Mido Special Edition Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer Ref. M026.829.17.051.00 - A Colourful Throwback with a Modern Traveller's Soul, A Review (plus Video)

The day I got this watch, was a bittersweet day. The career jump that I was expecting didn't materialize. To sooth my sadness, I decided to get something that will be unique to the collection. I chose a Mido, I chose colours to brighten my feelings and I chose a special edition timepiece for a trifecta of meaningful factors. What I got is Mido Special Edition Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer with a matte black dial.

This watch was launched in March 2023. I was eyeing it since then but I did not commit as there were other priorities that I wanted to get first. Anyway, the day arrived where I did commit. The icing-on-the-cake is that I got a good discount on it too. 

 

Mido does not get as much exposure where I come from. Hence, the brand was not deemed to be significant to me when it comes to horology. However, on investigating the brand, I noted a lot of innovations and iconic designs. Despite my many years in this hobby, I still have a lot to learn.  

Seiko Presage Classic Series 145th Anniversary Limited Edition (HCC004J1) - A Quiet Celebration of Japanese Watchmaking, A Review (plus Video)

A month ago, while visiting my favorite watch dealer, he showed me a limited edition piece from Seiko to commemorate its 145th anniversary. It was the Seiko Presage Classic HCC004J1. I really liked it but I was preoccupied with something more urgent. A month later, I was visiting another shop and inquired whether the model was still available. Unfortunately, due to its limited edition nature, cannot find one in Kuala Lumpur. Oh well, perhaps it was never meant to be. Anyway, I was at my dealer's shop asking the same question when he mentioned that perhaps his branch in Johor Bahru may have one. Sure enough, there is one still available.

I picked it up when it came to the shop. The box was rather simple in appearance. 

Seiko's 145th Anniversary Limited Edition Models

The story of Seiko began in 1881 when its founder, Kintaro Hattori, opened a shop in Tokyo’s Ginza district for the sale and repair of timepieces. In the years since, the company has grown alongside Japan’s largest metropolis, creating innovative timepieces that reflect the rich culture and aesthetics that Tokyo has cultivated over generations.

Long Term Assessment: Deep Sea Engineering & Titanium Realities - An Analytical Review of the Tudor Pelagos 500M Blue Dial (Ref. M25600TB-0001)

When examining Tudor, it is impossible to ignore its deep corporate lineage. Registered in February 1926 by watch dealer Philippe Hüther for Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf and formally established as Montres TUDOR S.A. in March 1946, the brand was created to deliver Rolex-level manufacturing standards and reliability at a more accessible price point. Today, with a price differential between contemporary Rolex and Tudor models sitting at roughly 1:2, Tudor represents a compelling alternative for collectors seeking genuine manufacturing quality without extreme brand premiums.

  

After evaluating several options in the brand's catalog, I acquired my very first Tudor timepiece: the Pelagos Blue Dial (Reference M25600TB-0001) back in July 2018. Derived from the Greek word Pelagos meaning "deep sea," this mixed-gas saturation diver stands as the most technically advanced tool watch in Tudor's entire lineup.

Long-Term Assessment: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (Reference 116520) - A Genuine "Grail" Watch

Having developed a strong preference for Rolex Oyster Professional sports models that feature a flat crystal rather than a cyclops lens, my options within the catalog were restricted to just six specific references. Four years after acquiring my first Rolex—the Deepsea Sea-Dweller in 2010—I added my fourth model from the brand, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Reference 116520, to my collection. Purchased through an authorized dealer in Kuala Lumpur, the final choice came down to an in-person wrist comparison between the black and white dial variants, with the white dial ultimately winning out for its striking legibility and contrast.

 

Head-To-Head: Beyond 1969 - A Three-Way Showdown of Iconic 1970s Heritage Chronographs

Following my deep dive into the automatic chronograph revolution of 1969, my collecting journey as a statistician and financial analyst has naturally extended into the late 1960s and 1970s—a golden era of racing, flight, and space-age industrial design.

 In my previous writeup, I highlighted three specific models as the ideal next chapter for expanding a 1969/1970s heritage chronograph cluster. Today, we are putting those three exact timepieces from my collection head-to-head in a standalone showdown: the TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Racing Green Titanium Limited Edition (Ref. CAW218E.FC6565) (alongside the Carrera Glass Box), the Tissot Heritage 1973 Limited Edition (Ref. T124.427.16.031.00), and the Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Chronometer Chronograph Mark II (Ref. 327.10.43.50.01.001).

