It’s safe to say that Unimatic has one of the most distinct design languages of any watchmaker without veering into avant garde territory. Launched in 2015 by a couple of Italian industrial designers, the brand largely relies on these architectural-looking timepieces that rely on minimalism. And before this week, the only model that has featured Arabic numerals instead of hour markers has been the Modello Quattro (UT4). However, a collaboration with two renowned designers has now brought a very uncharacteristic element to Unimatic’s UT5.
Back to the Ice
If you were paying attention in 2019, you’ll remember Unimatic’s first collaboration with British heritage designer Nigel Cabourn, the U2-NC. That one drew from the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1955 (the first overland crossing of Antarctica via the South Pole since Robert Falcon Scott’s doomed 1912 trek), and it sold out its 150-piece run extremely quickly. Seven years later, that same expedition is the spiritual engine behind the new UT5-TANC, and this time around, The Armoury’s Mark Cho has been pulled into the fold.
What’s New on the UT5
The Modello Cinque platform, introduced a couple of years ago, is Unimatic’s most wearable case yet at 36mm across, but the UT5-TANC puts it to work. The 316L stainless steel case actually gets a stonewashed Cerakote finish this time around, in either O.D. green (UT5-TANC-A) or navy blue (UT5-TANC-B). And both colorways carry the same navy blue dial.
Diehard Unimatic fans can tell you that the UT5 line has historically featured pure baton indices, so seeing printed Arabic numerals here is a real departure, and makes it look more like a field watch than ever. The old radium Super-LumiNova on those numerals and the open seconds rail gives the dial a period-correct field watch aesthetic that lines up well with Cabourn’s history in vintage-inspired menswear.
Breaks of color come in the form of the orange Cabourn wordmark and the orange-tipped reverse lollipop seconds hand, aiming for a touch of the search-and-rescue accent popular in field watch design. The dazzle camouflage caseback is a nice detail too.
Business as Usual
On the practical side, Unimatic’s proprietary 360° Italian-made shock protection system brings this watch to MIL-STD-810H compliance, and the oversized 8mm Alchemical Sun screw-down crown is sized with gloved hands in mind. Like the standard UT5, water resistance is still at 300m and the Seiko VH31A quartz movement inside offers ±15 seconds per month accuracy and a roughly two-year battery life.
Lastly, the green UT5-TANC-A comes on a navy blue nylon two-piece quick-release keeper strap with O.D. green Cerakote stonewashed hardware, while the blue UT5-TANC-B runs a forest night nylon strap with navy blue Cerakote stonewashed hardware.
Spec Sheet
Model: Unimatic Modello Cinque UT5-TANC-A / UT5-TANC-B
Case Material: 316L stainless steel, Cerakote stonewashed (O.D. green or navy blue)
Case Size: 36mm
Lug-to-Lug: 43.7mm
Case Thickness: 11.6mm (13.5mm with lens)
Dial: Navy blue, printed Arabic numerals
Lume: Super-LumiNova GL old radium
Movement: Seiko VH31A quartz
Water Resistance: 300m
Strap: Nylon two-piece quick-release (navy blue or forest night)
Limited Edition: 150 pieces per reference
Pricing & Availability
Both references launch March 7 at €660 (~$766) in a limited run of 150 individually numbered pieces each. They’ll be available through Unimatic, Nigel Cabourn, and The Armoury simultaneously. Given what the first Cabourn collab did on the secondary market, don’t expect these to stick around.
Recap
Unimatic x Nigel Cabourn x Mark Cho UT5-TANC
Unimatic teamed up with Nigel Cabourn and The Armoury’s Mark Cho to release the UT5-TANC, a 36mm expedition field watch inspired by the 1955 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. It comes in two Cerakote colorways, packs a 300m water resistance rating and MIL-SPEC shock protection, and swaps baton indices for Arabic numerals.
