The Mido Multifort TV Big Date S01E01 is a 999-piece statement watch built around an analog-television test-screen dial. Its playful colors and square “TV” case are backed by serious everyday hardware: a sapphire crystal, 100-meter water resistance, and an automatic Caliber 80 with an 80-hour reserve. At its announced €1,550 price, the real question is not whether it is technically credible, but whether you value its collectible design more than instant time legibility.
A test-screen concept in a serious sports-watch case
Mido’s reference M049.526.11.081.01 takes the Multifort TV shape associated with the brand’s 1973, 1980 and 2000 designs and fills it with a three-dimensional, multicolored geometric dial. The pattern is intended to recreate an analog television test screen, making the watch recognizable from across a room.
The square case is not a novelty shell around basic components. Polished and brushed surfaces give it the substantial, finished feel expected of a Swiss sports watch, while the exhibition back turns the movement into part of the visual appeal.
What it is like on the wrist
Dimensions and wrist presence
| Specification | Mido Multifort TV Big Date S01E01 |
|---|---|
| Case width | 40 mm |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm |
| Lug-to-lug | 46.85 mm |
| Bracelet width | 22 mm |
| Water resistance | 10 bar (100 m / 330 ft) |
| Crystal | Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment on both sides |
At 40 mm wide and 46.85 mm lug-to-lug, it is more compact than the case shape initially suggests. The angular outline creates strong wrist presence without requiring an oversized diameter. At 11.5 mm thick, it remains practical under most sleeves, although the square profile and bright dial make it visually louder than a conventional round sports watch.
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#1 Best Overall
- Swiss Made Watch for Men and Women
- Movement: Automatic Mido Caliber - Power reserve 80 hours
- Case Type: Stainless steel case with see-through case back|screw-down crown
- Case Size: 40mm - Case Thickness: 11.48mm - Crystal: Sapphire crystal with double sided anti-reflection treatment
- Strap: Black Fabric Strap with Pin Buckle Closure - Lug Width: 22mm
Hands-on impressions describe a snug fit and a substantial feel. The combination of brushed and polished surfaces supplies a more luxurious impression than the colorful theme alone might imply.
The dial’s strength is also its compromise
The dial is the reason to buy this edition. Blocks of color and raised geometry translate the television test image into a watch display rather than merely printing a logo or pattern on a flat surface. The result is distinctive, playful and difficult to confuse with another Multifort.
That decoration competes with the hands and markers. The visual noise means reading the exact time is not immediate, especially at a glance or in changing light. Fratello Watches’ Lex Stolk summarized the trade-off directly: “Determining what time it is exactly is not a forte of the Multifort TV Big Date S01E01.” It is therefore better understood as a carefully executed theme watch than as a pure legibility-first tool watch.
Rank #2
- Swiss Made Watch for Men and Women
- Movement: Automatic Mido Caliber - Power reserve 80 hours
- Case Type: Stainless steel case with see-through case back|screw-down crown
- Case Size: 40mm - Case Thickness: 11.48mm - Crystal: Sapphire crystal with double sided anti-reflection treatment
- Strap: Stainless Steel Bracelet with Folding Clasp Closure - Lug Width: 22mm
Movement and functions
Caliber 80 automatic
Inside is Mido Caliber 80, based on ETA C07.651. It runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour, uses 25 jewels and provides up to 80 hours of power reserve. The movement supports hand-winding and uses a Nivachron balance spring, intended to improve resistance to magnetic fields and everyday disturbances.
The display provides hours, minutes, seconds and an instantaneous big date. The large date is the practical counterpoint to the artistic dial: it gives the watch a useful calendar complication while preserving the model’s bold identity.
Exhibition back
A transparent case back shows the rotor, decorated with Côtes de Genève and a MIDO logo. This finishing is visible rather than hidden beneath a solid back, giving owners a mechanical focal point when the watch is off the wrist.
