Three years have passed since we first reviewed the Mido Commander Big Date; during this period, the brand has consistently evolved as much as we did in scrutinizing each timepiece we eventually got our hands on, either from an esthetical or a technical standpoint. The brand’s sales volumes would suggest the Commander is not an Italian customer’s first choice when approaching Mido; it’s hard to outperform the Ocean Star collection – and the Tribute especially – for instance, but if you’re around for an elegant full-steel accessible-luxury slender sports watch, the Mido Commander tops the list.
In our first and unique – so far – Commander Big Date product review, we focused on the timepiece’s overall specs and how it looks on the wrist without deepening those design traits, making it one of the most sophisticated watches from the Swiss brand’s product portfolio. The Mido Commander best embodies the brand’s “Inspired by architecture” motto instead of sportier options across the offering. You can perceive it by the countless details on the case, dial, and bracelet, whose combined outcome is a sleek, more refined Mido watch.
A full-steel option is a way to go if you want a comprehensive overview of the model’s potential; the pictured timepiece enhances the polished to brushed surface finish, as you won’t get with the PVD-treated edition we reviewed in 2019. It again confirms that a 316L steel model is a long-term, never-disappointing choice when approaching a sports watch on a bracelet. As long as the Commander is concerned, the Big Date complication adds fair technical value to this 42 mm large, yet less than 12 mm thick (11.97 mm) watch. This combination helps make it a slender timepiece despite its wide case size.
A Commander (like a Mido All Dial, too) offers a super-wide dial and virtually no bezel instead. Given this layout, it provides plenty of details to make it as three-dimensional as possible, as exemplified by the domed and faceted sapphire glass, the skeleton hour and minute hands and the applied indexes, all partially covered with luminescent-material-filled sections.
The big date window adds value to those in the know, as much as it is part of the design concept. The two-window date at six o’clock plays a key role in making the Commander Big Date the watch it is. A quick look at the case side highlights the three-piece construction and the concave shape, proof of the attention to detail.
Mido is a brand appreciated for building sturdy, easy-to-wear, well-performing watches with unparalleled value-to-price ratio; among their most powerful selling points is a high power reserve, a plus no brands can compete against unless you opt for other brands belonging to the Swatch Group.
The bracelet is not integrated but does look as it were since it’s seamlessly fastened to the case; it slightly tapers towards the folding buckle, a hidden butterfly-designed clasp with two safety buttons; my only complaint is the too-big logo, even larger than the same one found on the dial.
Final thoughts
The Mido Commander Big Date Green Dial retails for 1,060 Euros. While it confirms its excellent price point, the emerald green dial adds a vibrant tone to the usually understated Commander Big Date; it’s dark unless you get the most out of the sunray finish under a cold light. While the style to performance and quality combo is a winner, the 50-meter water resistance is the most significant area of improvement. Raise it to 100 meters, and the Mido Commander Big Date will dramatically extend its audience.
(Photo credit: Horbiter®)
Editorial team @Horbiter®
