The Mido Commander collection has stood the test of time for more than six decades. Taking inspiration from architecture, it stands out for its inimitable silhouette of the Eiffel Tower with the round satin-finished shape case imitating the arches and the polished hand-applied indexes and hands echoing the tower’s wrought-iron lattice.
Exhibiting admirable contrast, the see-through dial with gradated smoky effect on the Commander Gradient draws the eyes to the Calibre 80 within the black PVD-treated steel bezel and case accompanied by an attractive black fabric strap with orange topstitching. The meticulously engineered mechanism can also be viewed from the back through the exhibition case-back. In order to enhance legibility, the hour indexes and the diamond-cut hour and minute hands filled with orange Super-LumiNova, the seconds hand in the brand’s emblematic hue and the white date aperture at 3 o’clock are set beneath a faceted and domed sapphire crystal. With water-resistance of up to 50 metres and a rare power reserve of up to 80 hours, the watch embraces, and is ever-ready for the unexpected. There are three other versions of the Commander Gradient: in steel or black PVD with a metal bracelet, or in steel and rose-gold-coloured PVD on a leather strap.
As for the Ocean Star, in 1944, Mido created the collection with the concept of reliability even in the wildest of condition in mind (think: a lighthouse). The Ocean Star GMT is a no-nonsense watch equipped with highly practical GMT function. The hands are distinguished according to their function so to improve legibility. Besides the hour, minute and seconds hands, the additional blue varnished 24-hour hand points to the hour-circle on the flange of the velvety black dial to indicate the time in a second-time zone, as well as a date window at 3 o’clock. The effective display shows the daytime hours against a blue background, and the night-time hours against a black background. The hands and indexes are filled with white Super- LumiNova to ensure time tracking is possible even in low-light situations.
Tough and dependable, the fluting on the unidirectional rotating bezel is easy to operate, while the blue ceramic is resistant to scratches and wear. The stainless steel case boasts subtly contrasting polished and satin-finished surfaces. Offering 200 metres water-resistance and incorporating a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides and a good-looking blue fabric strap, the watch is as fitting to wear to work as it is on an adrenaline-fuelled expedition. The Ocean Star GMT also comes in a version with a steel bracelet and orange-coloured GMT indications, and in a two-tone steel and rose gold-coloured PVD version.
Check out the Mido Commander Gradient and Ocean Star GMT here. This story first appeared in the December/January 2021 issue of Men’s Folio Malaysia.
