It’s no secret that I’m a fan of both Unimatic and GMT watches. To be fair, the Italian brand has released some great GMTs that I’d love to add to my collection. However, there’s a right time for everything, and that time may just be right for the release of the new Modello Uno U1-GMT and Modello Quattro U4-GMT. These two watches go back to Unimatic’s roots with Japanese-made Seiko movements, making them the most affordable GMTs the brand has released to date. I had the chance to get my hands on the Modello Quattro U4-GMT, which sports a new fixed stainless steel 24-hour bezel that’s purposeful and looks great.
After seeing the two new Unimatic GMTs, I was immediately intrigued by the Modello Quattro U4-GMT. If you’re familiar with Unimatic, you’ll know that the Modello Uno is the brand’s popular diver’s watch. Meanwhile, the Modello Quattro is a modern take on Unimatic’s military field watch. It shares the Modello Uno’s signature minimalist dial design and case, but loses the rotating bezel, replacing it with a fixed stainless steel bezel. But what happens when you give that wide bezel a purpose: a 24-hour scale? The result is a really cool-looking GMT that stands out among the ever-growing catalog of Unimatic releases.
The story of the new Unimatic models Uno U1-GMT and Quattro U4-GMT
The new Modello Quattro U4-GMT is part of this new two-watch story. The second model is the Modello Uno U1-GMT. It follows the design of the previously released Modello Uno GMT model, but it’s not exactly the same. Compared to the previous release, the design has been updated with a new font on the 24-hour bezel. On top of that, we’ve never seen a GMT version in stainless steel with a black dial and black bezel insert before. It feels very familiar, but it’s a design we’ve never seen before.
The second big news about these releases is that they are powered by Seiko’s NH34A GMT movement. As many of you may know, Unimatic initially used the three-hand Seiko NH35 caliber for many of its mechanical watches, which allowed brand founders Giovanni Moro and Simone Nunziato to offer products at affordable prices. However, for the GMT versions of the Modelo Uno and Modelo Quattro, the brand primarily used Swiss ETA or Sellita movements.
It also meant that the price of the GMT would be significantly higher. Now, by returning to Seiko’s NH series movements, Unimatic is able to offer both watches at very affordable prices: the Modello Uno U1-GMT is priced at 675 euros before tax, and the Modello Quattro U4-GMT is priced at 600 euros before tax. All things considered, I was very excited about this hands-on experience.
Let’s talk specs
So let’s take a look at the basic specs of these two watches: they both have a 40mm stainless steel case, 49mm length, 22mm lug spacing, and are water resistant to 300m. The Modello Uno has a 41.5mm 120-click bezel, which gives it a bit more presence on the wrist.
The Modelo Uno is also slightly thinner, at 13.6mm, than the Modelo Quattro above at 13.9mm, in part due to the latter’s thicker sapphire crystal. Both watches feature a large 8mm crown protected by a modern-style crown guard.
Both watches feature matte black dials with Unimatic’s signature minimalist hands and hour markers, white Super-LumiNova C1 indices and a cool grey outer minute track.
The brand’s wordmark, prominently placed on the lower half of the dial, is also finished in the same shade of grey, and while the difference is subtle, the combination of both crisp white and cool grey against a matte black background is highly effective.
The standard Phantom ladder-style hands are accompanied by a large, white-tipped triangular 24-hour GMT hand. Adding to the subtle shades of grey is a charcoal two-piece TPU strap that tapers from 22mm wide to 20mm wide. The strap has a Unimatic-branded stainless steel buckle and can be easily swapped for a different strap thanks to a quick-release pin. It can also be swapped for a bracelet; Unimatic offers an all-brushed steel triple-row bracelet as an additional option for 180 euros.
Equipped with Seiko caliber
As mentioned above, Unimatic has chosen the Seiko NH34A caliber for these new watches. This Kohler-style GMT movement runs at 21,600vph and has a power reserve of 41 hours. In terms of accuracy, the movement offers an average accuracy of -20/+40 seconds per day. These figures are reasonable at best, but I’m not fussy about accuracy in Unimatic watches.
From my experience owning several watches with NH series movements, I can say they are extremely reliable. In addition, most owners report much better accuracy than the official figures suggest. Accuracy is often reported as ±1-10 seconds per day, which is much more impressive.
The movement is hidden behind a stainless steel screw-down caseback that is engraved with the various time zones. Unimatic will produce 300 pieces of both models, with every caseback engraved with a unique LE number.
But the 600 pieces will undoubtedly sell out quickly, so it wouldn’t be surprising if these GMTs return as part of a permanent collection. Well, that’s probably just my love for the GMT speaking for itself.
Fitted with the Unimatic Modelo Quattro U4-GMT
So, do I like the new Modello Quattro U4-GMT? After wearing the watch for a few days, I can say that I do. I am usually drawn to the Modello Uno GMT version for its looks and the rotatable 24-hour bezel, but this new Modello Quattro GMT is something special. I have seen GMT versions of the Modello Quattro before, but nothing like this.
The Henry Singer limited edition and the recently released tool watch version had a 24 hour scale/indicator on the dial. I like both, but this new version is more appealing. As I mentioned before, the 24 hour scale gives meaning to the bezel and looks cool.
The Modello Quattro is a sturdy and somewhat chunky series of watches, and this new GMT version is no exception. However, despite its considerable weight and size, it sits comfortably on the wrist. What’s more, the watch feels very well-built.
The case is very sturdy and the crown action is very smooth. As soon as I put this tool watch on my wrist, I immediately felt that the Modello Quattro U4-GMT would be perfect for everyday wear.
It looks good, it can withstand shocks, and with the added benefit of a GMT function, it’s also highly functional. We also fitted this watch with a Unimatic stainless steel bracelet to give it a more professional look. The sturdy bracelet makes this watch feel practical and powerful.
Final thoughts on the Unimatic Modello Uno U1-GMT and Modello Quattro U4-GMT
I immediately fell in love with this new limited edition and wanted to add one to my slowly growing collection. The only question is whether to choose the Modello Uno or the Modello Quattro. There is no right or wrong answer; it’s simply a matter of personal preference. But with only 300 of each available, I expect they will sell out quickly, so I think I’ll have to make a choice soon.
The Unimatic Modelo Uno U1-GMT and Modelo Quattro U4-GMT are great watches that harken back to the beginnings of the Unimatic brand. Their attractive minimalist designs and Seiko NH movements make these two watches attractive additions to the lineup. They offer great value for the price, and from the looks of it, I think many Unimatic fans would jump at the chance to get their hands on one, myself included.
For more information, check out the official Unimatic website Let us know what you think about the new Unimatic Modello Uno U1-GMT and Modello Quattro U4-GMT in the comments section.
