U-Boat – Flightdeck U-6497 – 50 mm – Hand-Winding – Italian Design – Swiss Movement Offered for auction is a bold and highly recognizable U-Boat Flightdeck U-6497, a large military-inspired timepiece designed by Italo Fontana, the founder of U-Boat. This model perfectly reflects the brand’s philosophy: oversized cases, extreme legibility, and strong wrist presence inspired by historic military and aviation instruments. This impressive watch features a massive 50 mm stainless steel case with a distinctive left-side crown, a signature design element of U-Boat watches, originally created to improve comfort on the wrist and avoid pressure on the hand. The black dial is designed for maximum visibility, featuring oversized luminous hour markers and hands with strong green lume, making the watch extremely legible even in low light conditions. The dial is signed “U-Boat U-6497” and “Italo Fontana – Made in Italy,” highlighting the Italian design combined with a Swiss mechanical movement. The watch features a small seconds subdial at 3 o’clock and large stylized Arabic numerals, giving the watch a strong instrument-style appearance. The watch is powered by a Swiss mechanical hand-winding movement (U-6497), visible through the open case back. The movement is beautifully displayed and shows the classic architecture of this historic Swiss caliber, known for its reliability and use in large pilot-style watches. The watch is fitted with its original black leather strap with U-Boat buckle, suitable for wrists up to approximately 22 cm. Technical Details: Brand: U-Boat Model: Flightdeck U-6497 Movement: Swiss mechanical hand-winding movement (U-6497) Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds Case Material: Stainless steel Case Diameter: 50 mm Crystal: Mineral glass Dial: Black dial with large luminous numerals and markers Case Back: Open case back (display back) Water Resistance: 100 meters (not tested) Strap: Original leather strap with original buckle (fits up to approx. 22 cm wrist) Condition: Grade B – signs of use due to normal wear on case and strap Accessories: Generic box Story & Heritage: U-Boat is an Italian watch brand founded by designer Italo Fontana in Lucca, Italy. The brand is known for creating large, bold watches inspired by military and aviation instruments. The design concept originates from a series of military watch designs created in the 1940s for the Italian Navy, characterized by oversized cases and high legibility. The Flightdeck collection is inspired by aircraft cockpit instruments and military timing equipment, resulting in watches with extreme readability, large crowns, and strong tool-watch aesthetics. The use of the Swiss Unitas/ETA 6497 mechanical movement is intentional, as this historic hand-wound caliber is known for its robustness, large size, and reliability, making it perfect for oversized pilot-style watches. Today, U-Boat watches are appreciated for their unmistakable design, large case sizes, and strong identity, making them stand out from traditional Swiss watch designs. This U-Boat Flightdeck U-6497 is a bold statement watch, combining Italian design, Swiss mechanical tradition, and military-inspired aesthetics. Express Delivery Via UPS Express Internal Reference Number - Itm. 718