In 1944, Swiss watchmaker Mido introduced its Ocean Star collection, a series of highly water-resistant watches that would form the basis of the brand’s dive watch production in the coming decades. Building upon its Aquadura system — which utilized natural cork as a waterproofing material — the Ocean Star lineup eventually included the Decompression Timer, which has since become a highly sought-after vintage watch and the inspiration behind a modern reissue. Worn by its Red Bull Cliff Diving ambassadors — who leap up to 27 meters into the ocean from platforms suspended above world-famous museums, bridges and other sites — Ocean Star dive watches continue to offer outsized value eight decades after the collection’s debut.
Now, in celebration of 80 years since the launch of the original Ocean Star, Mido has released two new models that up the aquatic ante: The Ocean Star 600 Chronometer is the brand’s first deep-diving watch that’s water resistant to 600 meters, while the Ocean Star GMT Special Edition gives its handy traveler’s complication an ocean-themed bent. Best of all, both watches retail for well under $2,000, making them excellent value plays in a sea of similarly specced fare.
Ocean Star GMT Special Edition
While the watch world has seen the continued proliferation of the GMT complication over the past few years, many of the movements equipping these pieces have independently adjustable GMT hands. This system, while handy for tracking another time zone, is less ideal than that which uses an individually adjustable local hour hand, which is better for travelers. The Ocean Star GMT Special Edition uses the latter system, adding a GMT complication to the automatic Caliber 80 movement. Furthermore, a white rehaut with a 24-hour scale allows for easy tracking of a third time zone — a welcome (and oft-overlooked) feature that optimizes the watch for those whose lives involve working across multiple time zones.
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Many of the year’s coolest seafaring timepieces are sub-$5KHoused in a 40.5mm stainless steel case, the Ocean Star GMT Special Edition is devoid of crown guards and features a box-shaped sapphire crystal, giving it a vintage-inspired bent that reminds one of 1950s and 1960s horological classics. Its bidirectional bezel features a blue aluminum insert with a white 24-hour scale, while a screw-down crown and screw-down caseback provide 200 meters of water resistance. The glossy blue and silver dial, meanwhile, is joined by shark tooth-shaped indices and an alpha-shaped hour hand, further enhancing the aquatic theme and ensuring excellent legibility. The steel multi-link bracelet and included blue and silver NATO strap hammer home the watch’s ties to the water.
With 80 hours of power reserve, easy adjustability for the frequent traveler, good looks and multiple bracelet options, the Ocean Star GMT Special Edition is one of the most value-packed additions to the Mido lineup — and one of the best GMT watches for the money currently on the market.
Ocean Star GMT Special Edition
Diameter: 40.5mm
Movement: Mido Caliber 80 automatic
Water Resistance: 200m
Ocean Star 600 Chronometer
If what you’re after is a larger, hardcore, deep-diving watch with gobs of water resistance in a package that you won’t have to baby, then the Ocean Star 600 Chronometer may be the perfect timepiece for you. A simple time-and-date model, its 43.5mm stainless steel case provides a whopping 600m of water resistance and a helium escape valve — a feature designed for serious divers that’s rarely seen on a sub-$2,000 watch. With its unidirectional bezel with blue ceramic timing insert, anti-reflective sapphire crystal and matching steel bracelet with folding clasp and diver’s extension, the Ocean Star 600 Chronometer promises a wearing experience that can seldom be replicated at its $1,780 price point.
Powering the watch is the MIDO Caliber 80 COSC Si, a COSC-certified chronometer with a silicon balance spring, an 80-hour power reserve, and adjustment to five positions. The watch’s lacquered blue dial, meanwhile, subtly fades to black in the center, and is graced with applied, nickel-plated indices filled with Super-LumiNova for excellent underwater legibility. A color-matched date window, visible to the left of the 3 o’clock marker, doesn’t distract from the dial’s sparse look, while an orange-tipped seconds track adds a pop of color to the otherwise largely blue proceedings.
Ceramic, silicon, sapphire — all these high-end materials and more are present on the Ocean Star 600 Chronometer, proving once again that Mido is building some of the most value-packed watches offered by major Swiss brands.
Ocean Star 600 Chronometer
Diameter: 43.5mm
Movement: MIDO Caliber 80 COSC Si automatic
Water Resistance: 600m
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