The Swiss have been highly regarded as the pinnacle of the watch industry with a rich history of producing watches of the highest quality standards. At the top of the food chain for luxury mechanical watches, it comes as no surprise that haute horlogerie watches command astronomical prices. However, not every Swiss timepiece has to break the bank. In particular, historic Swiss watch manufacturer Mido prides themselves to produce exceptional Swiss-made watches at a surprisingly affordable price point.
| Mido Ocean Star Tribute 2-Tone Ref. M026.830.21.051.00 |
For over more than 100 years, Mido has stood for watches that combined innovation, aesthetics and functionality since its beginnings. Founded by experienced watchmaker Georges Schaeren in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland back in 1918, the name “Mido” was derived from the Spanish phrase “Yo Mido”, meaning “I measure”. Today, Mido is based in the town of Le Locle, in the heart of the beautiful Swiss Jura Mountains. With the rise of scuba diving, Mido has invented numerous cutting-edge technological innovations such as the revolutionary single-shell case and their pioneering cork-crown “Aquadura” Crown Sealing system that became the foundation for their modern day dive watches.
As a sturdy diver, the Ocean Star Tribute 2-Tone Ref. M026.830.21.051.00 bears a solidly-built 316L stainless steel case construction, boasting superb durability and corrosion resistance that will stand the test of time. Naturally, dimensions play an essential role to find the right fit for the wrist of the modern gentleman. Mido hits the dimensions right out of the park with a case diameter of 40.5mm, a lug to lug distance of 51mm, a tasteful size that many will definitely enjoy. Together with its sleek case profile of 13.4mm, this is a proportionate piece that exhibits timeless elegance with just the right amount of wrist presence.
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| Tribute to its 60s Diver Scuba |
This time, the old-school approach Mido took on the bezel sure is attractive, a simple yet classy bezel that certainly pleases traditionalist watch lovers that yearn for a nice vintage charm. Housing a gold-tone 120-click unidirectional rotating bezel for a pleasing contrast against the stainless steel case, the deep black aluminium insert features a sharply defined gold-tone diving scale with a prominent luminous pearl at the 12 o’clock position. The bezel action feels smooth like butter while clicking confidently in place.
| Caliber 80 based on the ETA C07.621 |
Above that, the dial is protected with a piece of scratch-resistant “glass box” highly-domed sapphire crystal with double sided anti-reflective coating, creating a truly vintage appeal reminiscent of retro acrylic crystals used back in the day.
| SuperLuminova for Superb Glow In Dark |
At the core of the Ocean Star Tribute 2-Tone Ref. M026.830.21.051.00 lies the Mido Caliber 80 automatic movement, a modified 25 jewel ETA C07.621 day/date movement. The movement's main highlights include the boosted 80-hour power reserve achieved by lowering the 4 Hz beat rate of 28,800 beats per hour to 3 Hz (21,600 beats per hour). The lowered beat rate also translates to a more robust movement due to the lesser friction produced between the parts over time. With the screw-in case back and a screw down crown at the 3 o’clock position, this piece is equipped with a capable water resistance of 200m (660 ft), ready for some underwater adventures.
Mido has grown leaps and bounds over the past century, upholding their spirit of producing reliable Swiss timepieces while giving their watches a facelift to match the needs of the 21st century. Ocean Star Tribute 2-Tone Ref. M026.830.21.051.00 exhibits outstanding price-performance ratio with a retro design and an attractive highly-domed sapphire crystal. Overall, the right mix of great proportions, a dependable Swiss automatic movement and Mido’s watchmaking expertise of over 100 years has proven to be a compelling formula for a watch worthy to be named a diving masterpiece.
