BY HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN
Mido’s Commander is a breath of fresh air amongst the diving watches the brand is traditionally known for. Coming in with a classy dress appearance, the Commander has the hallmarks of a more upmarket Mido. It seems a little like a TAG Heuer Carrera in its appearance, but it is nonetheless a clean-looking watch. This new special edition guise goes one step further than the regular Commander.
Firstly, this is not a solid gold watch, but a stainless steel one that has been PVD coated in rose gold. That means it’s a lot more affordable than a solid gold piece while still having most of the attraction. Measuring at 42.5mm and with 50m of water resistance, it’s clear this is a thoroughly modern watch in its design. There isn’t much of the case to see when looking at the front of the watch. The lugs are minimal, and so too is the bezel, making room for a larger and clearer dial.
Speaking of the dial, it’s easy to read thanks to the laid-back design. There aren’t any applied numerals, just stick markers to complement the stick hands. The hands and markers have SuperLumiNova applied as well, to ensure some low light practicality. The rose gold of the markers and hands matches the case and pairs well with the gradient grey-coloured dial. A 6-9-12 12-hour chronograph layout makes room for the day-date windows that appear below the Mido logo and add an extra level of complexity. The applied window surrounding the day-date complication also adds some sophistication to the view.
Powering this is an ETA-based Calibre 60. The A05.H21 base calibre has a diameter of 30mm, power reserve of 60 hours and beat rate of 4Hz. These are more or less the standard specs these days, but I note the long power reserve, which is fairly uncommon for ETA-based calibres which tend to max out at 42 hours. The movement is fairly decorated and visible through the caseback.
With a dark brown patterned leather strap and an additional grey textile strap, this watch is listed at €2,030. Despite being a special edition, it’s not limited in production. I can’t imagine it will be around forever.
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