The New Mido Multifort Patrimony Chronograph

Mido is one of the brands owned by the Swatch Group that, together with Hamilton, Tissot or Rado, plays on the accessible luxury trend. Still, it has both a storied history and portfolio that shouldn’t be overlooked. A couple of years ago, the brand introduced a very appealing retro-styled 3-hander watch that pays tribute to the most famed collection of the brand, the Multifort. This Mido Multifort Patrimony and its pulsometer dial encountered quite some success and today, the brand is enlarging this collection with a vintage-inspired chronograph. And once again, this Mido Multifort Patrimony Chronograph is an interesting mix of retro look and modern mechanics.

Mido was founded in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland by George G. Schaeren in 1918. The brand’s Multifort line has been in production since 1934 and was the first Mido with an automatic movement. The watches were anti-magnetic, shock and water-resistant, offering a rare combination of robustness at an impressive price to quality ratio. Something that is somehow still true today. In addition to modernly-designed or sportier Multifort watches, the brand also offers some pretty cool-looking vintage-inspired watches, which is exactly what we’ll look at today with this new chronograph edition.

The Mido Multifort Patrimony Chronograph is an evocation of the past rather than a proper re-edition of an existing model – in the present case, the 1937 Multifort Multichrono. Somehow, the same recipe as the time-and-date Multifort Patrimony or the oddly appealing Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961. As such, it is housed in a contemporary case with a 42mm diameter, yet with a very thin bezel, tapered lugs, oversized mushroom pushers and a box sapphire crystal on top to give the look of a vintage watch.

The bicompax dial of the Mido Multifort Patrimony Chronograph is deliberately playing on the retro trend too, with its domed profile, large Arabic numerals, sword faceted hands and its thin tachymeter scale on the periphery. The choice for only two counters makes for a balanced and uncluttered watch. In addition to the small seconds and 30-minute counter, the watch features a date window at 6 o’clock for visual balance. The dial, whatever the colour, is finely sunray-brushed with snailed sub-counters.

If the brand focuses mostly on the blue edition, this new Mido Multifort Patrimony Chronograph will be available in 3 versions, with different dials and case treatment:

• Blue dial, rose gold PVD case, brown strap – ref. M040.427.36.042.00
• Silver dial, rose gold PVD case, black strap – ref. M040.427.36.262.00
• Black dial, non-coated steel case, black strap – ref. M040.427.16.052.00

Inside the case, Mido benefits from the resources of the Swatch Group with its powerful and modernized Calibre 60, based on the ETA A05.H31 (derived from a 7753). This automatic cam-operated chronograph beats at 4Hz and stores a comfortable power reserve of 60 hours. Offered in élaboré grade, it is decorated with perlage, blued screws and Geneva stripes on the rotor.

All the models are worn on a rolled edges crocodile-look leather strap closed by a polished stainless steel pin buckle.

Availability & Price

All three editions of the Mido Multifort Patrimony Chronograph are launched in the permanent collection and will soon be available in stores. It will be priced at CHF 1,890 in steel (black dial) and CHF 1,990 in gold PVD steel (blue or silver dial).

For more details, please visit www.midowatches.com.