Mido On Monday - Commander Shade Gold PVD

According to pretty much every other watch media outlet, Oris has a new watch. So I thought I'd go a different direction.

Time for true confessions.  Although I have obsessed over the Mido Commander, I have never owned one.  Ironic, because in truth they are not all that expensive, relatively speaking anyway.  

Courtesy of Mido

Just for whatever reason, it's never worked out.  And not every one of the Commander turns my crank.  For me, it has to have the original script logo and legend "Commander" on the dial.

Courtesy of Mido

It also has to have a solid case back.  A display back is absolutely contrary, dare I say - anathema to the whole Commander vibe.

Courtes of Mido

Now I realize the Mido Commander is not everyone's baby, and I get that.  But it still speaks to me.

Here are the pertinents -

CASE

• Material:

   

  Stainless steel with rose gold PVD coating
• Diameter:

   

  37.00 mm
• Between lugs:

   

  20.00 mm
• Water-resistance:

   

  5 bar (50 m / 165 ft)
• Crystal:

   

  Acrylic glass
• Case height:

   

  10.45 mm

MOVEMENT

• Movement type:

   

  Automatic
• Automatic ETA 2836-2

  • Date

DIAL

• Dial colour:

   

  Silver
• Hour Markers:

   

  Applied indexes

BRACELET

• Milanese mesh in stainless steel with rose gold PVD coating

July 9

Another bit of Henki lore.  While the automatic Rado was my first automatic watch purchase, my first automatic watch was the Mido that my father was given the day before I was born - July 9th.  As we are on the same day, I had a quick browse through the current collection, and if I were picking?  I'd pick this one -

Courtesy of Mido

This is the Mido Commander 1959, Chronometer Version.  As mentioned before, I was a lifelong fan but a series of frustrating exchanges with the head of their North American offices made a lifelong passion fade into a disappointing memory.

But as tomorrow is my day, and a day I usually look back on these things, if I were looking to reignite that Mido passion, this would be the one I'd pick.

Here are the pertinents, per Mido -

CASE
Material:
Stainless steel
Diameter:
37.00 mm
Between lugs:
5.90 mm
Water-resistance:
5 bar (50 m / 165 ft)
Crystal:
Hesalit crystal
Case height:
10.45 mm

MOVEMENT
Movement type:
Automatic
Automatic ETA 2836-2 COSC
Chronometer COSC
Date

DIAL
Dial colour:
Silver
Hour Markers:
Applied indexes

BRACELET
Milanese mesh in stainless steel

Something Different from Fortis

This is not a new release.  But owing to the less than terrific distribution of Fortis here in North America?  It might as well be for those of us living here.

Courtesy of Fortis

This is the Rolf Sachs 2.4 ml LE.  And if you read the outlets on the other side of the ocean, chances are good that this is not jumping out at you as a new release.  And for those who are seeking a more in-depth breakdown, I encourage you to check out Robin Nooy's piece over at Monochrome.  As always it is well-written and very informative.  You can find it here -
Substance matters - Fortis Rolf Sachs 2.4ml Limited Edition

Courtesy of Fortis

I, however, am going to strict strictly from an emotional perspective.  This watch sends me.  It hits me on a very visceral level and takes me back to the settimana junior that ochs und junior put out way back when that first caught my attention back in 2010.

Courtesy of ochs und junior

Now it's not just because they are both round and have orange accents.  For me it is where serious mechanical watch making meets up with whimsy. 

In a world where every manjack with an internet connection and smart phone adamantly follow the rest of the lemmings with a black faced diver or flieger, there are still some interesting things out there to be discovered (or in this case?  Rediscovered) for those willing to listen to their own drummer.  

Life is too short to follow the crowd ; )

Here are the pertinents -

Movement
Swiss automatic movement Eta 2836-2 / 38 h power reserve / 25 jewels

Case
40 mm Ø stainless steel, special amberized glass, water resistant to 3 ATM/BAR

Function
Hour, minute, central second

Dial
white dial, numerals, indeces & logos amberized into the glass 

Hands
Hour- and minute hand metal-style, second hand neon yellow

Packaging
Special packaging

Strap options
Orange Rubber Strap

 

Reassurance from Tissot

I think it is sometimes to easy to look at the here and now and pass a quick judgement.  If we were to look solely at the PR and limited/special editions that Tissot is churning out these days, it would perhaps be too easy for us to lose sight of the fact that Tissot does make some very attractive, very classic watches.

Courtesy of Tissot

This is the Visodate, 40 mm of rose gold goodness.  Day, date, classic.
Inside ETA's Automatic 2836-2 keeps the rhythm.

Thank you Tissot for continuing to offer watches like this.

C9 Harrison Big Day-Date

This just in from Christopher Ward -

Courtesy of Christopher Ward

IT’S A BIG DAY FOR CHRISTOPHER WARD WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE C9 HARRISON BIG DAY-DATE!