The 2017 version of the Mido Baroncelli Heritage is even closer to the idea of an entry-level dress watch than last year’s piece. The 39 mm polished 316L steel case is very slim at just under 7 mm, and the white grained dial has minimalist baton hour markers and a discreet date window at 3 o’clock. The strap is in calf leather with a crocodile print pattern, and has a steel buckle.

Black tie elegance

The overall impression is of a classical watch, something that works well with whatever your dress code, from smart casual to black tie. Some would say that a dress watch shouldn’t have a date window but I’m sure people will be prepared to compromise on this. Water resistance is the standard 30 metres, 3 bar.

Automatic movement

The Baroncelli Heritage has a display caseback in sapphire crystal, revealing the Mido 1192 movement. This is made by ETA as the 2892-A2, 3.6 mm thick, adjusted to four positions, with blued screws, perlage, and circular Côtes de Genève on the oscillating weight. The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, 4 Hertz, and has a power reserve of 42 hours. The series number is engraved on the caseback.

Price and reference

It’s the slimness of the watch that represents its unique selling point. Below 7 mm is excellent, on a par with many so-called ultra thin, far more expensive, watches by other brands. As for the name, Baroncelli, I haven’t yet found out from where it comes, but the overall impression is that it was simply invented to sound like something Italian. This Mido Baroncelli Heritage costs €940. Available from April 2017.