Unimatic and Massena LAB have revealed the final chapter in their collaborative journey with the U1-MLB. With inspiration that started in the ?50s, continued to the ?60s and the French Navy, now ends in the ?70s with the West German Navy, and the Blancpain ?Bund? with which they were equipped. That means a sterile black bezel, and bright orange minute hand feature heavily here, just like the Blancpain. It?s no surprise that this scheme feels right at home on the Unimatic U1 frame.

The original Blancpain ?Bund? was a part of the Fifty Fathoms family, and issued to the West German military or Budeswehr, featuring the circled ?3H? in red signifying the use of tritium on the dial. It was a time and date watch within a somewhat blocky case that set the crown at 4 o?clock. The watch received a wide, fully blacked out bezel save for a lumed triangle at its top. A civilian model was also made that received an indexed bezel and non-fixed spring bars. Interestingly, these watches used ?Rayville? signed ETA 2873 movements. Both are rather a rare sight these days, as you might imagine, and aren?t exactly cheap. 
Blancpain ‘Bund’ models, civilian at left, issued at right. Credit: WatchProSite member DivingT

The Blancpain is a rather interesting military issued diver that often gets overshadowed by earlier references, but there’s an interesting story that we’ll come back to.

The Unimatic x Massena LAB U1-MLB captures much of the spirit of the Blancpa...