With the U-Boat Profondo 10,000 MT model, Italian microbrand U-Boat has entered waters previously dominated by Rolex and Omega – while maintaining a price that doesn't require selling a kidney.
Microbrands have proven in recent years that they can prove their worth to the “big guys” – but in the category of extreme “deep-sea” diving watches, things have stopped at astronomical prices. Then U-Boat came along and said: “What if we jumped to the Mariana Trench with a slightly healthier price tag?” The result is U-Boat Profondo 10,000 MT – A 46mm titanium “can” (in the best sense of the word) that can withstand a thousand atmospheres of pressure and costs about nine-tenths less than Rolex’s Deepsea Challenge. Why 46mm titanium and not “standard” steel?
At 10 kilometers deep, every detail counts – literally. Steel at that thickness would be too heavy for the wrist, so U-Boat, like Rolex and Omega, switched to lighter but harder titanium. The result is a 27mm-high (!) monolith that can withstand 1,000 ATM pressure, but isn’t completely useless for everyday wear… at least if you’re used to CrossFit.
A show on the dial: a “treasure mine” from the wreck
Instead of the sterile, professional aesthetic seen in its Swiss big brothers, Profondo serves up an intricate, three-layer dial treated with oxidizing acids. The result is a unique watch, as if it were pulled from the depths along with an amphora. The titanium hands and markers, filled with beige Super-LumiNova, remain legible even when you descend to the bottom of a mine of light.
Drama-free mechanics: the proven Sellita SW200
The “engine” is not an exotic tourbillons, but a reliable Sellita SW200, modified to the requirements of the U-Boat. The 4 Hz frequency and 41-hour power reserve mean ease of service and accessible spare parts – some would say that this is actually the biggest advantage of a giant diving watch. “Micro” price for macro depth
The Rolex Deepsea Challenge, with a water resistance of 11,000 meters, costs $27,600, and on the secondary market it costs twice as much. The Profondo 10,000 MT is asking $4,200 (around €3,800) – about 85 % less. The U-Boat also comes with an additional titanium bracelet in addition to the leather strap, while with Rolex, changing the strap means teleporting to the shopping cart.
Limited (and numbered) centennial
Although U-Boat is a micro-brand, it has stuck to the “less is more” philosophy: only 100 numbered pieces will be produced. So if you’re one of those who would like to have a depth reserve for five Everests, but without the mortgage squeeze, you’ll need to hurry.
Final impression: U-Boat Profondo 10,000 MT
The Profondo 10,000 MT is not a watch for everyone – the dimensions and aesthetics already scream “extreme gadget”. But if you're tempted by the idea of a dive watch that flirts with the bottom of the world in terms of specifications, while still leaving some change in your wallet for the actual dive, then U-Boat has hit the nail on the head. The question remains: will you ever go beyond 2.5m in a swimming pool with it? Probably not. But the feeling that you can, is sometimes worth (almost) everything.
