What better way to test the Mido Ocean Star Tribute than diving off of a 27 meter cliff? Just kidding, I did not jump off a professional diving cliff, nor did any of the athletes wear watches while diving. What I did do though, was watch this years 2024 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series held in the Old Port of Montreal while wearing the Ocean Star Tribute Ref. M026.830.11.051.00 – and indulging in a series of Red Bull vodka cocktails courtesy of Mido.
While the event was exhilarating to watch, with big names such as Molly Carlson and Aidan Heslop, who by the way both managed to snag first place positions – I was equally intrigued with the Special Edition wonder on my wrist. As the competition went on I found myself gazing down at the watch more frequently than I normally do to enjoy the retro glare of the crystal and the glide of the burnt orange lollypop seconds hand.
Well Put Together Dial
The main aspect that attracted me to this watch in the first place was the dial. The case of the watch is relatively the same as the rest of the Ocean Star lineup including the popular Decompression Timer. The dial on this variant here is significantly more traditional, but far from boring in its execution. You’ll notice the triangular 12’oclock marker in the same creamy off white color as the rest of the hour markers which is actually unique to this reference. The other colors available have stark white indices, and while I usually steer away from any kind of “faux patina” attempts I let it slide this time and ended up really enjoying the aesthetic.
The orange seconds hand is also unique to this variant, and it added some nice interest to the watch considering it has a regular black dial. Not that extreme precision is needed when reading a seconds hand, but it has a surprisingly strong contrast against the black dial, more so than say the backdrop of a white dial.
Another reason I went with this watch for the day was to match my attire. As watch collectors and enthusiast we still need to be mindful of the basics at times. I knew I’d be wearing some kind of dark jeans with my military green shirt, and so I didn’t want any harsh color clashes on my wrist. The good old classic black diver with a stainless steel case was going polish off the days wardrobe just fine.
One thing I really loved about the watch was its tendency to warp, or distort the dial due to the accentuated domed sapphire crystal. Yes it absolutely makes reading the watch at an angle slightly more difficult, but the trade off comes in the form of fun as it gives off the sense of a vintage diver that are notorious for their overly bubbled scratch magnet acrylic crystals.
Fit on Wrist
Once again there’s not a ton to report on here considering this Special Edition is using the same case as the rest of the Ocean Star lineup that we’ve reviewed before. What I can say is that it just reconfirms what I had initially experienced, the case sizing, proportions, and weight are absolutely excellent for a modern diver.
The watch did not drag attention to itself as some larger dive watches can, due to their cumbersome weight on wrist. The watch felt very lightweight, especially since I had it on the nylon diver strap that’s included as an additional accessory inside the box. I had the strap pulled quite tight and I did not notice any side gouging from the case or crown guards, and the starfish caseback felt smooth and easily wearable for extended periods of time. I’ve said it before, but this is an outstanding diver for its price point, it feels like Mido really put in lots of effort to make sure the watch is perfect in all regards.
Same Reliable Movement
We’re all quite familiar now with the inner workings of the Mido Caliber 80, which is of course also inside the Ocean Star Tribute. It’s not the most exhilarating movement by any means, but it does what Mido needs it to do, which is to power their main range of watches reliably, accurately, and within certain sizing constraints. The 80 hour power reserve is nice to have, and an indirect perk of the movement is to allow Mido to create such excellent case shapes.
Final Thoughts
Overall it was a very enjoyable sunny day with the Ocean Star Tribute on wrist during a world class event here in Montreal. I did notice a few Submariners on the wrists of some spectators, but I felt right at home wearing the event’s main partner brand on wrist.
It was also fun to gaze up to the highest diving board and see an Ocean Star dial emblazoned on the side of it, while at the same time having one on my wrist, it certainly was a good vibe. You really can’t go wrong with one of, if not Mido’s best line of watches if you’re looking to pick up a new entry level Swiss sports watch.
Great write and pictures Matthew. Thank You! I am interested in the watch’s dimensions, though was even more interested in the Ocean Stars wearability, and You covered that well.
Thanks very much for the input. I glazed through some of the specs, but I’m going to try to add them into a chart soon. Cheers