Mido’s lesser known history?
Hello everyone!
I’m not great at this, so bear with me here! 😅
I wanted to talk a little more about a brand that has quite a significant history in pioneering the “tool watch” as we know it today. There’s a lot of very interesting and important history that doesn’t seem to be common knowledge, at least here is the U.S. anyway.
Mido was founded in 1918 by Georges Schaeren, and in 1924 his younger brother Henri Schaeren (who had served 5 years at Omega as head of sales) joined the team to focus on the commercial side of things, freeing up time for his older brother to focus on watchmaking.
Mido also saved the day for the (then very new) Citizen Watch Co. who were struggling financially.
In 1932, Citizen purchased a Swiss trading company importing Mido watches until 1933 when they purchased Swiss machines and tooling for themselves. It is said that Citizen watches were Mido clones until the end of WW2. This is something that I found particularly interesting!!
It is also said that Mido Multifort watches were issued to the RCAF during WW2, and were generally favored among many early Airmen. These are some early Mido advertisements. (I will link all my source material at the bottom!)
I also found this quote from the article pretty interesting:
“In a humorous 1947 account of a United States Navy Procurement Hearing, the businessmen given the right to provide the Navy with watches, were upset that Navy personnel were buying Mido watches and that the Navy Procurement office had "tried to procure these watches without our benefit."
The mido Multifort was one of the first, if not the first watch to be extremely water resistant, shock resistant, antimagnetic, and self-winding combined. With a treated cork seal developed in part with Borgel case manufacturer later known as “AquaDura”, the Multifort really paved the way for the tool watch as we know it! Mido had quite the relationship with Borgel, as we will see later with the monocoque Ocean Star cases.
It’s also said that Mido was one of the first watch manufacturers to use the incabloc system, and the earliest Multiforts used a prototype incabloc system, and these watches underwent extreme testing by the U.S. Government before launching the line to the public.
The Mido Ocean Star name started showing up on Multifort dials in the 1940s, and the star fish logo was starting to be stamped on their movements around the same time.
Mido also used movements made exclusive for them, by A.S. Supplied as raw parts and assembled and finished on site in Mido’s factory. (Similar to what Rolex did with Aegler), and similar to what they are doing with ETA now… kinda
The Ocean Star line wasn’t launched as a true dive watch until 1959, when it was released with a dive bezel, and as one of the first, if not the first watch to use a monocoque case (which I believe to be another Mido/Borgel creation. That, with the pressure fitted crystal and AquaDura cork crown, the watch was advertised as being up to 300m water resistant with the crown in, and 50m water resistant with the crown pulled out.
Correct me if I’m wrong here, but I believe at the time, the Rolex Submariner was 100mWR, the Omega Seamaster 200mWR, and the seawolf also at 100mWR. Now, I can’t say for sure if these were actually tested to those depths, but Mido wasn’t focusing on the race to the bottom of the sea anyway, they seemed to be more focused on the recreational sport/water sport customer.
In 1965 the Mido Ocean Star was selected as the official watch of the Antarctic expedition lead by Warwick Deacock, and sponsored by Edmund Hillary. It made it to the 9000 foot volcanic peak “Big Ben” and back to tell the tale!
Mido is a watch manufacturer with a leg to stand on when it comes to their history and heritage. In a way, Mido really hasn’t changed much. They still provide an amazing watch for a price and focus that keeps it more in line with its roots.
A more in-depth look at the history can be found in these fantastic articles here! :
https://machiine.com/2022/mido/
https://coron.et/new-1minute-reads/early-mido-wristwatches
https://machiine.com/2022/mido-ocean-star-tribute/
Shane Paradis. I’m a string instrument repair technician, and cat dad 😄 I’m here for the fun and fellowship.
Just a coincidence that I wore this today:
Mid-60's Ocean Star. This model, which later became the Commander, was sold as a skin diver. It is a front loader. The Aqua-dura system is explained here.
The Multi-Fort was the second watch to use the Incabloc system (the West End Sowar Prima was the first).
Mido also introduced the Powerwind system in 1954 that made watches drive trains more simple and easy to repair.
Love me some Mido.
That's a pretty cool connection, I didn't know Mido was issued to the RCAF. I'm now a bit surprised Mido isn't using the 100th anniversary of the RCAF to sell watches.
Just a coincidence that I wore this today:
Mid-60's Ocean Star. This model, which later became the Commander, was sold as a skin diver. It is a front loader. The Aqua-dura system is explained here.
The Multi-Fort was the second watch to use the Incabloc system (the West End Sowar Prima was the first).
Mido also introduced the Powerwind system in 1954 that made watches drive trains more simple and easy to repair.
Love me some Mido.
Lovely vintage pieces!! I have a Multifort Powerwind from the mid to late 1950. It’s in great shape, has no water damage, has a very clean movement, and keeps absolutely fantastic time for a vintage watch. It’s 28mm but I believe it’s on its original Forstner bonclip too
I also want to point out that the RCAF pilot’s eyes in the add are absolutely horrifying
I also want to point out that the RCAF pilot’s eyes in the add are absolutely horrifying
Eyelids...looking down at his watch.
Lovely vintage pieces!! I have a Multifort Powerwind from the mid to late 1950. It’s in great shape, has no water damage, has a very clean movement, and keeps absolutely fantastic time for a vintage watch. It’s 28mm but I believe it’s on its original Forstner bonclip too
Nice Multifort.
Thank you for sharing. Super interesting.
My dad's old Mido.
Wearing mine today, too. Love it.
Hey this is really cool would love more watch history
Thank you for posting 👍🏻👍🏻
I like some of Mido’s stuff, I just wish I knew wth “multfort” meant, because I feel like I see it with the same frequency as “oyster perpetual” with Rolex.
I’ll try to remember to read this post later
Sticks + small Romans are my favorite day date dials
I like some of Mido’s stuff, I just wish I knew wth “multfort” meant, because I feel like I see it with the same frequency as “oyster perpetual” with Rolex.
I’ll try to remember to read this post later
I believe “forte” is French for strong. Multifort meaning it has multiple strengths. (Water resistance, shock resistance, antimagnetism, unbreakable mainspring, automatic winding). Where as most manufacturers at the time were focusing on one or two “strengths”at a time. Mido kind of paved the way for the modern “tool watch” as we know it!
#mido heritage as a pioneer in automatic watchmaking is reflected in the reliability and performance of their self-winding movements.