UTS-München

Faye Y.

Few brands can be as exclusive as UTS-München. While other luxury companies have factories, the German brand has a small workshop. Others have small but dedicated teams, UTS depends on just one man. Most respected brands keep the production low to maintain a vibe of exclusivity, UTS would not even hit a thousand. And yet, it has always been that way since the beginning, even after the watches caught attention of connoisseurs. There is something quite special about a wristwatch that is meticulously made by just a single man who had a burning passion to keep creating.

A hobby that became profitable

That man’s name is Nicolaus Spinner, called Herr Spinner by fans of the brand.

It all began when he realized that there was nothing in the market that would adhere to his standards. But instead of sulking and giving up, he became resolved to make his own. And it was not that far a step from what he was already doing as he is an engineer by trade. What was left is just ordering the pieces he needed from Switzerland and then working on everything by himself.

The very first case Spinner created was called the UTS Commander, featuring a manual winding movement and water resistance of up to 3000 meters. Herr Spinner did not actually create this to be sold, as it was supposedly just for his own consumption. But miles away from him, an American by the name of Stephen Newman saw the watch that Herr Spinner posted on his personal website. Newman, an entrepreneur, shared Herr Spinner’s love for watches and was impressed by what he saw. He reached out to Herr Spinner and offered to buy the watch, and the story of UTS, or Uhren Technik Spinner, began.

Exclusivity and technicality are its strongest points

All watches made since the beginning have been topnotch German watches. More impressive is the fact that everything is put together in the country, handmade by no other than Herr Spinner. Considering that he is the sole person in the workshop, as he has not thought of entrusting the process to anyone else, UTS only produces about 200 watches per year with original UTS designs. In the past, acquiring one is not like getting yourself any other brand though, as you have to contact Newman directly to buy one. Now, you can just visit the company website and pick a model from there.

Although the demand for the UTS is influenced by the limited supply of the watches, it is still the littlest details that make or break a UTS timepiece. All its diving watches, which it is most famous for, are made with a German steel case of the highest quality and sapphire crystals. The movements it employs are all Swiss, even though it has a German case. The watches’ parts have an impressive tolerance of few thousandths of a millimeter. Spinner himself operates the CNC and puts his products under modern testing to ensure quality.

Its standout pieces

UTS-München UTS4000 Diving Watch

UTS4000 Diving Watch. Photo. Abtw

Through the years, UTS has developed diving watches that are increasing in reach with every iteration. The latest and most impressive yet, the UTS4000, can reach 4000m. The dial features big block markers as well as double digit numerals, and the timepiece has the staple 6mm sapphire and hex-bolted lugs. It is a heavyweight in specs but moderate in size, so it wouldn’t get too much in the way.

To add variety to its collection so far, UTS also introduced the 600M Chronograph Driver, which has a 600m water resistance. It is different than other chronographs in that the lock has to be unscrewed upwards. The gem is powered by the ETA 7750 chronograph movement.

The Adventure GMT meanwhile, is not technically intended to be a diving watch. What it features is a large UTS case that gives room to the ETA Valgranges A07.171. Its design is attention-grabbing, with the red hands contrasting the black dial.

Conclusion

UTS-München UTS4000 (full)

It has been almost two decades since UTS began, and since then, it has been well-admired among casual and longtime collectors alike. The watches and the company’s unique setup have been written about a few times, 3 consecutive years for Wristwatch Annual, and lauded by Watch Journal, Watchtime and International Watch, among others. Seeing a UTS, it’s not hard to realize what makes it special. But considering Herr Spinning’s dedication further and how he gets everything right on his own, it’s no wonder that UTS is on a league of its own.

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