Last year saw the launch of one of Mido’s most versatile and interesting offerings for a while, the Multifort 8 Two Crowns. Most dive watches follow the same playbook: the standard tool-watch aesthetic, with an external rotating bezel, and a robust, bulky case design. The Two Crowns turned this upside down, bringing class and sophistication to the aquatic watch arena, thanks to its internal rotating bezel hidden in the dial’s rehaut, paired with an angular, compact integrated bracelet design.
The best of it is that it laid the foundations for what has just surfaced – the Multifort 8 One Crown – which brings more to the table than just halving the number of crowns, and is also now available in the Time+Tide Shop!
Thankfully, the case design remains unchanged. Crafted in polished and brushed stainless steel, its proportions are particularly wearable at 38.4mm in diameter and just 9.5mm thick. Lug-to-lug is what really allows the case to fool you with its size. At its longest, it measures 44.86mm, but the integrated lug design makes it wear more like 40mm, so it sits well without too much bulk.
The 8-sided bezel also gives the Multifort 8 a familiar multi-faceted look, with the angled facets polished to a high sheen, and the top face neatly brushed. The bezel clamps down on a flat sapphire crystal that features anti-reflective coating on both sides, and that, along with a screw-down crown, provides the case with 100 meters of water resistance. All of this makes for a watch with a contemporary, almost dressy look, but with everything you’d need from a reliable day-to-day wearer.
The One Crown shifts away from the dive-focused dial of the Two Crown, for a more versatile dial with a touch more simplicity. To keep things straightforward, there are two colour options: just black and blue, and the tones are shifted slightly across the dial by passing light, thanks to a clean, horizontal ribbed effect.
There’s a thin chapter ring framing the dial, and this time the dial features symmetrical, full-size hour markers that are satin-finished, polished and filled with Super-LumiNova. There is a date window at 3 o’clock, but it’s relatively unobtrusive; perhaps it would have been slightly more cohesive if it were dial-coloured, but it’s certainly not a deal-breaker.
Looking inside the watch, there has been another change with this Multifort, with Mido opting for the Calibre 80 movement, over the Two Crowns’ Calibre 72. Based on the ETA C07.611, it boasts an 80-hour power reserve and features tech that enhances reliability and accuracy, such as a Nivachron balance spring that’s been adjusted in three different positions. It’s undoubtedly a solid heavy-duty performer, as it features in a vast array of quality wristwatches from several other brands, too, and this model has seen some subtle decoration, such as côtes de Genève on the oscillating weight and a Mido logo.
The stainless steel integrated bracelet is carried over from the Two Crowns model once more, featuring a 3-link design that is excellently finished with cleanly polished chamfers. It features a fairly strong taper but doesn’t go too narrow towards the clasp, which helps maintain some presence on the wrist. The black dial variant is also available on a rubber strap, which also closes with the same folding clasp system as the steel bracelet.
Mido Multifort 8 One Crown pricing & availability
The Mido Multifort 8 One Crown is available now in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: A$1,420 (rubber strap), A$1,480 (bracelet)Â
Brand
Mido
Model
Multifort 8 One Crown
Case Dimensions
38.4mm (D) x 9.9mm (T) x 40mm (LTL)
Case Material
Stainless steel
Water Resistance
100 meters, screw-down crown
Crystal(s)
Sapphire front and back
Dial
Intense blue or black
Strap
Stainless steel bracelet or black rubber
Movement
Mido Calibre 80, ETA C07.611 base, automatic
Power Reserve
80 hours
Functions
Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Availability
Now from the Time+Tide Shop (AU only)
Price
A$1,420 (rubber strap)
A$1,480 (bracelet)