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Posted 20 hours ago

Mido Automatic Diving Watch Ocean Star GMT Dark Blue M026.629.17.051.00

£64.5£129.00Clearance
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About this deal

The Mido uses rectangular indices all round, apart from double squares at 12 and 6, and a single square to accommodate the date at 3. Even the 12-marker on the bezel is a square, albeit with a round lume pip within. The hands are folded, with a brushed centre section and polished edges. The H and M hands have rectangular lume sections on the outer ends, and empty windows on the pinion end. Both the GMT and the seconds hand have blue arrow heads. The GMT theme, on the other hand, is extremely restrained. Not even a lettering can be found. Nevertheless, there is an orientation. All Mido-typical orange indices show the world time. The 24 hour ring of the GMT time is neatly imprinted on the rehaut. This is matched by the skeletonized GMT hand, which wanders along the ring and shows the 24-hour home time. So, among other things, the Mido Ocean Star GMT is a watch with a useful GMT function. However, first and foremost, the dial is made for the demands of divers. Stainless steel for any occasion This can also be felt on the wrist, where the diver’s watch sits very comfortably. A case diameter of 44 millimeters is a real mark, even for diving watches. Such a watch stands out; you should be aware of that. However, compared to the 44 millimeters in diameter, the Mido Ocean Star GMT measures just 13 millimeters in height. So, the watch sits quite flat on the wrist. The additional very dynamic design of the case sides give the diver a sporty look.

I like the little details touches when in motion too. The end of the hour hand just hovers over the inside edge of the date window as it passes 3. The minute hand tip reaches the inner edge minute indices. The ends of the second and GMT hands are at the outer edge of minute indices too. The widest part of the second hand’s lume passes perfectly over the inner edge of the hour indices. These are intentional and pleasing things to see. Despite the less-than-ideal realities, travel remains one of life’s great pleasures, and it’s hard to understate the romance of exploring somewhere new. Though your phone will likely connect almost anywhere in the world, nothing beats adjusting the jumping hour hand on a GMT mere moments after you feel the wheels touch down far away from home. Forget the roaming fees, the sim card codes, and the battery concerns – you don’t even need to stop the seconds hand on a proper travel watch. These elevate what could otherwise look a little utilitarian into something smarter and even perhaps dressier.And that’s why the introduction of the C07.661 is so interesting. While it’s unlikely that small brands will get a hold of this new caliber anytime soon, it seems to be almost a sure thing that other Swatch Group brands will have access to it. Imagine the possibilities of true GMTs from the likes of Hamilton, and Longines, and you start to see that the C07.661 could be a game changer for the enthusiasts who have made 2893-2 and SW330-1 watches so popular these last few years. By some reports, these movements are so widely used that they’ve become genuinely scarce (comparatively speaking), driving up the price of watches equipped with these calibers. In an “office” GMT, the first détente on the crown sets the GMT hand, usually in 1-hr increments. It moves independently of all the other hands.

And everyone else usually offers the office GMT from using the exact same movement, the ETA 2893-2. The latter? Everyone else. Well, everyone apart from a few Omegas, and their recent innovation, a non-GMT complication in the calibre 8500 movement family, which offers timezone-setting (1-hr increments) on 3-handed watches. Will this be the second watch from Mido which can inspire me? The Mido Ocean Star Chronograph was one of the big surprises for me at the beginning of this year. This was not only due to the interesting hybrid concept, consisting of diver and chronograph. Also the good workmanship, the excellent choice of materials and the moderate price made the timepiece a real top watch for me. So now it’s on to the GMT variant, a distant sister. While the Ocean Star GMT is a big watch at 44m, one aspect of it received a universal fanfare. That was the movement. A movement Swatch quietly developed and released years ago that could completely change the landscape of GMT watch offerings.

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I should say that Mido are not active in the UK market. They have no dealer network or even an agent over here. Nor will they sell direct to customers. I did ask Mido directly, but they refused.

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