Mido  OCEAN STAR  Watches

Mido Ocean Star: Groundbreaking Dive Watches 

The Mido Ocean Star collection is not a new name, and it’s been a popular line of sports watches since the early 1960s. It’s certainly a groundbreaking collection, as it is one of the first watch lines to make use of a single-shell case. This allowed the timepiece to reach a whole new level of water resistance because it eliminated the risk of water leaking into the back of the watch case. Mido further enhanced the watch’s water resistance with their Aquadra crown sealing system, allowing each watch to withstand even rough underwater conditions.

The Mido Ocean Star collection continues to be the talk of the town to this day. This iconic watch line exhibits a wide range of styles that are sure to fit your needs. Furthermore, newer models of these dive watches have some impressive COSC-certified calibers that feature exceptional precision and long power reserves.

Prices at a Glance: Most Popular Mido Ocean Star Watches

How much does a Mido Ocean Star cost?

The Mido Ocean Star collection includes a wide variety of sports watches with impressive water resistance technology to suit different lifestyles and aesthetic tastes. This watch collection has been around for most of the brand’s history, so there’s bound to be a piece that suits your needs.

One of the most talked-about models in the collection is the Mido Ocean Star Diver 600. This timepiece is built to withstand the ocean’s harsh depths, allowing divers to tell the time even when exploring the deep. Most dive watches only have a water resistance of up to 200m but this powerful diving watch can take depths of a whopping 600m. To further enhance this remarkable timepiece, Mido equipped it with a helium escape valve that allows it to operate in saturation dives. 

There are currently two versions of the Mido Ocean Star Diver 600: one comes in a stainless steel case and the other in a black case with a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating. The Mido Ocean Star Diver 600 in stainless steel with the reference number M026.608.11.041.00 has a handsome dark blue dial with contrasting luminous hands and hour markers to ensure legibility even in the darker parts of the ocean. It also comes with a stainless steel bracelet that has a three-piece link that secures it tightly on the wrist. The black PVD-coated model, on the other hand, has a black dial, bezel, and rubber strap. Its PVD coating adds a layer of corrosion resistance and protection against the extreme conditions of underwater terrain.

The Ocean Star Diver 600 also features a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. For an added layer of practicality, the watch has a unidirectional diving bezel and a date display at 3 o’clock. Both the stainless steel and black PVD-coated models are powered by the Automatic Mido Calibre 80 Si, a COSC-certified chronometer movement. Mido’s in-house Calibre 80 Si is based on the ETA C07.821 movement and provides the timepieces with a power reserve of up to 80 hours. Both models of the Mido Ocean Star Diver 600 cost around $1,700 USD.

Another popular model within the Mido Ocean Star watch collection is the Ocean Star GMT. This model has the unique functionality of displaying both the home time and the local time. The Mido Ocean Star GMT also comes with the handy feature of time zone indicators at the back of the case. It comes in three different variants, with the Ref. M026.629.22.051.00 coming in a stainless steel case with rose gold PVD coating and a ceramic bezel.

The Mido Ocean Star is an excellent dive watch with a water resistance of around 200m. Like the Ocean Star Diver 600, the Ocean Star GMT features the reliable Mido Calibre 80 movement that gives this Mido dive watch an 80-hour power reserve. You can get a Mido Ocean Star GMT for around $1,500 USD.

The Mido Ocean Star Chronograph is another show-stopping timepiece within the collection. This dive watch showcases two subdials at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions — one is a small seconds subdial and the other is a 30-minute counter. There is also a date display at 6 o’clock.

The Ocean Star Chronograph also has a water resistance of up to 200m and is powered by the in-house Caliber 60 automatic chronograph movement. This movement gives the watch a power reserve of up to 60 hours, still significantly higher than the industry standard, which is 48 hours. The Ocean Star Chronograph also enjoys the protection of the anti-reflective sapphire crystal and durable cases. Sapphire crystal is an exceptionally strong material and provides durability and scratch resistance to the watches.

There are two variations of the Mido Ocean Star Chronograph as well: one with a black dial and another with a blue dial. The all-black variant comes in a stainless steel case with a PVD coating, as well as a high-quality black rubber strap. On the other hand, the watch with the blue dial comes in a tough and rust-resistant titanium case. Both of these watches offer great protection against seawater and the rough elements down in the deep. The all-black version costs around $2,450 USD while the blue and silver-tone titanium variation costs around $2,390 USD.

When it comes to versatile dive watches, the Mido Ocean Star 200 is perhaps one of your best bets because this line comes in nine unique design variants. One of the most eye-catching designs is the model that comes in a stainless steel case with rose gold PVD coating, a green dial, and a brown Patina leather strap (Ref. M026.430.36.091.00). Its PVD coating gives it a brilliant rose gold shine while also offering great protection against a wide range of harsh conditions. It has a vintage aesthetic topped off with bright skeletonized hands, luminous hour markers, and a day and date display at 3 o’clock. 

The Mido Ocean Star has a water resistance of 200m. It also has a power reserve of 80 hours thanks to the highly advanced Mido Calibre 80 movement. This aesthetically pleasing dive watch has a modest retail price of $970 USD.

