Hands-On With The Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition — A Fun And Crowd-Pleasing Favorite
Last week, I introduced the new Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition to you. It’s a relatively affordable vintage-inspired watch with a blue dial and flyer GMT movement inside. I also told you that I was quite excited about it because of its attractive design, modest proportions, and price. However, my opinion was entirely based on press images and a sugar-coated cover story that was provided with those pictures. Since then, I’ve been able to go hands-on with the new Ocean Star GMT, wear it a little, and form a more proper opinion of it. And without spoiling the contents of this article too much, I’m still excited because there’s a whole lot to like about this watch.
In the introduction article, I already mentioned that the Ocean Star GMT is part of an interesting collection of special/limited-edition watches from Mido. All of them share the same 40.5mm case size, have a vintage-inspired design, and, most importantly, are my favorites in the Ocean Star collection. Let’s see what this newest edition is like in person.
A crowd-pleaser
Every time a box arrives at the Fratello office, the team gets ready to rip it apart. I mean that quite literally and figuratively speaking. Of course, we’re all excited to see what’s inside. But we’re also always ready to give our unsolicited and very blunt opinions about the content. In the case of this Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition, we didn’t even know what was inside the box. But as soon as we saw what it was, we were all quite happily surprised. Usually, we have a few lovers and haters around the office. This time, though, the Ocean Star turned out to be quite a crowd-pleaser.
I mean, there aren’t many things that could make you feel upset about this watch. It feels sturdy in the hand, the navy blue of the bezel and dial is sophisticated, and the overall design is quite friendly. The bracelet features solid end links, and although the edges are a bit sharp, it does feel solid. The only thing we’d improve about it would be the clasp. It’s not bad as it’s well built and offers a dive extension that doubles as a toolless micro-adjustment mechanism. It’s just that this is the standard micro-adjustable clasp you find on so many of the more affordable watches out there, and it’s a bit clunky. Well, those were our first impressions, but what is it like to spend a little more time with this watch?
On the wrist
It has been a real pleasure wearing the Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition for a little while. On my 17cm wrist, the 40.5mm case with its 47mm lug span and 13.4mm thickness fits quite well. The short links on the bracelet drape nicely around the wrist. Also, the style of the bracelet matches nicely with the overall look of the Ocean Star GMT. The annoying thing is that it starts at 21mm in between the lugs. That probably means you won’t have too many other strap options at home yet. The good thing, though, is that the watch comes with one complimentary nylon strap.
That strap is in a matching blue shade with a white stripe running down the middle. Unlike the bracelet, it comes with quick-release spring bars. Do keep in mind that it has two layers, so it does add some bulk to the watch. It also doesn’t taper, so it’s 21mm wide all the way around. The taper on the bracelet goes from 21mm to 19mm at the clasp. Again, the clasp isn’t the most refined one in the world. But it does come with buttons to release it and two more buttons to operate the dive extension. It’s just that, at 8mm thick, it’s a bit beefy, especially compared to the 4mm-thick links.
Inspired by a shark’s teeth
Then, we get to the Ocean Star GMT’s charming face. At first, it reminded me a bit of my Serica 5303 diver. That watch has a double-scale bezel and also features a small-looking dial at the center. The Ocean Star GMT mimics this look a little bit with its main bezel, that silver flange, and an equally small dial. The bidirectional bezel feels snappy, and its aluminum insert can take on different shades of blue. Sometimes, it looks just like the dark blue on the glossy dial. But it can also look a bit purple-ish, as Morgan’s pictures show.
I particularly like that brushed silver flange. It adds depth to the dial, and it also plays nicely with the distortion caused by the domed sapphire crystal. The raised indexes, which have been inspired by a shark’s teeth, make this watch feel a little more expensive than it is, just like the polished Mido logo does. At first, I was disappointed that the designers didn’t opt for a vintage font like they did on the Hodinkee limited edition. But this more modern logo doesn’t look out of place at all. One letdown is the fact that the lume on the Ocean Star GMT isn’t all that strong. You might be able to vaguely see the lume pip and the hands in the dark, but the indexes probably won’t be visible. Then again, the date window is in exactly the right spot, and its white background matches the indexes well.
Final words
Overall, I think the Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition is a very well-done watch. For €1,440, I feel you get exactly what you paid for. It’s a decently finished watch with a great vintage-inspired design, and it’s flyer GMT. When I put it on the timegrapher horizontally, it gave me an accuracy of +7 seconds a day. That’s not too bad, is it? If you’re looking for a fun, well-built, and good-looking affordable (flyer) GMT watch, I think the Mido Ocean Star GMT should most definitely be on your shortlist.
For more information on the Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition, check out the brand’s official website.
What do you think of the new Mido Ocean Star GMT Special Edition? And which other GMT watches would you consider at this price point? Let me know in the comments below.
