The Mido Ocean Star 200C Carbon Limited Edition

If you’re in the market for a well-built, well-powered, well-designed, and well-priced dive watch, Mido is almost always a strong candidate. A pioneer in the production of watertight cases since the 1930s, Mido’s Ocean Star 200 collection is the brand’s 21^st-century dive watch, a rugged model designed for extreme sports on all terrains. Powering up the material and engine fronts, the latest Ocean Star 200C features a new carbon fibre case middle and dial, and its robust calibre 80 now comes with chronometer certification.

With the introduction of the brand’s Aquadura cork crown sealing system in 1930, Mido became a pioneer in the production of watertight cases. The Ocean Star family, with its starfish logo, was born in the early 1940s and evolved over the years to incorporate a single-shell (monocoque) case. Combined with the brand’s proprietary Aquadura cork crown-sealing mechanism, the water-resistance was guaranteed.

Today, the Ocean Star family is represented by a selection of contemporary divers, retro-inspired divers like the Decompression Timer and the Ocean Star Tribute, a GMT model, a beefy 600m water-resistant variant for professional divers and even a chronograph.

The Ocean Star 200C is a contemporary dive watch. The ‘200C’ in its name stands for its 200m water resistance and ceramic bezel. Marking a first for Mido, the Ocean Star 200C is now released in a carbon fibre. The signature matte black and grey mottled effect of carbon fibre can be appreciated on the case middle and dial. Combined with the sleek black ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel, the Ocean Star 200C exudes a high-tech appeal.

Sharing identical specifications to earlier models, the case has a diameter of 42.5mm and a thickness of 12.3mm, crown guards protect the screw-down crown, and the screwed black PVD stainless steel caseback (with the starfish logo in relief) ensures the water-resistance of the case. However, the new dark colour palette visually attenuates the size, and the carbon fibre decreases the weight of the watch. Compared to the 190 grams of the steel model, this carbon fibre model weighs just 122 grams and is slightly lighter than the titanium diver, which weighs 130 grams.

Legibility is exceptional thanks to the applied luminous dot on the ceramic bezel featured inside an inverted orange triangle, followed by a 15-minute orange count-up dive scale. The large, applied hour markers on the dial are also filled with white Super-LumiNova, as are the tips of the semi-skeletonised hour and minute hands and the lollipop tip of the central seconds hand.

Another characteristic of this carbon fibre model is the orange lacquered minutes hand matching the orange countdown scale on the bezel. The signature day/date window at 3 o’clock features a black background, allowing it to blend in with the carbon fibre dial. The sapphire crystal features a double-sided anti-reflective coating to increase contrast and legibility.

While the Ocean Star 600 models come with COSC certification, this is the first Ocean Star 200C with a chronometer-certified movement. Powered by Mido calibre 80 (Swatch Group’s Powermatic 80), this robust automatic movement delivers a beefy power reserve of 80 hours and has an anti-magnetic and shock-resistant silicon balance spring.

Availability & Price

The Mido Ocean Star 200C Carbon is a limited edition of 888 pieces. It comes with two interchangeable straps in the watch box: one in black rubber with a diver’s extension and a second one in black synthetic fabric with orange stitching. Retailing for CHF 2,050 / EUR 2,450 / USD 2,200, the Mido Ocean Star 200C delivers excellent value for the money.

For more information, please consult midowatches.com.