Going big with the Mido Baroncelli Big Date

As we saw in my last writeup of the Mido Baroncelli line (right here) I quickly became of a fan of the classic styling. I’ve also quickly become a fan of ways that make date displays easier to read, either via a cyclops (my favorite has it mounted under the main crystal, right in the date window), or, in a slightly different direction, getting a bigger set of date wheels (one for each digit). That, of course, is what we have with the Mido Baroncelli Big Date.

In many ways, the Mido Baroncelli Big Date is quite similar to the Mido Baroncelli III. We have the same case and handset, which brings those similarities to the fore. The dial has some differences to it (most notably the applied indices, and that big-date aperture. While this may not be quite as slick as what I’ve seen with the Glashutte Original big-date displays (there, there is barely any seam between the numerals), but the Mido does things in tidy way.

The big date display is down at the 6 o’clock position, of course, with a small bit of the dial acting like a window frame to outline and separate the two digits. This is made possible by the Mido Caliber 80 movement (which is an ETA C07.651 base), another change up from the Mido Baroncelli III. By and large, for the potential buyer of the watch, it comes down to what style of dial (and date complication), you prefer.

You see, the pricing for these Baroncelli lines that we’ve reviewed is fairly consistent. For the Mido Baroncelli Big Date, the variant on the leather strap comes in at $1,000 (just $10 more than the Baroncelli III), while the version with the bracelet only adds another $80 to the pricetag (and, as always, I recommend the bracelet if you can swing it), whether you choose the white, gray, or two-tone dials. Or, if you like, you can try to win yourself one. How, you ask? Well, get your photos of an important moment (say, a graduation, wedding, birth, so on) on Facebook or Instagram, and tag the picture with #MyMidoBigDate. Once a week, Mido will select a winner (through September 2018). At that point, then, the price becomes the best it can get – free. midowatches.com

Watch Overview

Brand & Model: Mido Baroncelli Big Date

Price: $1,000 (leather strap) / $1,080 (bracelet)
Who we think it might be for: You like the looks of the Baroncelli line, but have a hankering for that big date look
Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen? Probably not – I actually prefer the dial style of the Baroncelli III Automatic

If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Color-match the date wheels on the darker grey dial
What spoke to me the most about this watch: The main attraction – the big date complication

Tech Specs from Mido

Movement
- Mido Caliber 80 Automatic Movement (ETA C07.651 base), 111?2’’’, Ø29.40 mm, height: 5.77 mm, 25 jewels, 21,600 vph, ELINFLEX mainspring, ELINCHRON II balance-spring.
- Finely decorated Elaboré-grade movement, oscillating weight decorated with Geneva stripes and Mido logo.
- HMS and instant large aperture date functions.
- Adjusted on 3 different positions for high accuracy. Up to 80 hours of power reserve.
Case
- M027.426.22.018.00: two-tone, 316L polished stainless steel, rose gold PVD-treated bezel and crown.
- M027.426.36.018.00: 316L polished stainless steel with rose gold PVD treatment.
- Ø40 mm, 3 parts, domed sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective treatment on both sides, elaborate and finely decorated movement visible through the transparent case back with sapphire crystal, engraved serial number, water-resistant to a pressure of 3 bar (30 m / 100 ft).
Bracelet
- M027.426.22.018.00: polished two-tone, 316L stainless steel and stainless steel with rose gold PVD treatment, stainless steel folding clasp.
- M027.426.36.018.00: genuine black crocodile leather, rolled edge, stainless steel folding clasp.
Dial: White grained, polished applied indexes, large two-level date aperture, situated at six o’clock.