Unimatic Modello Quattro U4S-T-LB Limited Edition

I have been lucky enough to try a wide variety of Unimatic watches over time. As some of you know, I love the brand’s ability to create great new releases that surprise me time and again. A big part of that is due to the brilliant canvas that the Unimatic founders, Giovanni Moro and Simone Nunziato, created for their timepieces. Industrial designers by trade, they had a clear vision of creating a minimalist style devoid of decorative distractions. This canvas allows them to experiment with new colors, styles, and executions. But the Italian brand has also graced us with lightweight titanium versions of its timepieces. The latest is the Modello Quattro U4S-T-LB Limited Edition that I had a chance to check out.

Weirdly enough, this is my first hands-on experience with a titanium Unimatic watch. The Milanese brand has consistently released titanium versions of its watches since 2022, and in those four years, I’ve seen some absolutely wonderful ones that are among my favorites in the catalog. Some that come to mind are the Modello Uno U1S-TGMT, the Modello Quattro U4S-T-HS created with Henry Singer, and the Modello Uno U1S-T-SE that the brand created with clothing brand Sease. For its latest titanium release, Unimatic decided to create a funky version of its Modello Quattro. It’s a colorful, lightweight take on the brand’s modern-style military watch, and I had a chance to find out more.

The details of the new Unimatic Modello Quattro U4S-T-LB

The Unimatic Modello Quattro has been in the brand’s collection since 2020. I own the Modello Quattro U4-A, which was the first of the lineup. I still love wearing that watch, and it has proven to be a stylish and absolutely bombproof daily wearer. It was a big part of my excitement to also try this new Modello Quattro U4S-T-LB. But most of all, I was curious to find out how a titanium version of a Unimatic watch would fare. The stainless steel ones are amazing, but you may want or even need a lighter watch in some situations, which made this release especially intriguing to me.

Let’s talk specs first. The Modello Quattro U4S-T-LB features the familiar style case with a 40mm diameter, 12.7mm thickness, and 49mm lug-to-lug length. Not only is the case lighter thanks to the titanium, but it is also slimmer compared to the Modello Quattro U4-A I own. A big part of slimming down the case is the use of a Sellita SW200-1b, which powers this new model, versus the Seiko NH35A caliber powering the U4-A. Essentially, it is a win-win situation with a lower weight and slimmer case. Additionally, the sandblasted finish gives the watch a nice look and feel.

The colorful California dial

The titanium case is paired with a matching, sandblasted, titanium-colored California dial with mint-green Super-LumiNova indexes that glow bright blue in the dark. The California dial features Roman numerals on the upper half and Arabic numerals on the lower half, with Unimatic-style markers at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. A subtle touch is the light gray closed seconds track. Finishing the dial in style are the three lines of dark gray text, including the brand name.

The titanium-colored “phantom ladder” handset is also filled with mint-green, blue-glowing Super-LumiNova to match the numerals. Stylishly finishing the look is a mint-green nylon NATO strap with titanium hardware. Overall, the watch is colorful and feels almost summery.

Of course, the mint-green plays a big part in that strap. If you change to a matching gray strap, the look completely changes. But for this review, I was perfectly happy taking the watch for a spin, reflecting the mood of the spring weather here in the Netherlands.

Inside the case, Unimatic equips the watch with the Sellita SW200-1b, as already mentioned. This 26-jewel automatic caliber operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a 41-hour power reserve. Additionally, it features hacking and a daily accuracy of ±12 seconds. Whereas Unimatic’s regular offerings house Seiko Instruments calibers, the ones with Sellita movements are a more premium series. They offer greater accuracy and, as mentioned, allow Unimatic to slim down the watches significantly.

Wearing the Unimatic Modello Quattro U4S-T-LB

Slimming down the case also makes the watch more wearable. It will not come as a surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed wearing this lighter and thinner version of the Modello Quattro. It’s a really nice change from the heavier stainless steel Unimatic models I own. Especially on the bracelet, the brand’s Modello Uno and Quattro can become quite hefty. Don’t get me wrong; I love the feeling of a solid watch on my wrist. But sometimes, it’s nice to wear something different that almost makes you forget you are wearing a watch.

That never happened with the U4S-T-LB, but it wasn’t due to its weight or dimensions. The bright mint-green NATO strap constantly reminded me that I was wearing a watch. It’s part of the fun, and that would be my go-to strap for summer. For regular wear, I would switch it up with a matching gray two-piece strap in rubber or nylon.

For daily wear, this titanium Modello Quattro feels super solid. The build quality is great, and unscrewing and using the crown to adjust the time confirms the solidity. There is no play between the crown and the hands, which makes it practical to use and a nice daily wearer.

Final thoughts on the Unimatic Modello Quattro U4S-T-LB

The new Unimatic U4S-T-LB, with its colorful California dial, is a fun take on the regular Modello Quattro. Would I choose it over the regular dial design? The honest answer is that I would not. It’s simply because I love the minimalist style of the regular Unimatic dials so much. Moro and Nuniziato did such an awesome job designing their signature style that it remains my favorite look for the brand’s watches. But if you are a fan of California dials or already own several Unimatic models with their signature design, this is the perfect next watch for you.

The Unimatic Modello Quattro U4S-T-LB is a limited edition of 300 units and costs €1,470. Considering that you get a lightweight titanium Modello Quattro with a solid Swiss caliber, that is a very reasonable price. For those who’d like a colorful Unimatic that can serve as a perfect spring/summer watch, as well as a lightweight daily wearer with a strap change, that’s a pretty tempting offer in my book.