The man who founded the U-boat watch company, Italio Fotana, was only born in 1965, so his company doesn’t have the decades – or more than a century in some cases – of experience that other watchmakers do, but that doesn’t mean his watches are inferior.
This line of watches was devised in 1942 (by whom nobody will tell me), but only made an appearance on the market in 2002. They have been seen on the wrists of celebrities such as David Beckham and have an enormous following in the military watch genre, which are becoming the first choice for a growing number of people. They are typically targeted at men, but the official website doesn’t list them as a men’s watch, suggesting they are also welcomed by some women.
U-boat replica watches have had a lot of fun replicating their idol, using a wide range of base colours – a wider range than the original in some cases, so if you’re looking for a good replica, make sure you do your research – but are still available for a fraction of cost for the real thing. And with the simple design and construction of the genuine icon, replica U-boat watches really can’t do much wrong.
The U-boat Flightdeck uses striking and pop-out colours to accent a simple but very effective base design. Using an automatic movement, the watch’s coloured, or bright white hands move around the black dial over bold and contrasting numbers. The oversized case means the watch is made to be noticed, but the thin bezel means it is attractive rather than garish. Yellow, orange, white and other colours are often used against a plain black, or black with stainless steel or silver case, which makes the watch stand out, while still being very trendy. U-boat replica watches are a great way to raise a toast to the youngest member of the watch-making family.