Unimatic are teaming up with world renowned English designer and vintage collector Nigel Cabourn for the first time since 2019 to release a pair of Modello Cinque field watches. While the design brief talks pitches the idea of form over function, and exploration over ornament, the unique design and color palette at work here certainly evoke a heightened sense of style. And I’d expect nothing less from the keen, well considered eye of Cabourn and The Armoury. Whether you’re here for the function or the form, these watches find a nice balance between the two to land somewhere between expressive and practical.
The new collection falls in the Modello Cinque line, building on the U2-NC released in 2019. They are the references UT5-TAN-A and UT5-TAN-B, each coming in the form of a 36mm steel case with a Cerakote stonewash finish in either navy blue to earthen green. The finish to the application of the Cerakote is what sets these watches apart, appearing as though they’ve been through a bit of life right out of the box.
The two different cases both use a matte navy blue dial with ‘aged’ lume and orange accents for an all around earth tone design that fits with the overall theme here. These are time-only watches with a fully indexed dial welcoming Arabic numerals at each hour for maximum legibility. There is no bezel with this collection, so the dial, which is set deeply into the case, runs right to the perimeter to give a larger feeling than the watch actually is.
The dials are dual-signed with Nigel Cabourn appearing at the top, and Unimatic pulling duty in the bottom half. It’s a very tidy design, and the color palette evokes a particular kind of utilitarian chic style. The stonewash finish on the Cerakote cases further exaggerates this vibe, with a well worn, lived-in appearance that feels a bit like buying a pair of jeans with a few rough spots already in place. It looks good, no doubt, but there’s an air of artificiality about it, and I’d rather see a finish that isn’t afraid to show use over time, encouraging the wearer to create their own level of patina.
Both of these references use quartz VH31A movements, which are produced by Seiko and feature a smooth sweeping seconds hand (which often earns them a ‘mechaquartz’ label). As of 2023, the VH31 has evolved to a ‘B’ version which removes the jewels of the initial ‘A’ variant, though the accuracy and power rating remain unchanged, and I suspect that these movements could find their way into watches such as this as their production continues.
If the proportions of this watch feel slightly out of sorts in the images you’re seeing here, it is likely due to the fact that the watches uses a 22mm lug span, which is generally something we find on watches in the 42mm and above range. This decision lends a muscularity to the overall impression of the watch, and may make the 36mm sizing feel more approachable for some buyers.
Both watches are limited to 150 units planned for production, with pricing set at $920. Unimatic
