U-boat Watches

U-BOAT watches - history, innovation and Tuscan craftsmanship

The origin of U-BOAT watches is a blend of history, carefully selected materials, and Tuscan style. The watches were created long before their current designer Italo Fontana was even born. The first watch was designed by his grandfather Ilvo Fontana for the Italian Navy in 1942. That clock combined carefully selected materials with a large dial, the aim of which was to guarantee visibility in extreme conditions; in submarines. However, the watch designed by Ilvo never made it into production, and the plans remained in a desk drawer until they were discovered by Italo in 2000. Thus was born the "new dimension of time" and the U-BOAT watch.

Italian U-BOAT watches combine a brave formal language with Tuscan craftsmanship

Fontana's U-BOAT diving watches have a precise and simple design language based on the original naval watch. The dial is large, the Panerai-style indexes are coated with rich luminescence, and the crown is found on the right-hand side of the case. The overall look is robust, conveying strength and reliability. The craftsmanship is Swiss, and each U-BOAT naval watch is finished by Tuscan craftsmanship just outside the historic town of Lucca near the hills of Gragnano by Fontana himself. There, the naval watches get their finished look. A great deal of Italian craftsmanship, first-class materials, and working methods are used. The watch designer Italo Fontana is personally involved in the making and design of each watch. This way of working ensures that U-BOAT watches are not just mechanics and metal, but are made by the right people with the right passion for watchmaking.

U-BOAT watches - A new dimension of time

A new dimension of time is at the heart of U-BOAT watches. That's why work at Lucca never ends. The range is evolving and alongside the U-BOAT -classic military watches, innovations such as the U-BOAT Darkmoon and U-BOAT Capsolo oil-filled watches, where the movement and dial are immersed in oil. The oil on the dial further enhances the legibility of the watch and creates a beautiful visual effect. In the U-BOAT Sommerso range, you will find full-blooded diving watches. Italo Fontana's watches play with materials, drawing inspiration from the world, from underwater, from space, using bronze, various steel finishing techniques, and even tungsten. Innovative materials are combined with Tuscan craftsmanship artisan passion, and Italo's handprint, to complete the unique and authentic U-BOAT look. Unique, Italian U-BOAT watches are delivered in the manufacturer's original case.