Italo Fontana unveils a U-BOAT jewelry watch: THE ELEMENTIUM
U-Boat’s latest Flightdeck Elementium is a watch coming from the past, it reminds of the altimeter devices that were used in the ‘20s
aircrafts. U-Boat’s Creative soul Italo Fontana was visiting an aircraft carrier and he noticed the similarities of the Flightdeck control panels on the ship with those of the fighter jets , taking off and landing. These precision tools gave him the idea to sketch out the first drafts of a model, The Flightdeck.
This time the case has been partially drilled in order to create small fissures into the sterling silver 925 material. Furthermore all the small cracks have been patiently filled by Italian craftsmen with 204 brown and black diamonds (Blacks 0,46 CT , Brown 0,83 CT). This flamboyant and precious case turns this classic watch into a brand new jewelry masterpiece with full U-BOAT.
MOVEMENT: automatic mechanical chronograph modified and personalized at U-BOAT specifications for date display and stem position at 9 o’clock. Frequency 28.800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hz. Power reserve 44 hours. 25 jewels. Height 7 mm.
FUNCTIONS: hours, minutes, chronograph, counter small seconds at 3, counter 12 at 12, counter 30 minutes at 6. Date window at 9 o’clock.
CASE: sterling silver, crown on the left side with a special protective device and push buttons in sterling silver (On the chrono pusher at 10 o’clock a black diamond (CT 0,35) has been set).
Diameter 50 mm. Silver weight 119,15 g. Thickness 17,90 mm.
BACK: see-through, sealed with 7 screws.
DIAL: black in carbon fiber, with hands and markers in beige colour. Arabic numerals, in high relief.
CRYSTAL: sapphire, highly resistant.
WATER-RESISTANCE: 50 metres, 5 ATM.
STRAP: Calf leather with precious inset in silver and black diamonds setting. Hand made and hand finished, with sterling silver tongue buckle (with black and brown diamonds set on the buckle, CT 0,10). Width 23/22 mm, hypoallergenic and colour retain
treatment. Fasten to the case with screws.
In 1942, Ilfo “The Watchmaker” Fontana was commissioned by his country to produce a timepiece that would become the pride of the Italian naval officers. Those distinctive watches had to meet the navy’s standards and specifications. The firm rose to the call but for unknown reasons, the deal was aborted before the production started.
These designs and prototypes lay dormant for decades until Italo Fontana, Ilfo’s nephew, rediscovered them in 1999. The old drawings seemed still relevant even after all those years and they became the foundation of today’s U-BOAT collections.
