This Shimmering Minimalist Field Watch Was 150 Years in the Making, Thanks to a Legendary Japanese Brand

Unimatic teamed up with a multigenerational Japanese brand renowned for its handcrafted tinplate tea caddies.

By Brad Lanphear

Published April 16, 2025

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Updated April 16, 2025

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Over the past century and a half, Kaikado has elevated the crafting of simple tinplate tea caddies to fine art.

For context, tea caddies and everything related to tea consumption have immense cultural significance in Japan. As such, great time and effort go into perfecting the minimalist storage containers.

a silver dial watch with a gray leather strap — The U2-KDD emulates the shaping and polishing achieved by Kaikado’s artisans.

Unimatic, an Italian watchmaker equally dedicated to the elevation of minimalist design in a common object, teamed up with ERG Media to create a watch that honors the mastery exhibited by Kaikado’s artisans.

a silver dial watch on a man's wrist — The U2-KKD has a 38mm steel case.

The unique take on Unimatic’s signature Modello Due, which goes by reference U2-KDD, is stripped down to its basic components and utilizes a 925 silver dial to emulate the shape and texture achieved by Kaikado’s hand-finishing process.

An appreciation for the arts

ERG Media founder Ted Gushe was the mastermind behind the U2-KDD. It was done in conjunction with the release of a book on the 150-year history of Kaikado by his publishing company, which is why ERG’s logo appears on the dial.

a japanese etching — Kaikado’s 150th-anniversary logo is hand-pressed into the 935 silver dial.

The dial is also signed with Kaikado’s 150th-anniversary logo in the 12 o’clock spot, which is hand-pressed into the 925 silver plate. The same logo also appears on the steel case back alongside each watch’s individual numbering.

The case back is triple-signed and numbered.

Unimatic

Completing the triple-signed dial is Unimatic’s logo, placed just below the center, along with “Made in Italy” and the depth rating. The brand’s signature hands have been skeletonized with a wireframe to maximize the exposure of the dial texture.

a silver dial watch with a gray strap — The U2-KKD has an aged leather strap with purple end stitching.

A gray leather strap completes the look with a grainy, aged texture and light purple side stitching. The steel pin-buckle is signed with Unimatic’s logo.

A fully functional field watch

Despite the dial’s intricate craftsmanship, the U2-KKD is still a fully functional field watch. The steel case is equipped with Unimatic’s layered Tough Case shock-absorbing and anti-magnetic technology.

a silver dial watch on a table — The U2-KKD is limited to only 150 pieces.

The screw-down crown, screw-in case back and 2.7mm thick ultra-double-domed sapphire crystal provide a 300m depth rating. If you plan on utilizing that water resistance, the leather strap has quick-release pins and can easily be swapped out for a waterproof alternative.

As is customary with the Modello Due, the U2-KKD runs on a Seiko-produced NH35A automatic movement. This fittingly Japanese workhorse movement is a work of art unto itself and is notoriously dependable and easy to service.

The U2-KKD is a collaboration of like-minded artists who are masters of refined minimalism. As one of the most beautiful watches Unimatic has ever created, the only downside is that it is limited to 150 pieces. But scarcity is the price of elite craftsmanship.