I’ve been writing about the Mido Ocean Star Diver 600 for close to 6 months now. It started back in November when the watch was launched and then again when the watch got tied into the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Well, we’ve finally gotten to spend some time with the watch, and can give you our hands-on impression of the Mido Ocean Star Diver 600.
Right out of the box, you know you’re dealing with a serious piece of metal. With a 43.5mm case (in steel) attached to a stainless steel bracelet, you can truly feel the weight in your hand. Of course, when a diver is rated for 600m (in terms of water resistance) you’re settling in for a beefier piece. That’s further underscored by the presence of the helium escape value, which is (surprisingly) labelled via engraving on the side of the case. That said, it’s still an eminently wearable watch, so long as you’re used to larger steel divers (which I am).
Adjusting the bracelet is a simple affair – unscrew the one side (single-sided screws in blind holes, this I can get behind), with a combination of full- and half-size links. I was a surprised to see that the links – which look like three-piece ones – are actually solid, single pieces. Should make for a more robust bracelet, but don’t expect it to curve and conform to your wrist quite as much. I also rather like how Mido has created polished, beveled surfaces on the edge of the bracelet and the case. This offsets the brushed surfaces of the case and bracelet, and pick up the shinier bits found on the ceramic bezel insert and the sapphire crystal.
Underneath that crystal is where I found the most intriguing portion of the Mido Ocean Star Diver 600 – it’s dial. On one hand, it’s clean and legible, and the handset is a unique (as compared to other brands) style that calls to mind canoe paddles (or, at least, to my mind). Under those hands, you’ve got the large surface of the dial. And it’s time to figure out what color it is, right? Well, I know it was a blue dial sent to me, but this dial is one of the deepest, darkest gradients I’ve ever experienced. It’s most definitely black at the center, and a very dark blue in the center. Depending on how the light hits it, your eyes may think that the black extends out to the edges. I suppose this gives one the sense of how color fades away in the depths.
Should you be headed to the depths, or just into a darkened room, you’ll want to know how the lume performs. On the dial and hands, it’s superb. On the ceramic bezel insert, it’s not quite a bright. Which isn’t to say that it’s unreadable, it’s just not as well-done as it is on the dial. Still, I’d rather have a lumed insert than no lume at all. I just think it may prove a little trickier if someone was going to try to use it as an actual dive watch. Speaking of, the dive bezel had a feature I’ve not experienced on another watch as of yet either.
Ostensibly, the Mido Ocean Star Diver 600 is meant for serious time diving, right? Well, you can’t have your bezel getting moved when you’re timing your dive. Most often, this is just addressed with a uni-directional bezel. If those are bumped, it’s just reducing your time under watch. With this watch, there’s an additional step – you actually need to push down on the bezel before you can twist it. Sort of like a child-proof cap. In this case, it’s to prevent the bezel from getting bumped off of its setting. Sort of the best of both worlds – a super stiff spring that loosens up when you press down, still giving you some solid clicky action. Perhaps bad news for bezel fidgeters, but good news for anyone trying to time something.
I was glad I got to spend some time with the $1,700Mido Ocean Star Diver 600. It’s rather unlike any other Mido I’ve had in for review, and is strikingly different than the vintage (mid-80s) quartz Mido Ocean Star President that I have kicking around. However, if you want a dive watch capable of protecting it’s 80-hour COSC movement, well, then this is a watch to check out. It’s large without being obnoxious, and it gets the job done that it sets out to do. And for us land-based desk divers, that means being one great-looking watch with capabilities that far exceed anything we’d subject it to. shopmido.com
Review Summary
- Brand & Model: Mido Ocean Star Diver 600
- Price: $1,700
- Who’s it for? Whether or not you dive, you want something that can take the deep water abuse, all while rocking an accomplished mechanical movement
- Would I wear it?Without a doubt
- What I’d change: How about a more compact version that drops the HEV and lowers the WR?
- The best thing about it: That deep, dark dial. For as simple of an idea as a gradient is, it’s interesting how this one shifts in the light.
Tech Specs from Mido
- Movement
- Automatic Mido Caliber 80 Si (ETA C07.821 base), COSC-certified chronometer, 111?2’’’, Ø25.60 mm, height: 5.22 mm, 25 jewels, 21,600 vph, ELINFLEX mainspring, silicone balance-spring, decorative disc with transferred Si logo on the balance bridge.
- Finely decorated chronometer movement with blued screws, oscillating weight decorated with Geneva stripes and Mido logo.
- Functions: HMSD. Adjusted on 5 different positions for high accuracy.
- Up to 80 hours of power reserve.
- Case
- Satin-finished and polished 316L stainless steel, polished and satin-finished bezel with ceramic ring featuring engraved numerals filled with Super-Luminova Grade X® and a unidirectional blocking function.
- Ø43.5 mm, 2 pieces, sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment on both sides, screwed crown and case back.
- Starfish engraved and polished on the case back, helium valve, finely decorated Si chronometer movement, water-resistant up to a pressure of 60 bar (600 m/1968 ft).
- Bracelet: Satin-finished and polished 316L stainless steel integrated into the case, folding clasp.
- Dial: Lacquered blue, polished applied indexes with white Super-Luminova ®, date at 3 o’clock.
- Hands: Diamond-cut and satin-finished, skeletonised and filled with white Super-Luminova Grade X® for easy readability at night.
