military ww2 u-boat/056 swiss wrist watch

Italo Fontana has very well figured out how to design big watches. U-Boat watches are between 45mm and 55mm in diameter and even reach 65mm in the particular case of the U-1942. One thing that has not been associated much with these gargantuan timepieces, however, are complications. Showing that they are at the height of more traditional watchmakers to produced complicated watches, U-Boat released the U-51 Rattrappante complicated model.With a complex system of levers, springs, and pinions, the “rattrapante” or split-second chronograph movement is one of horology’s finest mechanisms. Its function is to allow the user to mark a time measurement without stopping the ongoing timer. This is done by overlapping two independent seconds hands. After starting the chronograph as usual, a third chronograph pusher can be used to stop one of the overlapping second hands and allow the user to take a reading. This can be used for timing lap times for instance. The English name for this type of chronograph is derived from the action of splitting the hands. Once the button is pushed again the hand that had stopped catches up to the primary chronograph seconds hand instantly. This gives the function its French name: rattrapante.Mostly you will find such fine mechanisms in more traditional and elegant watches, but the U-51 is nothing like these. The colossal case is 51mm in diameter without counting the impressive crown cap and pushers. It is undeniably based on military styling with a protruding, protective bezel, five visible fastening screws, and a matte satin finish. Although the exact measurement is not known yet, the thickness of the case is evident. The screw-locking crown protector ??????? on the left as always with U-Boat watches ??????? has been greatly reworked from the company’s more basic models. So have the hinge system that secures the crown cover to the case and the start/stop pushers. A final, subtle touch of style is created by abandoning the lugs, making the strap seem integrated with the case.What makes the U-Boat U-51 Rattrapante special is that every part of it has been amplified. Even the strap has been adorned with the most extravagant alligator leather and fortified with a rubber border. All these extras earn the U-51 a price tag of roughly US$15,000, which places the watch amongst the most expensive stainless steel U-Boats, but it is also amongst the rarest. The U-51 will be produced in very limited quantities and is in its own category amongst the U-Boat watch collection.Written by Marco Gagliano. Marco is a specialist of at .

Italo Fontana U-Boat’s Flightdeck CAS BE is a wonder in watch***. The thick stainless steel case is either 43 mm or 50 mm in diameter with a beige face, brown hands and Arabic numerals. The automatic self-winding chronograph rests firmly on your wrist with an alligator strap. The easy to read dial is accented by the less than usual placement of the stem and push buttons on the left side. And if you have to ask, yes, it is depth-rated to 1,000 feet. 78 Uniqueness There are many quartz-powered watches out there with the likeness of the U-Boat Flightdeck CAS BE, but none have the intricate and complex automatic movements of a chronograph. This is a lot of watch, so be prepared for its size out of the box; however, the beige face and brown alligator strap keep it from being either too massive or predictable. Read more 88 Durability Huge time-keeping instruments are in at the moment, so you won’t have to worry about looking out of place and the small production cycles of the U-Boat Flightdeck CAS BE ensure that you won’t have that awkward moment of sitting next to another guy wearing the same thing. But you might long for a slim stainless steel watch after lugging this one around town. One thing is certain: The U-Boat name has a unique position in the watch world. It is Italian and focused on the extreme flight and dive watch style and market. Even if the large watch face craze disappears, the allure of this watch will always be in style.