Hands-On With The Charming Undone Urban Automatic
It’s been a while since we covered an Undone watch. The Hong Kong-based brand is widely known among watch enthusiasts for its affordable timepieces. Undone’s latest creation is the Urban Automatic, a triple-calendar watch that’s the first mechanical model in the vintage-inspired Urban series. I have always liked the Urban line because it takes inspiration from iconic chronographs of the 1940s and ’50s, resulting in a very charming series of watches. I took the new Urban Automatic for a spin and was pleasantly surprised by how much of the vintage spirit it captures. Let me explain why.
Out of the 10 collections Undone currently offers, I find the Urban and Basecamp lines the most interesting. The latter is a series of dive watches with some rather attractive pieces. The Basecamp Classic and Cali models are especially nice. Another model I vividly remember is the black-dial version of the Undone × Simple Union Bronze Limited Edition, which had some heavy artificial patina and looked fantastic. But we’ll focus on the new Urban Automatic series for this review.
The Undone Urban series
The name Urban might be a bit deceiving as the word often has connotations of modernity. That’s far from true for the aesthetic of Undone’s Urban line. It is a series of vintage-inspired 40mm mecha-quartz timepieces. One of the models that some of you might be familiar with is the Vintage Killy. It’s a stylish watch inspired by the beautiful chronographs of the 1940s and ’50s, and it captures that vibe perfectly. Two more models that stand out are the Urban Vintage Arctic Blue and Pistachio Crisp with vivid, colorful dials.
For the new Urban Automatic, the brand steps away from mecha-quartz movements and introduces a model with a self-winding mechanical caliber. But it’s not just that. The two new versions of the Urban Automatic also look like monopusher chronographs at first, but they’re not! These two models take inspiration from vintage calendar watches with a pusher to adjust the month indicator. This is thanks to a Miyota movement that makes the Urban Automatic models interesting modern takes on a classic design.
The specs of the Undone Urban Automatic
The new Urban Automatic features a 40mm stainless steel case with a 47.8mm lug-to-lug and a 14mm total thickness with the domed sapphire crystal. It also has a 100m water resistance rating, and with a 20mm lug gap, it’s bound to be an absolute strap monster. The round case has straight lugs that slope downward nicely and have a great side profile. I love seeing the interesting and angular form.
The case has a predominantly polished finish, with brushed surfaces only on the lug sides and the narrow case band. On the right side of the case, you will find a branded onion-style crown and a pump-style pusher. Overall, the visual balance is spot on, and the watch feels nicely proportioned. There is a noticeable difference in presence between the two versions, though.
Two dial variants that are inherently different
The first of the two models, the Sandstorm version, has a vertically brushed beige dial with a textured outer ring and two textured sub-dials in the same color. This is combined with brushed steel applied hour markers and hands. The lume-filled pencil-style hour and minute hands and small lume dots beside the indexes ensure you can read the time in the dark. In addition, the tips of the central seconds hand and the pointer that indicates the month at 3 o’clock are red, corresponding with the red details on the dial. The tip of the hand that indicates the day is dark blue.
Regarding the calendar functions, the left sub-dial indicates the day, while the right sub-dial indicates the month. An aperture at 6 o’clock displays the date, thus completing the trio of calendar functions. This version of the Urban Automatic comes on a light beige suede strap to complete the look.
The second version, the Urban Automatic Eclipse, features a vertically brushed black dial with textured silver-colored sub-dials and a matching outer ring with the 60-minute scale printed in black. The applied brushed indexes and lume-filled hands are executed in gunmetal gray. Just like on the beige dial, the indexes have little lume dots next to them.
The tips of the central seconds hand and calendar hands are orange, matching the orange details on the dial. These include the orange-printed date on the black date disc. A typical Undone detail is the brand logo at 6 o’clock on both dials. It’s something to get used to because it is an odd place for a logo.
This model comes with a black nubuck strap. Overall, the Eclipse version looks more contemporary than the Sandstorm one.
An automatic Miyota triple-calendar movement
The Miyota 9122 caliber powers the Urban Automatic models. This movement belongs to the 9000 series, meaning it is one of the Japanese company’s premium offerings. It operates at 28,800vph, has 26 jewels, and offers 40 hours of power reserve when fully wound. As I explained, this automatic caliber features a triple calendar with sub-dials for the day and month and a date window.
The central time and the day and date functions are controlled via the crown. If you pull out the crown to the first position, turning it counterclockwise will change the day of the week, while turning it clockwise will change the date. Pulling it out to the second position lets you adjust the time. The pump pusher at 2 o’clock controls the month indicator. Each click of the pusher moves the small hand forward one month. All in all, it’s a fun and easy-to-use complication that adds a lot of character to the watch.
Wearing the Undone Urban Automatic
I was quite impressed by how fun it is to wear these watches. Each version has a charm firmly rooted in the past, but thanks to the modern proportions, the watches feel right at home on my 18.5cm wrist. Despite their retro style, there are clear differences between the two. The beige-dial Sandstorm model feels like a proper remake of a watch from the 1940s or ’50s.
While the case shape and dial design are the same, the black-dial Eclipse model gives off a very different vibe. I would say it has a funkier, more ’60s-inspired look. I prefer the aesthetic of the lighter model, but they’re so different that I can appreciate both.
The case’s curvature also stands out. As a result, the watch doesn’t feel like it’s 14mm thick. The curved sapphire crystal distorts the sloping dial’s image a bit, but that is part of the classic charm. Another great thing is that both watches look awesome on various straps. I tried both watches on a cognac nubuck strap and a cream-colored suede strap, which suited them well. But those are just two of many great options because I can see these watches working with straps of many styles and colors.
Operating the calendar functions of the Urban Automatic
When adjusting the calendar functions, I found the push/pull onion crown easy to use. It pulls out with defined clicks, inspiring confidence. The pusher, however, is a little less impressive. I wished that it offered a nice solid click to confirm that I had just moved the month forward. Additionally, when letting go of it, the small hand wiggles in place every time. While it ends up perfectly on the actual marker for the month, it’s a bit of a funny feeling that the hand moves when you let go of the pusher.
That said, it didn’t take away from the joyous experience I had while wearing the Urban Automatic models. With these automatic triple calendars, Undone adds two lovable new offerings to the Urban collection. They are also very affordable at US$430. The price makes the Undone Urban Automatic a tempting offer for people looking for a retro watch with a calendar complication that perfectly captures the vibes of its vintage counterparts.
Final thoughts on the Undone Urban Automatic
While these watches do not replace a proper vintage timepiece, they capture the spirit nicely and offer the comfort of modern-day production techniques and a modern movement. So, if you like the style of these watches, I suggest you try them. The Undone Urban Automatic models were a pleasant change-up from a string of much more expensive watches that landed on my desk. Wearing them made me smile, which is worth more than what these watches cost. Plus, that is what watches should be all about.
The new Undone Urban Automatic models will be available as of the last week of October 2024. Until the watches are released, you can visit the brand’s dedicated page for more info. Additionally, you can sign up and register to purchase the model of your choice. Let us know which version you prefer in the comments!
This article is a collaboration between Fratello and Undone. Learn more.
