Despite celebrating its 100th birthday this year, Mido is a brand that’s quietly flown under the radar Down Under. While the Swiss watchmaker is firmly established as a big player in Latin America and Asia, the Australian market was never a traditional focus for the brand. Now that’s all starting to change with a watch that’s truly “fair dinkum”.
While many brands look to sport or fashion for their design cues, Mido’s brand slogan is “Inspired by Architecture”. Watches have been inspired by the Colosseum, Big Ben and the Guggenheim, but the Multifort Chronograph (pictured) looks closer to home. The watch’s sporty looks are inspired by the Sydney Harbour Bridge with the black dial enlivened with textured stripes and dots recalling the vertical suspension lines and rivets of the iconic landmark.
The Multifort range was actually first introduced by Mido back in 1934 – just two years after the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built. Back then, the line was a by-word for horological functionality – it was one of the first anti-magnetic watches with a self-winding movement and built-in water and shock-resistance. The Multifort Chronograph stays true to the range’s utilitarian roots. It’s water-resistant to 100m while the hands and indexes are treated in Super‑LumiNova to ensure maximum readability at night. The transparent case back meanwhile provides a window into the intricately decorated automatic movement.
Fancy a change of look? The Multifort comes with two removable leather straps (black and orange) and comes in a special presentation box. From the leather straps to the Swiss movement and chronograph functions, the Multifort offers exceptional value at $2725 – a price-tag that ensures it won’t be a bridge too far for your wallet.
