Is Unimatic’s case design original?
I really don’t like the recessed groove where the lugs meet the case on Unimatic watches—to the point that it actually puts me off the watches a little. For some reason, that detail always makes the case look like an off-the-shelf OEM case to me.
I’m probably imagining things, but I also have this persistent feeling that I’ve seen another microbrand using the same, or at least a very similar, case before. I just can’t remember which brand it was.
Does anyone know whether this Unimatic case design is actually original to them, or whether they start with an existing OEM case and then modify or further machine it?
I’ve also always felt that the cases on their three-hand watches look like dive-watch cases with the rotating bezels simply removed. The area where the bezel area would normally sit is unusually wide, and I find it pretty ugly. Lima watches give me a similar impression.Maybe that’s actually where my suspicion that Unimatic uses OEM cases comes from.
There’s also something about Unimatic’s design language in general that gives me the impression that it was designed by some very self-confident guys from a subculture scene. I can’t really explain it any better than that—it’s just the vibe their designs always give me.