Mido has had a long history of Multifort watches over the years. I don’t really get the name, and the people at Mido I spoke with don’t really understand it either. Some combination of the world “multi” and “comfort?” Which means what? It provide multiple types of comfort, OK…. Anyhow, the Multifort name has now been applied to yet another watch, and one that is really cool. So cool I wish they would have given it a better name. There are are two versions of the new 2009 Multifort. the three-hand day-date Multifort Gents with an automatic ETA 2836-2 movement, and the Multifort Chrono Valjoux with (you guessed it) an automatic ETA Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement.

The watches are 44mm wide in steel cases and 11-14mm thick (depending on the version). The crystal is sapphire and there is a mineral crystal as the caseback exhibition window. The case is 100 meters water resistant, and you can get the watch on a leather strap with deployment or a metal bracelet. The images you see are ones that I took of preproduction models, so the final versions that should be available now might have minor differents and more polish and quality all around.

Style for the watches is interesting in my opinion. I see three major types of themes that come together. The dial reminds me of a classic dive watch, while there are distinct classic sporty elements as well as a formal qualities to the design. For me it was my favorite new Mido watch for 2009, by far. The dial and hands are applied with SuperLumiNova lume as well as a a nice level of decoration. You might recognize the Cotes de Geneve decoration as the type you’d find on watch movements. Mido has taken the attractive vertical patterning and cleverly applied it to the face of the watch. The dials come silvered, black, or in anthracite (dark gray). In my opinion both the Multifort Gent and Chrono Valjoux are attractive and desirable timepieces. The best part is that they are well priced. Mido is priced just a bit over Tissot (both are Swatch Group brands). Retail prices start at $770 and go to about $1,750 depending on the style and strap option.  Mido watches have always had a unique and quirky character to them. I am not a fan of each new design they present, but this new Multifort line really makes a good impression on me, and I think it sets a good tone for the brand that is newly refocusing on the North American market.

See Mido watches on eBay here.

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