BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Mido has been on a surprisingly good run as of late, I’m not sure if that’s because of new management, a funding boost from the Swatch Group or something else. Either way, it seems they’re fan favourites for us, so we’re only too happy to oblige when new models wash up on our doorstep.
I said the new watches wash up on our doorstep in an attempt to be humourous and witty; that’s because these new pieces are diving watches which mark 80 years of Mido’s Ocean Star line. The new birthday presents the brand offers to itself (and to its buyers) are restrained affairs. The 39mm x 10.5mm case means they’re comfortably wearable by nearly everyone, which is the way a lot of watches are heading these days. It makes sense; why cut yourself off from a portion of the market?
The new Ocean Star pieces feature a classical appearance. An aluminium insert graces the diving bezel, which, on one of the models, has been given a two-tone paint job to match the dial. The dial of this particular model, ref. M026.907.11.041.00 is quite intriguing as it’s finished with a blue-to-black fade. I don’t think the fade is meant to represent the darkening of the environment as you go deeper underwater. Otherwise, the blue would be at the top, but it’s cool to look at.
Reference M026.907.11.061.00 has a similar gradient effect, but its dial is in greyscale, with a splash of colour coming from the orange-tipped seconds hand. Reference M026.907.21.021.00 features a champagne-coloured dial without a gradient. It’s interesting that Mido opted to use similarly coloured markers and hands for this piece; I wonder if this affects the legibility in person. There’s also a gold PVD-coated bezel on this model for a touch of class.
The final piece (ref. M026.907.37.051.00) has the stealthiest appearance to it, it’s a look which a lot of the Swatch Group’s brands, except Breguet and maybe Harry Winston, have manifested at some point. This one comes with a black PVD-coated stainless steel case, a black dial with orange details and a black rubber strap instead of the stainless steel bracelet the other models get. All pieces have 200m of water resistance.
On the dial side, all pieces get SuperLumiNova treatment for their hands and markers to make them legible, as well as lume for the pip on the bezel at 12 O’clock. It’s interesting that Mido decided not to use overly large markers to make these pieces look bigger than they are. It’s a clever trick that certain other brands employ to good effect. Smaller markers, to me, signal a more restrained, perhaps we could even say vintage-inspired, look.
Inside all of these models is the self-winding calibre 72, which started out life as the ETA calibre A31.111 which, according to my source on these matters, can be traced back to the ETA 2892-A2 that’s also used by Sinn, Bell & Ross, TAG Heuer and many more. In the Mido, the calibre 72 has a 72-hour power reserve and a 3.5Hz beat rate and is obscured behind a closed caseback featuring their iconic starfish emblem.
Overall, these watches offer good value for money in terms of specs, their appearance is also pleasing, and their sizing seems to be just right. I can’t go further than that as I’ve not seen them in person, but I think these would be a solid piece in anyone’s collection. The three steel bracelet models are priced at $1,100, most likely before sales tax, and the all-black version will cost you $1,170, again, probably before sales tax.
