Mido’s Commander 1959 Pixel time travels to the disco dimension
Buffy Acacia- Blending the Mido Commander 1959’s vintage style with modernity, this Pixel edition finds itself in a world of retro joy.
- The dial’s sporadic pixels explore a gradient of tones from blue to purple to pink, some of them luminous after dark.
- It’s powered by the Calibre 80 with its 80-hour power reserve, and the 37mm round case is versatile for any gender.
For better or for worse, pretension dwells at the heart of watchmaking. That’s what makes it so exciting when a brand isn’t afraid to run with a concept that’s playful for play’s sake, stripping away any stuffy ideas of needless justification. Smashing together two totally different worlds, the Mido Commander 1959 Pixel takes a heritage watch and grants it a new lease on life with a pixellated, multi-coloured dial. Paired with the convenience of an 80-hour automatic movement, it’s a watch you’d wear whenever you want to bring out some smiles.
Despite a highly contemporary approach to the design of the Mido Commander 1959 Pixel, its combination of disparate time periods almost seems to find a perfect resting place in retro nostalgia. The case, bracelet and dial layout, all typical of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, are pulled forwards by the pixel dial into a late ‘70s or ‘80s realm. I can see how Mido may have been aiming for something even more modern, but the whole watch practically looks like a disco ball, complete with the blue, pink and purple lighting of a dance club. The effect is all the more pronounced at night thanks to coloured Super-LumiNova, making some of those squares glow in low light. The whole thing glitters, enhanced by a grained texture and the scattered, uneven pixel distribution. The various applied dial components add to the light show too, with their facets easily catching the light between brushed and polished surfaces.
Echoing the sleek style of the original Mido Commander from 1959, the 37mm pebble case has been slightly upsized for modern tastes. It doesn’t sacrifice any of the original’s style though, complete with its channeled bezel and complete lack of lugs in favour of an integrated Milanese mesh bracelet. It’s a 2-piece case, meaning that the bezel is part of the monocoque case, helping to keep the thickness down at 10.5mm tall. That’s surprisingly slender for an automatic watch, and the 50m of water resistance reduces any water anxiety, while still not being recommended for swimming. Having no lugs, the 37mm case diameter is also its length, making it perfectly flexible to wear for any gender. Another fascinating aspect of this Mido is its use of an acrylic crystal, which isn’t only true to the vintage examples, but a nice option for those who never embraced the sapphire hype. Acrylic often imparts a softer, more diffused glow from lighting reflections, and the scratches it accrues from being a relatively soft plastic can easily be polished out at home with simple plastic polishing compound and a microfibre cloth.
As a member of the Swatch Group family, Mido benefits from being one of the last remaining brands to have unfettered access to ETA movements. The Calibre 80 is based on the ETA C07.621, which has become somewhat of a modern classic in ETA’s catalogue. The architecture is based on the ever-reliable ETA 2824-2, but has a slower beat rate of 21,600vph and a much longer power reserve of 80 hours. It’s an automatic movement but can be topped up by hand, and the calibre is hidden by a solid caseback that’s decorated with some specifications and Mido’s Ocean Star shield.
Mido Commander 1959 Pixel price and availability
The Mido Commander 1959 Pixel is available now. We will have extremely limited stock of this model in the Time+Tide Shop. Price: US$740
| Brand | Mido |
| Model | Commander 1959 Pixel |
| Reference | M8429.4.N7.11 |
| Case Dimensions | 37mm (D) x 10.5mm (T) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Acrylic |
| Dial | Blue, pink, and purple pixels, some of which are luminous |
| Lug Width | Integrated |
| Strap | Stainless steel Milanese mesh bracelet |
| Movement | Calibre 80, ETA C07.621 base, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 80 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Available now |
| Price | US$740 |