It is cool to see the Swatch Group fill out more of its brands’ affordable collections with upgraded ETA movements and COSC chronometer-certified versions at that. The Mido Multifort Chronometer is the latest to join the slowly expanding club with its Caliber 80 Si. This means the Mido Multifort Chronometer offers an overall package with not only the movement’s technical benefits but some horological interest as well, all in a handsome if straightforward presentation very much in line with Mido’s personality.

Founded in 1918, Mido is 100 years old this year, and the Multifort collection name actually goes all the way back to 1934. The Multifort is one of Mido’s key families, and while it’s unclear how its lineage ties directly to the model from over 80 years ago aside from its name and maker, the modern Multifort watches tend to share features like the Geneva stripe dials. Mido says that the Geneva stripes in the collection are meant to “evoke the suspension cables on Sydney Harbour Bridge.” The new Mido Multifort Chronometer has applied, sloping, wedge-shaped indices that are a break from the eight dots and four stick indices I tend to associate with the Multifort watches.

The Mido Multifort Chronometer is 42mm wide in steel with a water resistance of 100m for reasonable durability and versatility. There are actually six versions of the Mido Multifort Chronometer with different case material finishes, dial colors, and strap or bracelet options. Mido is emphasizing this black DLC-coated version, however, that has beige Super-LumiNova on the hands, as well as other highlights and a rubber strap to go with it. Mido tells us that the hour and minute hands are diamond-cut, satin finished, and triple faceted – all under a domed sapphire crystal, naturally. People will appreciate the day and date wheels that are black to match the dial, though their texts are the only white elements present. The display caseback offers a view of the Caliber 80 Si automatic movement with decent decoration for its price.

So far, the base C07.821 movement or something similar in the same C series from the Swatch Group’s movement-making powerhouse ETA has had various names when found in watches from different brands, and we’ve discussed them a number of times. It is based on the ETA 2824 but with many components having been refined, a silicon hairspring offering a number of benefits, as well as its frequency being slowed from 4Hz to 3Hz in order to extend its power reserve to 80 hours. Concerns that this reduced frequency would adversely affect accuracy has been allayed by COSC chronometer-certified versions like the Mido Multifort Chronometer. This means the movement’s accuracy has been tested to maintain an average daily rate of −4/+6 seconds, just to remind you.

Mido’s marketing materials describe the Multifort Chronometer as a “casual-chic timepiece with a distinctly contemporary spirit,” which sounds about right to me as well as descriptive of the brand overall. The Mido Multifort Chronometer, again, comes in several versions. The two-tone version on a two-tone bracelet has a price of $1,440; all-steel case with steel bracelet and black dial is $1,290; with a rose gold PVD steel case on a brown leather strap, the price is $1,360; and on a black strap in steel with a silver dial, the price is $1,250. The version highlighted here with black DLC stainless steel on a tan fabric strap has a price of $1,380. See more on shopmido.com