Just When I Thought I'd Seen It All From Mido...

So I am, more often than I care to admit, conflicted by my watch collection. I don't own anything to rival many of my colleagues in the Fourth and Fifth Estate, and I take some personal pride in that. The quality of a watch, and therefore one's watch collection, shouldn't be solely dictated on the retail price tag.

I don't go full "shock value" in terms of aesthetics, but I get bored pretty quickly by the "codes" insisted upon by many. How many black and blue dialed diver and chronographs can one person own? Don't answer that one ; )

One particular avenue that I keep going back and forth on is the Mido Commander. Most specifically the sub grouping referred to as the Mido Commander 1959. I finally bought a brand new one in Zurich back in 2021. I have worn it semi-sparingly, and keep toying with the idea of buying another. As I was making my semi-annual perusal of the collection on Mido's website, I came across this -

Courtesy of Mido

Mido describes the dial this way:
Printed "Pixel" pattern garnished in Super-LumiNova®

And I have to say, gentle reader, I am now officially a little obsessed. The Commander, for many, is far from an obvious choice. That is part of its attraction for me. Pretty much all of the Commander 1959 family is static - stainless or gold PVD with one wild-card in (I believe) black PVD. And that's okay. But just as Ralph Lauren shook up fashion with pairing seemingly unlikely themes such as formal and western, this Mido Commander has taken a classic (and sometimes dated feeling) design and pumped some much needed some mojo into it.

Courtesy of Mido

Now I fully get that this might not be everyone's jam, and that's okay (meaning there will hopefully be one available after I conduct negotiations with my piggy bank). In the end, unless we are talking about watches purchased to stick in a safe never to be seen until an estate sale once the owner has slipped off their mortal coil, a watch should solely speak to the wearer. We spend far too much of our lives trying to please and impress others, when we might be happier if we also considered (at least in terms of what we wear on our wrists) what pleases us.

So, if you are an unwitting member of the Henki Tribe and find yourself also pulled to this version of Mido's Commander 1959, here are some pertinents -

The case is of stainless steel, and I believe still utilizing the monocoque design and construction, less the much vaunted (and missed) Aquadura cork seal for the crown. It measures 37 mm in diameter. The bracelet is Milanese mesh. The movement is listed by Mido as Mido Automatic ETA. No day or date for this version of the Commander 1959 which I presume is owning to limitations of the dial's materials.

Priced fairly at $740.00

Mido fans here in the lower 48 are aware of the challenges of finding a Mido retailer, let alone one with this unique piece, but it might be worth the search!

MIDO ON MONDAY - The Commander, The Watch Of The Future

While MIDO has several watch families, one of the most deceptively innovative is the Commander.

Courtesy of Mido

Now at first blush, the Commander looks like a pretty basic watch.  There are a few design touches that are definitely "of a time".  Chief among these being the Milanese bracelet that seemingly disappears into the case itself.

Courtesy of Mido

It is quite a clever design, born years ago, but still quite effective.  

But the real genius of the Commander is, in fact, pretty basic.  The case.  The case is a monocoque construction.  Simply put?  To service the watch, you go through the front, because without the aid of a diamond tipped can opener, you are not going through the back ; )

Another quirky bit of MIDO esoterica was their use of what was known as the "Aquadura" system.

Courtesy of Mido

Essentially, a cork sealing system.  Now it's important to understand that this was not unique to the Commander, but that little extra "what's it" made the Commander perhaps one of the most impregnable, durable and dependable mechanical watches of its time.  Now granted, a lot of watch makers couldn't get their heads around the notion that you didn't go in through the back, and my father's MIDO bore the scars of such uninformed work.  But in so many ways, this was THE ULTIMATE watch.  Durable, good looking, and reliable.

I have a few feelers out to lay hands to some vintage versions, and am reaching out to MIDO to see if a review of the modern version might be possible, so stay tuned.

When You're Tired of the Noise

It is sometimes reassuring to look at a classic -

Courtesy of Mido

Mido may be doing some goofy things with their partnerships, but first love can be tough to shake.  This one probably doesn't get as much airtime as it deserves and that is really a shame.

I really, really love this model!  Thank goodness they still make it.

37 mm stainless steel monocoque case, probably not Aquadura any longer but warranted to be water resistant to 3 bars (30 meters/approximately 300 feet).  

Hours, minutes, seconds, day and date.  COSC certified chronometer.  

Simple, beautiful, classic - I want one!

Ode to the Mido Multi Star

In my time at DOXA, we coined a phrase - "DOXesequa".  For those fellow language teachers out there, yes, borrowed heavily from the French - Je ne sais quois.  A certain something that the DOXA SUB had. It was a little something special that made it unique.  


This Mido Multi Star stirs the same feelings for me.  My father left me his gold-fill ocean star, and this I picked up from a nice person in Canada.  There is something about it that speaks to me.  This watch is larger than most Midos of its generation.  Yet is still has, for me at least, that Midesequa.   


With all of the new models that Mido has come out with lately, I am glad to see that they are moving forward and expanding their presence in the US.  I also have to say that more than anything else, I miss the old logo.  I know, silly and sentimental and I don't even work for them so I should probably just shut up and get over it!  Things have to change, that is inevitable.  At least I have this "physical memory".