Meet The Third Iteration Of The BND Dive Watch
We’ve been following the horological adventures of Vincent Bonnaud (1991, France) since 2021, when he introduced his first BND dive watch. What caught my attention was that Vincent received a lot of praise for his BND watch from former Rolex ambassador and COMEX diver Théo Mavrostomos.
Thèo Mavrostomos wearing a BND watch
Someone who worked for COMEX for two decades and had a record for the deepest dive in 1992 (701 meters) probably knows what it takes for a dive watch to be credible. On top of that, Vincent received a note from industry veteran Jean-Claude Biver, who shared his excitement for the BND watches.
The BND Mk. 3 is here!
The first two versions
Back in July 2021, we took a closer look at Vincent’s first batch of watches, which took inspiration from vintage divers from the 1950s to the 1970s. It was a series of 39.5mm watches with 100m water resistance and Seiko’s automatic NH35A movement inside. It also came with a choice of three dial colors (black, blue, and brown), limited to 150 pieces each. Interestingly, these BND watches had acrylic crystals, a nod to those original vintage divers. Vincent now refers to these as the Mk. 1.
In 2022, he reached out to us to say he had made some improvements. Here was the Mk. 2, with a sapphire crystal, a thinner case, and a screw-down crown to double its water resistance to 200 meters. Again, it was available in three dial colors (black, blue, and brown) and limited to 150 pieces each. Thus far, all the models have been delivered with a matching NATO strap.
The new screw-down crown now offers greater water resistance
Updates
For the newest iteration of the BND dive watches (Mk. 3), Vincent made a few small but useful updates. The BND Mk. 3 now uses the Seiko NH38A movement, which eschews the phantom date and is regulated to within -5/+10 seconds per day. Perhaps more importantly to some is the increase in water resistance to 300 meters. This has been achieved through a redesigned crown that can now be closed more tightly than before. Lastly, the BND dive watch now comes on a FKM rubber strap instead of a NATO strap.
My impressions of the BND Mk. 3
Vincent Bonnaud is building his brand slowly but consistently, which he seems to be doing on purpose. He does not want to expand the collection with more designs; rather, he wants to focus on small improvements.
At first glance, the BND dive watch looks similar to many other watches on the market, both from major brands and smaller independent ones. Its relatively low price isn’t unique either; there are more options in this price range. However, BND’s Mk. 3 offers something different. It’s a well-built watch with reliable timekeeping (-5/+10 seconds a day), which is better than some Seiko movements used by other brands. It features a minimalist vintage design, with no unnecessary clutter on the dial or case back.
There’s no “Automatic” text and no mention of the water resistance, sapphire crystal, reference numbers, or anything else. It’s very clean in appearance. The 120-click unidirectional bezel with lume-filled markers makes it a practical tool for diving, as intended. BND increased its price by €40 (ex. VAT) compared to its previous release, which makes total sense given the new crown design and rubber strap.
On the wrist, this 39.5mm × 13mm watch wears similarly to the previous version, which was already pleasant. However, I do prefer the Mk. 3 because it comes on a rubber strap instead of a NATO strap (which makes the watch sit higher on the wrist). In my view, it’s not worth upgrading your Mk. 1 or Mk. 2 to this Mk. 3 unless you’re an absolute BND fan or smitten by one of the new dial colors. I would stick with what you have there — a great little tool watch from France.
Price and availability
The BND Mk. 3 dive watch will be available again in three colors — gray (MNGRA), white (MNWHI), and khaki green (MNKHA). The references use the famous “MN” initials, referring to the Marine Nationale, because Vincent Bonnaud is interested in vintage dive watches, especially those connected to the French Navy. We only have the khaki-dial version here in the Fratello office, but on the official BND website, you’ll find a full overview of the other models as well.
The BND Mk. 3 retails for €598.95 (inc. 21% VAT). Each reference is limited to just 100 pieces, and the watches will be shipped in June 2026.
