As we’re well aware, this last year has seen a surge in the number of remote meetings that we’ve all had to attend. One side benefit for us watch writers is that many new product presentations have also gone to virtual meetings, giving us easier access to these launches (rather than necessarily needing to travel to, say, Switzerland). Recently, we got to see some interesting products coming from Mido, and we’ll cover the first one today: the Mido Ocean Star 200C.
Mido is a brand that tends to fly under the radar, which is a shame, as they’ve got a lot of really nice-looking pieces that come in at quite reasonable prices (my current favorite, of course, would be the Mido Ocean Star GMT). The Ocean Star line is a solid sportswatch lineup that can cover a lot of bases, and I was impressed with what I saw in the Mido Ocean Star Diver 600. Not everyone needs a 600m watch (or the bulk that comes with it) – so why not a more manageable 200m?
That’s short-changing what the Mido Ocean Star 200C has to offer, a bit. It’s more than just a slimmer case. For one, we’ve got a brand new dial (take a close look at the pattern, sort of a geometric interpretation of waves) as well as a new color for the Ocean Star line, green. I asked about that, and along with it being a popular color to introduce these days, putting a new hue in the mix is something that Mido likes to do when a new model comes into the mix.
Along with all of that, take note of the letter at the end of the Mido Ocean Star 200C – that’s indicating that we’ve got a ceramic bezel here. That does bring a bit of a sheen to things, and that complements the polished and brushed finishes on the case, allowing the watch to definitely work into a dressier scenario. However you’re wearing it, I think the dial is going to be an eye catcher. And, from what we saw on the presentation, the AR coating on the sapphire crystal is top-notch, so you’ll be able to admire the dial quite well (and, you know, read the time).
Dial pattern aside, the Mido Ocean Star 200C has that very recognizeable handset, one that I like because it’s unique to the brand, as well as giving some heft to the hands without overwhelming things. They also are nicely proportioned to the triangle-and-pips indices that rise up off of the dial, which again makes them bold and visible. In other words, there should be no problems at all reading the time on this watch – or the day or date, for that matter.
While there’s no denying that I like myself a great GMT, there’s plenty to be said for “just” a three-hander to get you through your day. With the Mido Ocean Star 200C, you can even do it in a rather eye-catching manner. Of course, if green isn’t your thing, the Mido Ocean Star 200C will also be available in blue or grey dials. When it launches in May (not all that far away now), the watch will be available for $1,150 – and it can, of course, be pre-ordered now over at midowatches.com
Tech Specs from Mido
- Movement
- Automatic Mido Caliber 80 (ETA C07.621 base), 11½’’’, Ø25.60 mm, height: 5.22 mm, 25 jewels, 21,600 vph
- Finely decorated Elaboré-grade movement, oscillating weight decorated with Geneva stripes and the Mido logo.
- Functions: HMSD + day.
- Adjusted on 3 different positions for high accuracy.
- Up to 80 hours of power reserve.
- Case
- Satin-finished and polished stainless steel, Ø42.5 mm, 2 parts, unidirectional rotating bezel with green ceramic ring and 60-minute graduations, white Super-LumiNova® dot at 12 o’clock, sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective treatment on both sides, case back engraved with polished starfish in relief, engraved serial number, screwed case back and crown, water-resistant up to a pressure of up to 20 bar (200 m / 660 ft).
- Bracelet: Satin-finished stainless steel bracelet with polished central link and folding clasp with diving extension.
- Dial: Green with matt finish, “waves” decor in relief, individually applied indexes coated with white Super-LumiNova®, day and date at 3 o’clock.
- Hands: Diamond-cut hour and minute hands with central groove and white Super-LumiNova®, diamond-cut sweep-seconds hand with white Super-LumiNova®.