Rank #3
- Swiss Made Watch for Men and Women
- Movement: Automatic Mido Caliber - Power reserve 80 hours
- Case Type: Stainless steel case with see-through case back|screw-down crown
- Case Size: 40mm - Case Thickness: 11.48mm - Crystal: Sapphire crystal with double sided anti-reflection treatment
- Strap: Orange Rubber Strap with Pin Buckle Closure - Lug Width: 22mm
Bracelet, straps and water resistance
The watch arrives on a 22 mm stainless-steel bracelet with polished center links and a push-button deployant clasp. Two additional rubber straps are included: one yellow and one turquoise blue. Each uses relief motifs and a stainless-steel tang buckle.
The three supplied wearing options change the watch’s character considerably. The bracelet emphasizes its polished, luxury-sport side; the yellow strap amplifies the test-screen colors; and the turquoise strap offers a cooler contrast. If you buy a replacement, verify both the 22 mm lug width and the buckle dimensions rather than assuming every nominally 22 mm strap will fit perfectly.
A screw-down crown and 10-bar rating provide 100 meters (330 feet) of water resistance. Together with the sapphire crystal, that makes the watch suitable for swimming and normal water exposure, subject to the usual checks that the crown is fully screwed down and seals are maintained. It is not a substitute for a dedicated dive watch.
Rank #4
- Swiss Made Watch for Men and Women
- Movement: Automatic Mido Caliber - Power reserve 80 hours
- Case Type: Stainless steel case with see-through case back|screw-down crown
- Case Size: 40mm - Case Thickness: 11.48mm - Crystal: Sapphire crystal with double sided anti-reflection treatment
- Strap: Blue Rubber Strap with Pin Buckle Closure - Lug Width: 22mm
Limited production and the €1,550 question
How scarce is it?
Mido announced production of 999 pieces. That is a defined limited run rather than an open-ended colorway, so scarcity is part of the model’s appeal. The number alone does not guarantee future appreciation, but it does distinguish the S01E01 from a regular-production Multifort TV Big Date.
What the launch price buys
Fratello Watches and Time and Watches reported an announced suggested price of €1,550 in 2024. For that amount, the package combines a decorated, highly individual case and dial with sapphire, 100-meter water resistance, an 80-hour automatic movement, a steel bracelet and two colored rubber straps.
The value judgment depends on priorities. If you want the clearest possible dial or the broadest styling flexibility, a conventional Multifort or another accessible Swiss sports watch may make more sense. If the test-screen design is the point, the limited production and complete strap set make the premium easier to understand.
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- Swiss Made Watch for Men and Women
- Movement: Automatic Mido Caliber - Power reserve 80 hours
- Case Type: Stainless steel with Black PVD coating - See-through case back|screw-down crown
- Case Size: 40mm - Case Thickness: 11.48mm - Crystal: Sapphire crystal with double sided anti-reflection treatment
- Strap: Blue Fabric Strap with Pin Buckle Closure - Lug Width: 22mm
Who should buy the S01E01?
It suits you if
- You want a watch with an immediately identifiable shape and dial.
- You enjoy 1970s-inspired design but still expect modern sapphire, water resistance and automatic performance.
- You will use the bracelet and both supplied rubber straps to change the look.
- You regard limited production as part of the ownership experience.
Look elsewhere if
- Instant, at-a-glance legibility is your top requirement.
- You prefer understated colors or a traditional round case.
- You are paying mainly for movement specifications rather than the design concept and scarcity.
Verdict
The Mido Multifort TV Big Date S01E01 succeeds because the theme is integrated into a properly built watch. Its 40 mm angular case wears securely, the finishing adds polish, and the Caliber 80 supplies an unusually useful 80-hour reserve. The sapphire crystal, 100-meter rating and three-strap package make it practical beyond a display cabinet.
Its limitation is inseparable from its appeal: the test-pattern dial can obscure the time. At €1,550, this is best viewed as a collectible statement piece for someone who wants Mido’s television-inspired identity first and maximum legibility second.
Quick Recap
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