Mido’s Latest Ocean Star is a Colorful Throwback to Classic Skin Divers

For those of you who are after a sports watch with a bit more than the usual subtle splash of color, Mido’s newest entry in the Ocean Star line will be of interest. Much more than a splash, this is a veritable tidal wave of retro inspired pastels in a case that brings to mind many classic divers of the past. Priced just over $1,000, the new Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 Limited Edition (a watch begging for a snappy nickname if ever there was one) is the very definition of a fun, sporty, and uber-casual sports from a brand that we unfortunately rarely give proper consideration. Let’s change that as we take a closer look at Mido’s new offering.

Mido Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961

• Case Material: Stainless steel
• Dial: Multicolor
• Dimensions: 40.5 x 13.4mm
• Crystal: Sapphire        
• Water Resistance: 200 meters
• Crown: Screw down                       
• Movement: Mido Caliber 80
• Strap/bracelet: Mesh bracelet with additional leather straps
• Price: $1,250
• Reference Number: M026.807.11.051.00
• Expected Release: Available now 

The Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 is an homage of sorts to the Ocean Star Skin Diver of the 1960s. Skin divers are enjoying a bit of a renaissance as of late as new watch fans explore watches of the past that offer great value. A skin diver can be loosely defined as a dive watch on the casual, lower priced end of the dive watch spectrum. Sean Lorentzen went in depth on this niche diver genre here, but to summarize, you can think of these watches as the most casual, least “professional” among dive watches of the 60s, and were often produced by brands who shared case and movement suppliers. They also tend to be lightweight, slim, and easy to wear.

The Mido seen here is obviously defined by its multicolored dial, which is functional if you’re a diver, but just fun to look at if you’re not. The idea here is that the multicolored concentric circles can be used to time compression stops when used in concert with the rotating dive bezel. This is a calculation that has been taken over by the dive computer, so we don’t typically see these scales on newer dive watches. It’s a fun throwback, made better by the unique use of color. While blue and green highlights are quite common on sports watches at the moment, it’s a bit more rare to see pink and yellow, and all of them used together, in these light shades, is just really enjoyable. 

Mido, you’ll remember, is part of the Swatch Group, so this Ocean Star, like others in the product line, has the benefit of being outfitted with a fairly tech forward movement that doesn’t drive up the cost of the watch substantially. The Mido Caliber 80 uses a base ETA C07.621, and is an automatic movement with a date and an 80 hour power reserve.

The Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961 is available now from Mido with a retail price of $1,250. Mido