Unimatic x Hodinkee GMT, U1-HGMT.
The Unimatic U1S-TGMT in titanium.
This year, the brand is focusing on bolstering the under-$1k range of the assortment. In July, Unimatic launched a non-limited series of four quartz-powered “Toolwatches,” to accompany the Classic Series as a so-called evergreen product. Continuing that theme, last week, Unimatic released two new watches – a Modello Uno GMT and a Modello Quattro GMT – for the first time featuring Japanese GMT movements that significantly bring down the price.
From a model perspective, the U1-GMT and the U4-GMT sport the same characteristics as anything else in the Modello Uno and Modello Quattro families, respectively. Both feature the trademark broad-shouldered 40mm case, 22mm lug width, double-domed sapphire crystal, drilled lugs, and 300m of water resistance. This time, Unimatic debuts an updated TPU rubber strap with quick-release spring bars, first seen in the Modello Cinque. While I was very much a fan of the older style of rubber strap from Unimatic, many people had wanted it to be softer and tapered, both of which are the case in this new version. While I wish it was maybe a tad thicker to work better with such a heavy and substantial case, it was a markedly more comfortable improvement over the original.
From the front, it’s undeniable that the monochromatic design of the Modello Uno and Modello Quattro GMT echoes the tones we saw in 2021. The dial is a matte black, with hour markers printed in Super-Luminova, and a date window cutout at six o’clock. The handset is done in what the brand calls a “phantom ladder” design, with the seconds hand being a reverse lollipop hand with a large portion of the tip painted white.
My favorite detail on these two watches, like several that have come before it, is the hollowed-out GMT hand, with the tip coated in Super-Luminova. At this point, I treat it as a trademark design element of Unimatic, and I think it works so well with the oversized GMT hand. I love the exaggerated nature of the hand, especially in the bright contrasting coating of lume, and the empty center is a great way to ensure elements of the dial aren’t constantly being blocked out.
On the Modello Uno GMT, you’ll find a uni-directional, 24-hour rotating bezel with 120 clicks. Many have remarked over the years that it would be nice to see Unimatic’s GMT bezels change over to hourly clicks like most GMTs, and I would have to agree with that. It would make the GMT complication feel just that little bit more purposeful. The bezel insert is matte black, and I believe that this is the first time we are seeing the new typeface on the bezel hour markings. Compared to what I’ve seen on their previous GMT bezels, this typeface seems a bit more aggressive and squat, giving a slightly more futuristic look to the overall package.
On the Modello Quattro GMT, Unimatic delivers their first fixed bezel with any kind of marking. They accomplish this not through engraving, but rather through acid etching – a process in which an acid-based solution is used instead of physical tooling to create any design in the metal. One of the main benefits of acid etching, as seen with the bezel on the U4-GMT, is that you don’t see any machining marks in the grooves, giving a sharper and cleaner appearance.
Flip both of these watches around and you’ll find a caseback engraved with the model, a limited edition number out of 300 for each, and a timezone scale that helps you figure out how to use the bezel on the go.
Of course, the newsworthy feature is the addition of a Japanese GMT movement – the reason Unimatic was able to bring down the price quite a bit for these two models. Beating inside the case is the Seiko automatic NH34A. It has a beat rate of 21600 vph and offers “caller” GMT functionality, like the other GMTs we’ve seen from the brand. For those unfamiliar with the term, a “caller” GMT is when you can independently adjust the GMT hand after pulling the crown out, rather than being able to independently adjust the hour hand for your local time. The movement is rated at a very Seiko NH -20/+40 seconds a day, but it’s to be expected in this price range. Personally, I’ve always seen better results in my watches with Seiko NH movements, but your results may vary.
On the wrist, these wear, well, like Unimatics. One of the unintended benefits of a brand like Unimatic, with a rigorous design system, is that once you know how one Modello Quattro wears, you’ll pretty much know how all of them wear and you can focus purely on the aesthetic design. At the end of the day, these are large watches. I own countless Modello Unos and Modello Quattros, and enjoy wearing them as slightly oversized watches. However, as with all of the Japanese-movement-based Unimatics, the thickness of these is noticeable. On paper, the Modello Uno comes in quite a bit thinner than the Quattro – the U1 at 12.9mm and the U4 at 13.7mm. But, on my smaller wrist, the fixed bezel design of the U4 feels more wearable and visually smaller.
If you asked me to pick one, my heart would be set on the Modello Quattro GMT. There’s something about the fixed, brushed bezel that makes this watch feel fresh from the brand and complements the steel case in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen before. With the Modello Uno at 675 EUR and the Modello Quattro at 600 EUR, these slot in proportionally right above the standard Unimatic “Classic” series, which also utilizes Seiko NH movements. In that context, these two watches, at that price point, finally offer the customer a more interesting complication from the brand.
Hodinkee
