Mido
I’m back after a bit of a break, and today I want to show you one of my favourite watches in the collection: the Mido Baroncelli Chronograph, in a beautiful ivory dial. I bought this one for an anniversary a few years back — I wanted a genuinely Swiss watch, with a Swiss movement, and after a lot of searching, this is the one I landed on. I’ve worn it a lot since, and it’s never let me down.
Mido was founded in Switzerland in 1918 — the name comes from the Spanish phrase “yo mido,” meaning “I measure.” Today the brand is part of the Swatch Group, and while it’s not a household name in the US, it’s much better known in Europe. What drew me to this particular piece is that it’s one of the most beautiful dress watches I’ve seen that’s also a genuine chronograph — and the finishing backs that up completely.
The dial is the star here. It’s not white, and it’s not yellow — it’s a rich, creamy ivory that shifts and shines depending on the light, almost pearly at times. The applied hour markers and hands catch and play with that light beautifully, and the chronograph sub-dials at 12 and 6 are executed with real restraint. For a chronograph, this is an understated, elegant dial — exactly what you want from a dress watch that happens to do more.
Inside is Mido’s Caliber 1320, based on the venerable Valjoux 7750, and Mido has decorated it nicely. Through the sapphire display caseback you can watch the rotor spin and the chronograph mechanism do its thing. Running the chronograph is genuinely satisfying — the pushers have a crisp, positive click, the seconds hand sweeps at high frequency, and resetting it snaps cleanly back to 12 every time. Beyond the chronograph, you get day and date complications too, so it’s a watch that’s as useful as it is good-looking.
The case is 42mm wide, about 13.7mm thick, and roughly 50mm lug-to-lug, all in polished stainless steel — the execution and polish on the case is genuinely tremendous for the price. Sapphire crystal front and back with a double anti-reflective coating keeps things legible and protected. On my 8.25-8.5 inch wrist, it sits beautifully.
A couple of caveats: it’s rated to 50m water resistance, but with a push-back caseback I wouldn’t take it swimming. And as a dress watch, there’s no lume to speak of — don’t expect this one to glow in the dark.
Retail on this watch was around $1900, but Mido doesn’t make this particular model anymore — I’ve seen them go for as little as $700 on eBay, and around $1500 on other sites. For a genuinely Swiss-made automatic chronograph with this level of dial and movement finishing, that’s an exceptional price. If you’re after a beautiful, complication-packed dress watch and you’re willing to look at the secondhand market, the Baroncelli Chronograph is well worth tracking down.
Verdict
Out of everything in my collection, this might still be my favourite. The Mido Baroncelli Chronograph is the rare watch that delivers on every front: it's genuinely Swiss-made with a Swiss movement, the ivory dial and applied details look stunning in person, and the Valjoux 7750-based movement beats away visibly behind a sapphire caseback. I bought it for an anniversary because I wanted a real Swiss watch, and it's never disappointed — I get compliments on it constantly. Mido doesn't make this exact model anymore, but that's good news for buyers, because it means you can often find one secondhand for a fraction of the original $1900 retail price. If you want a genuine dress chronograph with real watchmaking behind it and you're willing to shop the used market, this is one of the best-kept secrets in Swiss watches.
Reviewed by
Five Minute Watch Reviews
Independent watch reviewer covering affordable mechanical watches. Every watch covered has been worn personally — purchased, gifted, or borrowed and disclosed. Review scores reflect genuine hands-on experience only. See our editorial policy.
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