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Past, present and future; this is the ambitious message that Mido released in conjunction with their Baroncelli Trilogy Limited Edition collection. After working on a “re-issue operation” with their Mido Multifort Datometer – for those of you who are not aware of it, the operation marks the 100th anniversary of the brand’s birth – Mido go back to their modern round cases. The Mido Baroncelli Trilogy Limited Edition is a product offer that includes three watches in limited series; two of them mix together classic elements, while the third one is the most sporty Baroncelli ever crafted.
Mido Baroncelli 1918
The past is represented by the Mido Baroncelli 1918 and can be easily seen on the color of the case; all the anniversary versions that celebrate the year of foundation, of which the Datometer is the flagship model, feature a PVD rose gold case, despite the 1918 being is less evocative than a Datometer or a Baroncelli Heritage.
Using the Baroncelli Heritage case, however, would have made it virtually impossible to create a timeless collection, which is why Mido opted for a less elaborate case with no triple step on the bezel that can be found on the Baroncelli Heritage instead. The dial is ivory in color and glossy lacquered, whereas all the rest is modern; from the Roman indexes at 12 o’clock that are applied, to the date window that sports a rounded step on the edges and on the corners, rather than a cornered one.
Mido Baroncelli 2018
On the Mido Baroncelli 2018 the dial is white in color; this is the only version equipped with a steel-made five-link-bracelet with a deployant buckle (the most contemporary choice, despite the design of the lugs being is the same as that of the other timepiece) that allows the user to easily replace it with a Mido leather strap, an after–market Nato strap or even an after–market Mido strap.
With their Mido Baroncelli 2118, Mido launched their first black strap – like the PVD case – with a dial with a soleil finish and a small continuous seconds counter that is burgundy in color. This is a new combination for Mido that perfectly fits the Baroncelli style; simple, formally perfect and spotless sporting only baton-style indexes.
Mido Baroncelli 2118
A little trivial fact about the Mido Baroncelli 2118; the different finish of the dial led to a different date window. If you compare it with the other two windows, it is definitely more squared. If we were to use a typical marketing term, we could define the 2118 as the "urban chic" version of the Trilogy Limited Edition project, that it to say the most sporty one and this is the reason that led Mido to use, I believe for the first time, a Nato Strap instead of a strap or a bracelet.
The "100th Anniversary" Limited Edition logo is applied to the strap itself, so why should it also appear on the dial? The font used is effective and it reminds us of the historical logo in italics that is used on the Commander collection, but it is slightly too long and it unnecessarily clutters the dial.
The rule of 38
The case measures 38mm in diameter and the maximum power reserve totals 38 hours; these are the two most useful figures that can be used to describe the shape and the function of the Mido Baroncelli Trilogy Limited Edition collection. Why did Mido decide not to focus on the celebrated 80–hour power reserve caliber that equips both the Mido Baroncelli Heritage and the Mido Ocean Star Captain Titanium?
In my opinion, it was possibly because of technical reasons linked to the specific architecture featuring the small seconds, or perhaps it was the brand’s desire to confine the collection to a Limited Edition, rather than centering on pure performance features. Each timepiece from the Trilogy Limited Edition will be issued in 1918, 2018, 2118 respectively.
(Photo credit: Horbiter®'s proprietary photo-shooting)
Gaetano C @Horbiter®
