Back at the end of 2018, we brought you word of the new Mido Multifort Chronometer which was the first time the Multifort lineup got to bring the Caliber 80 Si movement in. Well, some time has gone by, and now it?s time to dress up the Mido Multifort Chronometer in some new duds.
Now, I?m not going to lie to you – this Mido Multifort Chronometer is very much the same watch that we saw back in 2018, with a blue dial. That said, there?s nothing wrong with this being the same watch. Continuity of manufacturing increases the chances of you getting a quality watch (it?s the same reason you really don?t want to buy a car the first year of production – they?re still figuring out how to make it), and a consistent design means that the brand believes in what they?re putting out.
In this case, it?s a sportier 42mm three-hander with a matched bracelet, all housing a COSC-grade movement with an 80 hour power reserve. Now, if you?re not familiar with those terms, let?s break it down a bit. COSC stands for Contr?le Officiel Suisse des Chronom?tres – aka the place in Switzerland where brands can send movements for testing. While there, each movement is tested and certified for it?s accuracy. For mechanical movements, that?s done across 15 days and in multiple positions, coming up with the average accuracy. Only those passing the stringent regulations are denoted as chronometer-grade, and are serialized (for more on this, check out the Wikipedia article).
Now, about the 80 hour power reserve. That means that the Mido Multifort Chronometer can be taken off of your wrist and keep running for over three days. This sounds like a little thing, but it?s massive. Most watches can get you to around the 40-hour mark. With this 80=hour reserve, you can take the watch off on Friday, pick it up on Monday, and you?re off to the races without winding or resetting (because, you know, it?s accurate as all get out).
So, on the movement front, yeah, the Mido Multifort Chronometer has you more than covered. While Geneva stripes on the dial may not be everyone?s cup of tea, I find myself a very big fan of the treatment. It?s a unique look that is generally reserved for movement finishing, and to have it large and in charge on the dial is just plain fun. Wrap in that it?s in this new blue hue (my favorite color) and yeah, I?m a fan.
So, if you?re like me, this new Mido Multifort Chronometer is very much of interest. Coming at $1,290 it?s an affordable entry into putting a Swiss watch onto your wrist that is long-running and accurate. The fact that it?s paired onto a bracelet right out the gate, that?s just gravy – this is a watch you can wear all day, every day, and it?ll be right there keeping up with you. midowatches.com
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Mido Multifort Chronometer
- Price: $1,290
- Who we think it might be for: You like a clean three-hander, you dig Geneva strips, and you?re nuts about accurate movements
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I?ve seen? I like those stripes, and with a blue dial on a bracelet? Color me intrigued.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: The positioning of the day/date still feels too in-board on the dial to me. I appreciate that it?s not chopping off an indice, but I think a non-standard layout may be merited to mitigate things.
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: Dial finishing, hue, and COSC.
Tech Specs from Mido
- Reference: M038.431.11.041.00
- Movement:
- Automatic Mido Caliber 80 Si (ETA C07.821 base), COSC-certified chronometer, 11????, ?25.60 mm, height: 5.22 mm, 25 jewels, 21,600 vph, silicon balance-spring, decorative disc with transferred ?Si? logo on the balance bridge.
- Finely decorated chronometer movement with blued screws, oscillating weight decorated with Geneva stripes and the Mido logo.
- Functions: HMSD+Day. Adjusted on 5 different positions for high accuracy.
- Up to 80 hours of power reserve.
- Case: Stainless steel, polished on the bezel and horns, satin-finished on the sides, ?42 mm, 3 pieces, domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, screwed case back and crown, finely decorated chronometer movement visible through the transparent case back, water-resistant up to a pressure of 10 bar (100m/330ft).
- Bracelet: Bracelet and folding clasp in satin-finished stainless steel.
Dial: Blue, Geneva stripes finish, satin-finished and polished applied indexes with white Super-LumiNova?, day and date at 3 o?clock. - Hands: Triple-faceted hour and minute hands: diamond-cut and satin-finished in the centre, coated with white Super-LumiNova?, diamond-cut seconds hand, diamond-cut seconds counter.
