Massena LAB, the creative studio founded by William Massena, has teamed up once again with contemporary Italian watch manufacturer UNIMATIC on a new limited-edition watch, and a new model from UNIMATIC, the Modello Cinque U5S-ML.
The release of the U5S-ML marks the first occasion UNIMATIC has produced a watch with a case diameter of 36mm. This smaller case size places the watch firmly in the midsize and unisex categories, allowing for the watch to be enjoyed by a wide audience of collectors while complimenting a wide range of wrist sizes.
Giovanni Moro, UNIMATIC’s co-founder and co-designer elaborates: “The newly designed Modello Cinque, the first UNIMATIC watch to measure 36mm, incorporates all of what we like best about smaller diameter watches. The case features a large dial opening with an angled rehaut; which, when combined with oversized crown and curved lugs, creates a case profile that is both comfortable and flattering to a variety of wrist sizes. Many other subtle design details combine to produce a balanced and nuanced watch, which aims to blend in rather than stand out.”
Inspired by German mid-century industrial design, like the work of Dieter Rams, or vintage Bavarian automobile dashboards dating to the 1960s and 70s, the Modello Cinque U5S-ML’s clean lines and minimalist dial can be appreciated by anyone who values good design and practicality. The sleek dial, which features simple, elegant, and glossy white markers set against a matte black surface, can be dressed up or dressed down according to taste.
The hour and minute hands are matte black ladder phantoms, and, in a nod to some of the most-treasured vintage references, the second hand features a reverse lollipop marker. Illumination in low-light situations is provided by Super-LumiNova® C1, which is painted on the hour and minute hands.
The overall design aesthetic perfectly matches its 36mm brushed stainless steel case, which feels simultaneously classic yet modern. Turning the watch over, the caseback features a custom UNIMATIC x Massena LAB Fibonacci Sequence motif and is individually numbered out of 300.
The Modello Cinque U5S-ML is powered by the Swiss-made, self-winding Sellita SW200-1, with 26 jewels, a frequency of 28,800bph (4Hz), 41 hours of power reserve, and a hacking seconds hand. Fitted with a black tapered TPU strap, the U5S-ML Limited Edition includes an alternate tapered TPU strap, in the same straw yellow tone which can be found on the tip of the dial’s second hand, for added versatility. Each example is presented in a branded UNIMATIC x Massena LAB tough case with a warranty card and unique ID seal.
