by Tyler Frederick
Watching TV
I believe the most significant era in any form of design was the 70s, and it’s an era I passionately love. Automotive manufacturers were building strange and angular cars (the Alfa Romeo Navajo, for example), interior design saw Japanese and Scandinavian minimalism emerge (two of my favourite design styles), and the watch industry was creating one of my favourite designs of all time, the “TV” styled watch case. When I think of a “TV” watch, the first two that always come to mind are the 1973 MIDO Multi-Star and Commander. Funny enough, the watch I’ve had on my wrist for the last couple of weeks marks the rebirth of those iconic “TV” styled watches: the MIDO Multifort “TV” Big Date.
Key Features of the Mido Multifort TV Big Date
I love the 1970s and the design of this watch, but for some reason, the immediate emotional attachment I felt wasn’t what I was expecting. It brought me back to when I was a kid. As I’ve stated in previous articles, I’ve often referenced that “naive sense of enjoyment” with watches, but this was different. While I was staring at it, I got lost in the thoughts of the 1970s–a time when design wasn’t dictated by “trends,” which transported me to thoughts of my dad and my grandfather and all the stories my dad would tell me about his childhood. When I was a kid, my dad showed me all the video games he used to play and his favourite consoles: Atari 2600, Intellivision, arcade games like Asteroids, Missile Command and many others. We’d play those
for hours on our large grey box Panasonic TV (the connection). I’m a big fan of “retro” video games, and the MIDO Multifort “TV” Big Date transported me right to those simpler times I shared with my dad and my grandparent’s house, where I spent so much time.
While the watch evokes so much emotion and feeling, let’s turn a corner and talk about how fantastic the Multifort “TV” Big Date feels on the wrist. While I mentioned my lack of experience with rectangular or square-cased watches in previous reviews, I can confirm it’s one of the most comfortable watches I’ve had the opportunity to wear. Maybe the emotional side is clouding my judgement slightly, but I’ll stick by it. With its 40mm case diameter, 39.2mm lug-to-lug, 11.5mm thickness and the addition of a 22mm lug width and bracelet (a rubber strap is also an option), the Multifort “TV” Big Date hugs the wrist perfectly, creating something that feels like much more than just a watch, but a seamless extension of your wrist. With the mix of brushed and polished finishing on the case and bracelet, there’s a level of casual meets elegance–the perfect combo for a watch for all occasions.
The dial features the implementation of rectangular (3,6,9) and small circular applied indices, a beautiful grey “sunburst” colour with horizontal-lined texture and, of course, the Big Date complication at 12 o’clock. The date position took me some time to get used to, but once I did, it’s safe to say I’m a fan. The design of the dial is stunning and flows together perfectly, and the touch of texture, almost reminiscent of static on a TV screen, brings it all together. The MIDO Calibre 80 Big Date is powering the watch–a modified Calibre 80 to feature the Big Date complication.
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SPECS
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 40mm Diameter 39.2mm Lug to Lug 11.5mm Thick 22mm Lug Width Screw Down Case Back 100m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Sapphire Crystal Sunburt Gradient Dial Recessed Markers Baton Handset |
| Movement | Calibre 80 Big Date 25 Jewels 21 800bph 40-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Stainless Steel Bracelet/ Rubber Strap |
Mido Multifort TV Big Date
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Quibbles
As much as I love the Multifort “TV” Big Date, I need to address a couple of things. The first is the bracelet, which lacks micro-adjustment. Due to the implementation of a butterfly clasp, the watch doesn’t allow for any micro-adjustment, and it was a tad large on my wrist. While it was still comfortable to wear, I’m the type that likes the watch to feel “locked in place” with little to no movement. The second “quibble” would be the lume pip on the bezel at 12 o’clock. With no other markings on the bezel, the lume pip feels strange and breaks the design. I think it should be removed to keep the bezel clean, but it’s here to stay for now.
Final Thoughts
To keep it short, I think the Multifort “TV” Big Date is a fantastic watch and an excellent option for those looking to enter the Swiss-made side of watch collecting ($1200). The proportions are perfect for any wrist; it’s automatic with a great power reserve and 100m of water resistance, and you can dress it up or dress it down. I’d even say this could be a great “one watch,” but we all know one watch isn’t enough for most. For those looking for your next watch or looking to get a watch you can wear all the time, I suggest checking out the MIDO Multifort “TV” Big Date. Once again, thank you to our friends at Gem Bijou for allowing me to check out this beauty.
Pricing & Availability
The Mido Multifort TV Big Date retials for $1200USD/$1450CAD on the strap and $1270USD/$1500 on the bracelet. For more information, please check out the brand website.
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About the author
Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.
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