by Tyler Frederick
Connections
I’ve been a collector of many things since I was a kid: video games, cards (Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc.), guitars, mechanical keyboards, and my main collecting passion is, obviously, watches. Through the years, my method of collecting has changed significantly. When I started, it was about collecting and buying things I liked or making spur-of-the-moment purchases, whereas now I’m proud to say my entire collection is connected to a friend—someone I love and care for. Every time I open my watch box, it’s a representation of the connections I’ve made in this beautiful hobby and the amazing people I’m lucky and grateful to call friends. The watch I’m talking about today is no exception to my previous sentiment, as I was gifted this wearable plethora of colour by James of Canuck Timepieces, and it means the world to me. The model name of the watch, Unity, is more than fitting.
Check out the Tyler’s Top Picks from the Toronto Timepiece Show 2025
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Key Features of the Canuck Timepieces Unity
I’m a big fan of weird
I’ve been speaking with James for the last couple of months through Instagram, and what started the conversation was a lengthy message I sent to him expressing my love for the Unity and how the dial made every part of me smile and light up. I’m a fan of vibrant and bright colours; ironic considering most of my closet is black or darker clothing. That message sparked many other conversations about watches and projects he has in the pipeline, and I connected with everything he showed me because he’s making what he loves and it’s “weird”; I’m a big fan of “weird.” He informed me that he’d be at the Toronto Timepiece Show, and during the Friday Creator’s Night, he walked up to me, gave me a hug, presented me with a watch roll, and stated the watch inside was for me; it’s been on my wrist since.
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Boys just want to have fun
Fun is the best word to describe the Unity. I had it on my wrist for the entirety of the Toronto Timepiece Show, and it was a conversation starter to say the least. While it’s a great looking watch, it’s so comfortable and easy to wear; it’s also a strap monster and looks good on basically anything. While it was initially on a cut-to-size purple strap which felt fantastic, I couldn’t help but try a different combo with this luscious red ostrich leather strap from my good friends at StrapsCo. The wearing experience? Fantastic. The proportions of the Unity create a very balanced and extremely comfortable wearing experience: 39mm diameter, 45mm lug-to-lug, 13.5mm thick and a 20mm lug width. Again, extremely balanced on the wrist, and the lugs have the perfect amount of curvature to hug the wrist and make it feel seamless.
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What’s Surfite?
Yes, it’s comfortable, and yes, you can pair it with any strap, but the best part of the Unity is the Surfite dial created by Juxtaposed. What’s Surfite? It’s a man-made material that comes from the accumulation of resin and paint for surfboards, which is then cured under UV light, polished, and used for many things, including watch dials. Due to its multiple colors, you can get really creative with strap choices, and pretty much anything will work. The dial made my inner child so happy; the plethora of colors, some parts with sparkle—there’s so much going on, and its vibrance brings such a big smile to my face. It’s such a playful and fun dial while also maintaining a level of sophistication and complexity. The Unity, as a whole, is the definition of fun and a watch that can easily be dressed up or down.
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SPECS
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 45mm Lug to Lug 13.5mm Thick 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Case Back 30m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Sapphire Surfite Rainbow Printed Indexes Sword Handset |
| Movement | Seiko NH38 24 Jewels 21 600vph 41-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Cut-to-size FKM Rubber |
Canuck Timepieces Unity
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Quibbles
I’m going to keep this short and sweet with a fact: the dial won’t be for everyone, and that’s okay. I love this watch, its proportions, its fun and playful attitude, and the fact it’s connected to someone who became a fast friend. Finding a “quibble” with this one wasn’t possible because it’s so fun to have on the wrist, but zooming out and looking at things from a general collector/enthusiast mentality, some may not be fans of this dial. That’s it.
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Final Thoughts
The Unity from Canuck Timepieces is a fantastic representation of something different, colourful and one that stands out from the crowd, or stands out in a crowd of collectors; I witnessed it first hand. It’s so much fun to wear, and how quickly it catches the attention of other collectors and enthusiasts is beyond impressive. I’m not the type to wear a watch for attention, but seeing how many conversations started from the watch was beyond cool, and I love connecting with new people, so the quicker a convo can start, the better. I’ve loved every second with this watch, and I can’t wait to experience it for years to come.
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Pricing & Availability
This watch is from a limited 5-piece run, but James is always creating something new; he’s currently in the process of working on his Nature and Cosmos series of watches, so feel free to check those out at Canuck Timepieces.
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About the author
Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.
Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.
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