Mido - History, Models and Owners' Reviews

I have had this watch for a few days. I fell for the model with the smoky gray dial and its orange rubber strap. On the wrist, this watch is very comfortable, the strap is a little thick but it lends itself well to it. The indexes, hands and dial make the time easily readable. Looking at the dial closely, we can see that it is slightly striated. On this dial color, with the striates, it is even more reminiscent of old cathode ray tube TVs. This is my first watch with a large date complication. I like to watch the date change with the discs that we see turning, however I read that there had been returns to the after-sales service for a manufacturing problem. Mine does not seem to be affected because the date changes quickly unlike the watches affected by the problem. It also seems that you will have to be vigilant and careful with the date setting, avoiding the famous "death zone" (set the date with the hands down). The movement is visible because the case back is fitted with a sapphire crystal. Only the oscillating weight is decorated, rather pretty, but the rest of the movement remains rather sober. On the other hand, it offers a nice power reserve of 80 hours and on mine, it is rather precise with a very low drift. For me it is a very good point. In general, I find that this watch exudes quality. The finishes are beautiful with a design that I find well thought out.

I was looking for a beautiful all-purpose diver's watch that I could wear every day. So I went to a boutique in Paris known for its large selection and, after trying several, set my sights on this superb Ocean Star 600. Its magnificent, slightly sunray blue dial and its ceramic bezel complementing this dial in a very harmonious way seduced me right away, the COSC certification drove the point home, and hey presto, I kept it on my wrist! It is still imposing but ultimately fits very well on my 17 cm wrist which, thanks to a perfect finish of the case and an excellent quality bracelet with its mirror-polished links in the center, gives it an elegant look while remaining sporty. Concerning the precision, it is amazing, the drift is almost non-existent. The extreme water resistance of 60 ATM was not essential for me, 20 ATM would have been enough, the helium valve is useless for me, but the beauty likes to show her muscles and ultimately it is rather reassuring to know that she is not going to drown during a few serious swimming sessions. I did not find any negative point to this watch that I wear regularly.

This MIDO is part of a revival of "sport chic" watches with integrated steel bracelets that revive a style known mainly by a few very high-end references: Nautilus, Aquanuat, Royal Oak, engineer, ... Mido claims however to have included in its catalog such models with cushion shapes in the 70s, according to the design fashionable at the time. To return to this multifort (the name of the "toolwatch" range at Mido), if it irremediably brings to mind a Nautilus, it has its own personality, starting with the large date which takes the place normally dedicated to the 12 o'clock index. An original positioning but which does not pose any difficulty (apart from the 12th of the month, no ambiguity to be expected), especially compared to the practical side of this complication, and to the fact that it is still more noble than a simple date disc. The dial has an original pattern with a very aesthetic gradient from the center to the edges. The case offers a very balanced alternation of brushed and polished, with of course the essential brushed bezel, brushed very finely. The only small criticism that can be made concerns the height of the bezel, which counts for a lot for the thickness of the watch which otherwise easily matches the shape of the case. The movement is the well-known powermatic of the swatch group with its 3hz and its 80 hours of very practical power reserve. The precision is quite satisfactory. The bracelet, in steel, and the folding clasp are very qualitative, especially for the requested budget. And this is the most astonishing point of the watch: its quality/pleasure/price ratio quite astonishing in view of its overall quality and the complication proposed. There is no doubt that it will introduce Mido to new enthusiasts, which was my case, this Swiss brand of the Swatch Group being clearly better known today in Asia than in Europe.