Television presenter Jeremy Clarkson spotted wearing a U-Boat

Jeremy Clarkson has never been a watch collector in the conventional sense — he gravitates toward pieces that make a statement without requiring a glossary to explain them. Spotted during filming, almost certainly for Top Gear, Clarkson wears a U-Boat Classico 45 Chronograph on a rich tan leather strap, a choice that feels entirely in character for a man who once described subtlety as overrated.

The U-Boat Classico 45 Chrono is the flagship expression of Italo Fontana's Milan-based manufacture, launched in the mid-2000s after years of development rooted in wartime Italian naval instrument design. The case measures 45mm in stainless steel with a pronounced crown positioned at the 9 o'clock position — a deliberate design signature that references left-wrist, inward-facing instrument wear originally intended for submariners. The cream/ivory dial features high-contrast matte black Arabic numerals, a tri-compax chronograph layout driven by a Swiss ETA Valjoux 7750 movement, and the signature 'U-Boat / Italo Fontana / Made in Italy' text stack at 12 o'clock, all visible in the image.

The reference visible here corresponds to the Classico 45 Chrono in steel with ivory dial — likely reference 7120 or closely related — distinguished from other Classico variants by the warm champagne dial tone and the absence of a solid caseback window. The brown buffalo or calfskin strap with contrasting stitching is period-correct factory fitment.

From a collector standpoint, U-Boat occupies an interesting niche: Italian-designed, Swiss-movement watches that punch above their price point in terms of visual presence. They are sometimes dismissed by purists, but the Classico Chrono holds steady in the secondary market due to its genuine design originality and solid build quality. The Valjoux 7750 base movement is virtually bulletproof and widely serviced.

For Clarkson, this is a watch that makes complete sense — oversized, legible at speed, and carrying a design story rooted in mechanical history rather than luxury marketing. Retail pricing sits comfortably in the £1,500–£2,000 range, making it a credible choice for someone who clearly has no interest in wearing a watch as a status signal.