I love a good pop of color every now and then. Acid green neckties, yellow socks, and violet jeans have all found their way into my wardrobe over the years. I don’t wear them all at once, of course, but I do find it satisfying to add a little jolt now and then. Needless to say, I am happy to employ my watches as chromatic accessories as well, and that is why I’m excited to tell you about Ubiq Watches. If you head over to Kickstarter before noon on March 7, 2024, you can get a Ubiq Dual Series 01 for about $517 US. If you take a moment to keep reading, I’ll tell you why I think you should.
I need to visit Singapore because if the proliferation of watch brands is any indication, I am missing out on an incredible watch scene. Ubiq is one of the latest to emerge, infusing its debut model with a playful yet balanced design, bold graphics, and vibrant colors. I sampled a prototype.
The Dual Series 1 starts with what appears at first glance to be a traditional, mid-sized dive watch case, and it is indeed a functional diver rated for 200m water resistance. It has a screw-down crown and a sapphire crystal. Inside is a smooth (28.8k bph) Miyota 9015 automatic. The case measures 39mm wide, 47mm long, and a svelte 11.5mm thick (including crystal) with 20mm between the lugs — a nice fit on my 6.75″ wrist.
A closer inspection reveals an intriguing combination of shapes and finishes. The case sides have a blasted inset surrounded by a polished lip. The lugs feature circular brushing on their curved surfaces, while their flattened tops are matte. For me, one of the key details is the matching arc-shaped textures on the bezel and crown. The finishing is nicely executed, and all the edges are sharp. Too sharp, actually. I’m told they will smooth things out a tad on the final versions, as the prototype felt a bit raw.
Unlike most dive watches, the Ubiq’s bezel is 60 clicks and bidirectional. The action is firm, and you can feel each detent as it snaps securely into place. The aluminum insert has two engraved indexes: 12 hours on the outside and 60 minutes on the inside. Much to my surprise, both are lumed. This is fairly uncommon for an aluminum insert, even more so when you notice that the inner track is black lume. Granted, black is hardly the optimal color for lume, so that bit is weak, but it’s better than black paint, and the rest of the lume more than makes up for it. You get BGW9 on the dial markers, and C1 on the hands and outer bezel index. The result is pretty impressive and will be even more so when Ubiq upgrades to Grade A Super-LumiNova for production.
The Duel’s dial is delightful. A combination of applied pill and cushion shapes mark the hours, linked to the minutes index like lollipops. A date window replaces the 6 o’clock marker, its frame mirroring the marker’s soft square shape. Ubiq went with a clipped red hand and an arrowhead for the hours and minutes. As mentioned above, every element gets lume. It’s a fabulous look, playful but not silly.
Then we get to the colors. This review sample is Beetred, which is to say, a glorious, shocking violet. It’s the color Jimi Hendrix was trying to tell us about. It’s Prince, circa 1984. The red accents take it even higher. It’s- Well, I’ll stop. Just look at it!
Don’t like purple? Ubiq will happily hook you up with Seaset (teal/orange), Bumble (black/yellow), Applesour (Dark/light green and gray), or Navysilver (silver/navy, of course), which is the most conservative of the bunch.
On the flip side, you’ll find a solid caseback with the Ubiq logo, model name, and serial number. It’s simple and well done. As you will note, only 100 of each colorway will be produced.
Buyers will get a bracelet and an FKM rubber strap. The bracelet has flat, brushed links, screw pins, and a signed clasp. Its low profile and taper to 16mm gives it a welcome retro feel that suits the overall design.
If you are looking to draw a little more attention, then you must try the strap. It’s color-keyed to the watch and has a unique vented design and signed buckle. Being made of FKM, it is soft and is not a lint magnet.
Both the strap and the bracelet are equipped with quick-release spring bars.
A creative watch needs similarly clever packaging. I have no love for heavy presentation boxes or anything with an unreasonable environmental impact, so I was delighted to see Ubiq’s recyclable cardboard box. It looks professional, is only as large as it needs to be to provide protection, and has a nifty slot for the warranty card that slides out when you open the drawer containing the watch, which is itself tucked into a very nice leather pouch. It’s an elegant solution.
As noted above, the review sample was a prototype, and some things will be changed by the final product, but nothing that will alter the overall design. The few alterations will improve materials and execution, making an already rewarding watch all the more appealing.
You have until March 7 at noon Eastern US time to get the Ubiq Dual Series 01 at the early bird price, after which it goes up to $649. That’s not a bad price either, but why pay that when you can grab one now for $518? The watch has already well surpassed its funding target and is cruising headlong toward its stretch goals. It is well worth your time to check it out.
Head over to ubiqwatches.com or the Ubiq Kickstarter page for more information.
