Mido’s Multifort 8 One Crown is Back in Black PVD

Founded in Switzerland in 1918 by George Schaeren, Mido is currently positioned as an entry-to-mid-level Swatch Group brand, prized for offering exceptional value and robust build quality. Placing more emphasis on bolder design, Mido has sparked interest for its accomplished remakes of golden oldies like the Multifort TV Big Date and the Decompression Timer and even ventured further afield in 2025 with the introduction of the Multifort 8 Two Crowns, a compact take on the integrated sports watch with an octagonal bezel, an integrated bracelet, two crowns and a strong 1970s vibe. A year after its launch, Mido released the Multifort 8 One Crown with just one crown, resulting in a more streamlined and versatile reference. For summer 2026, Mido proposes a powerful, sleek all-black version of the Multifort 8 One Crown retailing for just over EUR 1,000.

Any Mido watch belonging to the Multifort family is the living ancestor of Mido’s 1934 mission to combine four specific strengths into a single case to produce a modern tool watch. Automatic Multifort watches were built to be watertight as well as resistant to magnetic fields and shocks. Compared to the current references in the lineup, ranging from handsome two-tone models to classic blue and black dials, the latest angular geometry of the Multifort 8 One Crown is sheathed in a monochromatic black suit, imparting a darker, more urban and technical vibe.

Sitting next to the Multifort 8 Two Crown  in the collection, the more recent One Crown reference sacrifices the second crown operating the internal rotating bezel. A simpler-looking watch with fewer dial elements, the One Crown lives up to its integrated sports watch appellation with a tonneau-shaped case surmounted by an octagonal bezel (front and back), a textured dial and an integrated bracelet with a handy quick-release system.

Although it looks smaller thanks to its dark black PVD-coated steel surfaces, the watch shares identical specifications to earlier Multifort 8 One Crown models: 40mm diameter x 9.9mm thickness, a lug-to-lug span of 44.86mm and a depth rating of 100 metres, reinforced by the octagonal polished screw-down crown. To highlight its angular geometry, the case alternates brushed and polished finishes, a feature you can appreciate on the top surfaces of the tonneau-shaped case and its polished flanks as well as on the bezel with its rounded polished sloping areas and satin-brushed upper surfaces.

Unlike the Two Crown, the One Crown replaces the wide sloping countdown bezel with a slim minutes track, resulting in a more open dial. Decorated with the signature horizontal lines that distinguish the family, the matte black grooves host the applied and polished hour markers with wide channels filled with Super-LumiNova. The hour and minute hands, with blunt tips, are also filled with SLN, but the flat central seconds hand is diamond-polished. Located at 3 o’clock, the date window has a white background and black numerals.

As we have seen, the strict black monochromatic theme is enlivened with different finishings and textures, such as the integrated black rubber strap with its horizontal lines traversing the centre, echoing those found on the dial.

The watch is powered by calibre 80, also known as the Powermatic 80. This automatic movement, an evolution of the emblematic ETA 2824, runs at 21,600vph and delivers an 80-hour power reserve. The Nivachron balance spring enhances resistance to shocks and magnetism, in line with the Multifort’s positioning as a dependable daily watch. The Mido Multifort 8 One Crown retails for EUR 1,100 or CHF 920. More information at midowatches.com