MIDO Ocean Star 39

Something in the water

MIDO debuted its Ocean Star in 1959, featuring an innovative “Aquadura” system in a single shell case that did not allow water ingress from the back—though it had trademarked the name in 1944, and its starfish logo in 1942. While the system lives on the brand’s Commander line, MIDO has continued to innovate and grow its Ocean Star Collection with a number of winning designs in recent years. I think particularly of the Tribute and the 44mm Ocean Star GMT launched in 2019 and 2020 respectively, which breathed new life into the line and were a watershed for subsequent models: the 200, the Decompression World Timer, the Tribute, the 200C, and the 600 Chronometer.

As 2024 marks the 80^th anniversary of the Ocean Star trademark, MIDO has chosen to celebrate the occasion with a trio of new stainless-steel divers (and a PVD version) that they are calling the Ocean Star 39. Slim, trim, and affordably priced, the Ocean Star 39 looks like another winning combination. Let’s take a look.

Key Features of the MIDO Ocean Star 39

Unlike many models in the collection, the Ocean Star 39 is a wholly new design for MIDO and not based on past iterations. At 39mm in diameter, it is the smallest dive watch in the MIDO stable. But even more impressive is the 10.5mm case thickness, which makes the Ocean Star 39 one of the slimmest 200m divers out there in its price point (and beyond). The lug to lug is a respectable 46mm and the 20mm lug width will open up a world of aftermarket strap options, as well.

At these dimensions, the Ocean Star is certainly easy-wearing. It cuts a classic, symmetrical shape with a nicely sized, unprotected screw down crown. It is also predominantly brushed. The case back is solid and sports a stamped version of the starfish emblem; however, it secured by six screws—rather than being screwed down.

The dial

While most of this sounds familiar, the Ocean Star 39 is no wallflower. Under its sapphire crystal, in all three versions, we find a uniquely embossed wave dial. In the grey and blue colourways, this has been finished in an immaculate two-tone gradient. Whereas the champagne version is solid. Each sports a unidirectional bezel, with a complementary aluminum insert.

The hour markers are applied and equipped with polished steel surrounds to match the baton handset. In the champagne colourway, these are finished in gold PVD. If you look closely, you can see that the markers and the dial text appear to rise and fall out of the three-dimensional wave pattern, creating the illusion of depth and movement. The dial elements and bezel pip are all treated in Super-LumiNova.

The bracelet

Each of the stainless-steel versions comes on a satin-finished, oyster-style bracelet—though the centre links sport polished chamfers. The band tapers from 20mm at the lugs to 16mm at the folding clasp, which is activated by a push-button release. The clasp is also equipped with an on-the-fly micro-adjusting system.

The movement

The big changeup here is the new movement, however. In the Ocean Star 39, the Calibre 80 is replaced by the Calibre 72. While this is the first time MIDO uses the movement, similar variations have popped up in other Swatch Group timepieces. The Calibre 72 is based on the ETA A31.111 and is a 3.5Hz movement with—you guessed it—a 72-hour power reserve. The calibre is also outfitted with an anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring.

Specs

Case	316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 46mm Lug to Lug 10.5mm Thick /w Glass 20mm Lug Width Unidirectional Bezel Screwed Crown 200m Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Sapphire Glass /w AR Embossed Gradient Dial Applied Indexes Baton Handset Super-LumiNova
Movement	Mido Calibre 72 (ETA A31.111 Base) Nivachron Balance Spring 21 jewels 25, 200bph 72-Hour Power Reserve
Strap	Oyster-style Stainless Steel Bracelet /w Folding Clasp & Micro-adjust

^{MIDO Ocean Star 39}

Final Thoughts

Your appreciation for the MIDO Ocean Star 39 will come down to how you feel about the embossed dials and their various finishes. The safe move would have been to include a solid matte version. However, MIDO already offers plenty of those in the Ocean Star Collection and these dials really do make a splash. The champagne colourway, in particular, makes for an upscale diver with its gold PVD accents. No matter what, I can’t help but think that you are getting a lot of watch for your money here. Case and dial finishing punch well above the price tag, and the slender proportions have much more expensive 200m divers on the ropes (think BB54…). Variations of the movement (L888), too, can be found in the Longines Spirit and Conquest collections, which are more than double the price.

In short, the MIDO Ocean Star 39 is a dive watch fit for an 80th anniversary celebration. It has character and personality in spades. With a dollop of summer fun, as well.

Pricing & Availability

The MIDO Ocean Star retails for $1000USD ($1400CAD). For more information, please visit the brand website.

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About the author

Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.

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