This new model by Mido is based on a 1940 piece, but its most unusual characteristic is the new Calibre 80 self-winding movement, based on the ETA C07.621, that provides 80 hours power reserve, over three days. The movement also has COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) certification that attests to its precision. Like all Multifort models, the watch’s shape was originally inspired by Harbour Bridge in Sydney (see their campaign image at the bottom of this post), and the vertical Côtes de Genève on the dial recalls the suspension cables. The watch provides day and date functions in the two windows at 3 o’clock.
The steel case is 42 mm in diameter, and it has a pink gold PVD finish. It has a caseback with a transparent display window revealing details of the movement, including an oscillating weight has Côtes de Genève decoration and the Mido logo, and blued steel screws. Water resistance is 100 metres. The watch has a brown leather strap with déployant clasp in pink PVD-finish steel.
The movement
The ETA C07.621 movement is one of the new family of movements by Swatch Group, and it is a distant relative of the ETA 2824-2. Similar movements can be found in other Swatch Group brand watches such as Certina, Tissot and Hamilton. The changes that have been made to double the power reserve seem to be a reduction in frequency from 28,800 vph to 21,600 vph (3 Hertz), a reduction in the barrel pinion diameter in order to increase the size of the Nivaflex NM mainspring, and high-tech materials used for the escapement in order to decrease friction. The balance regulation system has also changed: there is no longer the conventional regulator index, and instead of acting on the balance spring (now called the Elinchron II balance spring), the system seems to be based on adjusting the geometry of the balance wheel (inertial regulation). This is performed by laser in the factory. It is possible that something of the engineering developed for the Sistem 51 has been transferred to this series of movements – hopefully not the plastic escape wheel and pallet fork that features in Sistem 51!
The watch is available in three other variants.
Reference and price
The Mido Multifort Chronometer Calibre 80 is reference M005.431.36.031.00, price €1,010.