2021 Mido Ocean Star Models: What's New?

Mido produced the first Mido Ocean Star in 1959, but the brand already acquired the trademark for the name as far back as 1944. In 2019, to celebrate the 75th year anniversary of the trademarked Ocean Star collection, Mido introduced the Ocean Star Tribute line. These 40.5mm vintage-inspired watches take their design inspiration from the Ocean Star diving watches of the 1960s. Mido also equipped these classic dive watches with their more modern innovations to celebrate the brand’s development throughout the years.

In 2021, Mido released an additional three variations in the Ocean Star Tribute line. The timepieces come in a similar clean and classic design — with a lollipop seconds hand and straight hour and minute hands. These watches also have day and date displays for the wearer’s convenience. 

The 2021 Mido Ocean Star Tribute watches come with fresh colors and advanced movements. There is one version with a khaki green dial, stainless steel case, and khaki green fabric strap; one with a matte blue dial, rose gold PVD-coated case, and blue textile strap; and the last one has a black dial with a stainless steel case and bracelet as well as a rose gold PVD-coated bezel. All of these variations feature the historical Ocean Star symbol engraved on the solid case back. Behind the Ocean Star Tribute’s durable case back is an in-house Calibre 80 movement with a frequency of 3 Hz.

The green dial version is available for $950 USD, while the blue version costs around $1,020 USD. The black dial version comes in as the most expensive variation of the 2021 models, with a retail price of around $1,050 USD.

Vintage Mido Ocean Star watches — Are they any good?

Lovers of vintage dive watches can seek out early models of the Mido Ocean Star collection. Perhaps the most defining feature of vintage Ocean Star watches is the single-shell case that earned these watches the reputation of being some of the brand’s earliest water-resistant watches. In order to tinker with the inner workings of these watches, you would have to remove the dial itself.

One of the most popular models is the Ocean Star Powerwind that debuted in the 1960s. These vintage models come in stainless steel cases with diameters of 35mm. They have sunken crowns, four applied baton indices, narrow hands, and rather short lugs. These vintage watches also come in a variety of designs and materials — from stainless steel models to gold-plated ones. Some models also have diamond details. Mint-condition watches from the Mido Ocean Star Powerwind line range from around $320 USD to $1,100 USD.

Like the Ocean Star Powerwind line, Mido Ocean Star Datoday watches were also popular in the 1960s. They have a similarly clean aesthetic that most collectors covet, but unlike the Powerwind, the Datoday watches have a full set of 12-hour markers. These watches can either be powered by chronometer-certified manual calibers or automatic calibers. Depending on the models and condition of the pieces, they change hands for around $870 USD. The watches are also available in yellow gold models that have a rather handsome value of up to $2,200 USD.

History Behind the Mido Ocean Star Collection

Although Mido had the name “Ocean Star” trademarked since 1944, the Mido Ocean Star collection officially made its debut in 1959. This iconic diving watch collection proved to be a trailblazer in the realm of Swiss watchmaking because it introduced the single-shell or “monocoque” case. This revolutionary design detail allowed for a significantly greater water resistance because it nullified the risk of water leaking into the back of the watch case. Ocean Star watches also made use of a cork sealing system that was quite novel at the time.

The Mido Ocean Star quickly became one of the most successful watch collections of the brand. These diving watches feature exceptional durability and water resistance, optimal readability underwater, unique styles, unidirectional diving bezels, and advanced watch movements. Some even have additional complications such as chronometers and date displays. Mido Ocean Star watches are often must-have devices for casual and professional divers alike, especially because most models can withstand depths of up to 200 meters. The Ocean Star Diver 600 is especially durable in the water, having a tremendous water resistance of up to 600 meters.

Modern models of the Mido Ocean Star are powered by Mido’s in-house Caliber 80, derived from a reliable ETA movement. This in-house caliber equips the dive watches with a power reserve of up to 80 hours. All of these incredible qualities contribute to the Ocean Star’s reputation for being among the top dive watches from the 1960s up to the present day.

5 Reasons to Buy a Mido Ocean Star Watch

1. The Mido Ocean Star collection is among the most recognizable and reliable line of dive watches with a rich history to prove it.

2. These watches come in a wide variety of designs, from more vintage aesthetics to contemporary styles.

3. Most watches in the collection are built to last, with most models withstanding depths of 200 meters and the Diver 600 even surviving depths of 600 meters.

4. Modern models have power reserves of up to 80 hours, and the chronometers have COSC-certified caliber movements.

5. The titanium cases and stainless steel cases with PVD coatings offer remarkable protection from harsh environments.

Final Thoughts: Buying a Mido Ocean Star Watch

Mido Ocean Star watches are certainly among the most groundbreaking timepieces in the realm of Swiss watchmaking. As it is one of the most successful collections in Mido’s diverse catalog, it’s hard to deny the impact and value of these dive watches. From the 1960s up to the current day, watch collectors and enthusiasts around the world continue to praise the Ocean Star’s designs and innovation.