Mido SA is a manufacturer of
Swiss
Swiss most commonly refers to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Swiss may also refer to: Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
* Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
* Swiss Café, an old café located ...
luxury
watches
A watch is a Clock, timepiece carried or worn by a person. It is designed to maintain a consistent movement despite the motions caused by the person's activities. A wristwatch is worn around the wrist, attached by a watch strap or another typ ...
. The company was founded in 1918 and is under the
Swatch group brand umbrella.
History
Mido was founded in 1918 by George G. Schaeren in
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. ''Mido'' comes from the
Spanish phrase ''Yo mido'' meaning ''"I measure"''. In the 1920s, Mido introduced ladies' watches with color-enameled shaped cases and modern straps as well as timepieces for gentlemen in
art deco
Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
style. Mido found
a market in the flourishing automotive market by producing watches in the shape of radiator grills of a wide range of brands such as
Buick
Buick () is a division (business), division of the Automotive industry in the United States, American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American automobil ...
,
Bugatti
Automobiles Ettore Bugatti was a German then French automotive industry, manufacturer of high performance vehicle, high-performance automobiles. The company was founded in 1909 in the then-German Empire, German city of Molsheim, Alsace, by the ...
,
Fiat
Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., commonly known as simply Fiat ( , ; ), is an Italian automobile manufacturer. It became a part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in 2014 and, in 2021, became a subsidiary of Stellantis through its Italian division, Stellant ...
,
Ford,
Excelsior,
Hispano-Suiza, etc.
In 1934, Mido launched the Multifort design,
the first Mido to use a
self-winding automatic movement. It was shock-resistant, anti-magnetic and water-resistant. In that same year Mido launched watches with unbreakable
mainsprings. This was also the very first time that any watch manufacturer utilized this type of spring within the marketplace. During this time period, Mido used a Robot as its ambassador as a symbol of progress and robustness. A comic strip from this era featured the Mido Robot and its adventures.
[ The attraction of Mido Watches](_blank)
[History of Mido watches](_blank)
In 1945, Mido became the first manufacturer to introduce a central-read
chronograph wherein the stopwatch function had all its hands arranged at the center. In 1954 the firm launched the world's most efficient winding mechanism.
In 1954, Mido released the Powerwind collection, which included highly accurate watches with self-winding movements.
Mido released its Commander model in 1959, which utilized a one-piece case design. In 1967 Mido was distinguished as the maker of the world's thinnest ladies watch.
In 1970 Mido launched the Aquadura Crown Sealing system, which makes use of an all-natural
cork which is handled and formed to insure its water resistant qualities. This technique is utilized to seal the crown, the most susceptible place on a watch to water leakage.
During the nineties, the Mido World Timer was launched. This was a practical display that can show the local time anywhere on the planet. The user must bring the desired city to the 12 o’clock position and press the crown to check the local time.
Mido is recognized as one of the top 10 producers of certified
chronometers. With 61,358 automatic movements produced in 2013, Mido is currently ranked number four in the production of chronometers in the
Swiss watch industry.
Today, Mido is a part of the
Swatch Group, headquartered in
Le Locle, Switzerland. It also has a branch office in
Shanghai
Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
, China.
Official page
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References
Further reading
*Kathleen H. Pritchard, ''Swiss Timepiece Makers, 1775-1975''. Phoenix Publishing, 1997.
External links
Official website
Mido historie
{{Authority control
The Swatch Group
Swiss companies established in 1918
Manufacturing companies established in 1918
Swiss watch brands
Companies based in the canton of Neuchâtel