I must say, in my book, Mido has been bringing it on strong as of late. I say this because I’ve gone from not paying particularly close attention to the brand to being genuinely intrigued and looking into models that they’ve been releasing. You’d anticipate that 2018 would be a big year for the brand (being as it’s the 100-year anniversary), and you’d be right. To help celebrate that centenarian mark, we’ve got the Mido Commander Shade Special Edition watch.

Specifications

Brand: Mido
Model: Commander Shade Special Edition
Dimensions: 37mm
Case Material: 316L stainless steel
Crystal/Lens: Acrylic, hot-stamped with the Mido logo
Movement: ETA 2836-2
Frequency: 28,800bph
Power Reserve: Up to 38 hours
Strap/Bracelet: 316L stainless steel Milanese mesh, satin finished, and integrated into the case
Price & Availability: $870

Analysis

As is fitting for a brand that’s hitting the 100-year mark, they’ve taken a watch line that’s been around for almost 60 years (the first Mido Commander debuted in 1959) and selected that for the honors. And, yeah, that Mido Commander Shade is a tasty treat of vintage goodness. Inside the case, it’s all modern with the ETA 2836-2 movement. But outside, it’s a leisure suit of lusciousness.

Let’s start with the dial of the Mido Commander Shade, which, given the name, that’s where the brand started as well. Not content to go with simply a sunburst dial, or a smoked dial, or even a two-tone dial, Mido jammed it all together. I, for one, rather enjoy this monochrome effect, and I imagine the sunray pattern catches the light quite nicely. It also helps to make those indices at the hour marks jump out a bit more, which themselves pick up the architectural elements laid down by the handset. Fortunately for modern tastes, there’s a good dash of Super-LumiNova at the hour marks and in the handset itself.

Next, then, would be the case of the Mido Commander Shade. This is a more compact size (37mm) which will no doubt wear even smaller given that the monocoque case has the complete absence of lugs (that also means no case gap for the flexy Milanese bracelet). But again, this fits the vintage vibe. Topping the case you’ve got more old-school goodness, with the acrylic crystal showing up. And, you know, if that wasn’t enough, you’ve got the original Mido logo showing up on the watch as well.

Summary

If you ask me, long-time fans of Mido will be pretty pleased with what the brand has created here. For those who are a bit more recent to the party (like myself), you just need to decide how vintage you want your new watch to look. If your answers take the form of a Day-Glo paisley, then I’m going to venture to say the Mido Commander Shade is for you. And lucky you – this watch is expected to hit for just $870. midowatches.com