Head-To-Head: The 1969 Trinity - Unlocking the Holy Grail of Automatic Chronographs

If you have been following my horological journey, you know that my appreciation for watch collecting went into full bloom back in 2010. From my career perspective as a statistician since 1990, an actuarial analyst since 1992, a financial analyst since 1994, and a financial engineer since 2008, I bring an analytical eye to technical specifications, movement architecture, value-for-money, and historical design ethos.

In the entire history of horology, no single year holds more legendary status for chronograph enthusiasts than 1969. It was the watershed year when three independent, competing horological factions simultaneously unlocked what was long considered the Holy Grail of mechanical watchmaking: the automatic chronograph movement.

Those three historic factions were:

1. Zenith, which unveiled the high-beat El Primero.
2. Seiko, which introduced the Caliber 6139—the world’s first automatic chronograph featuring both a column wheel and a vertical clutch.
3. The Project 99 Consortium (Heuer, Breitling, Buren-Hamilton, and Dubois Depraz), which developed the micro-rotor Caliber 11 "Chrono-Matic".

To mark the 50th anniversary of that momentous 1969 race, members of all three historic groups released special commemorative timepieces. After acquiring the tribute models from Seiko and Hamilton, I was finally able to complete my personal "1969 Trinity" with the addition of the Zenith Revival.

Today, we are putting these three 50th-anniversary milestone chronographs from my collection head-to-head: the Zenith Chronomaster Revival El Primero A384 (Ref. 03.A384.400/21.C815), the Seiko Prospex Automatic Chronograph 50th Anniversary "Panda" Limited Edition (Ref. SRQ029J1 / SBEC005), and the Hamilton American Classic Chrono-Matic 50 Auto Chrono Limited Edition (Ref. H51616731).

Deep Dive: Tanks of the East - Tracing the ISO-Tested Evolution of Orient’s Legendary M-Force Collection

Established on July 13, 1950, Orient is currently operating as a subsidiary of the Seiko Epson Corporation and occupies a unique space in Japanese watchmaking. Unlike other manufacturers that lean heavily on external outsourcing, Orient remains fiercely independent, designing and manufacturing all of its robust movements entirely in-house.

 

At the absolute peak of Orient's tool-watch catalog sits an iconic, over-engineered lineage: the M-Force series. First launched in 1997, the "M" in M-Force stands for three definitive principles: Mechanical (running solely on kinetic energy, without batteries or solar), Massive (solid, shock-resistant architecture), and Maverick (daring, original, and visually distinct design language). In 2020, Orient introduced a fourth "M"—Magnificent—to capture the raw, volcanic power of the Earth through a revived design catalog.

To fully appreciate this "Mechanical Force," we must dive into the history of the collection. Today, I am taking an analytical look at the timeline of the M-Force series, using the four distinct models in my personal collection—the stainless steel WV0021, the left-handed WV0091E "Beast," the pioneering titanium DV01002B, and the geometric SEL07002B0 "Delta"—to trace how Orient has evolved this legendary line over the decades.

 

Brand Cluster: Supersonic Travel and Tactical Trenches - A Dual-Headed Showdown of Glycine's Ultimate Tool Watches

If you have been following my horological journey, you know that my appreciation for watch collecting went into full bloom years ago. From my career perspective as a statistician and financial analyst—with a professional background in actuarial work and financial engineering—I bring an analytical eye to technical specifications, value-for-money, and historical design ethos.

 

When it comes to historic Swiss tool watches that offer immense heritage without demanding astronomical premiums, Glycine is a brand that occupies a special place in my collection. Founded in 1914 by the ingenious Eugène Meylan in Bienne, Switzerland, Glycine has a celebrated history of manufacturing robust, purpose-built military and aviation watches. Today, we are putting two distinct, vintage-inspired Swiss automatic models from my collection head-to-head: the Combat 6 Vintage (Reference GL0122) (below left) and the Airman SST 43 GMT (Reference GL0311) (below right).

 

 

Brand Cluster: The Rado Watch Company - The Alchemists of Lengnau - A Three-Way Showdown of Rado’s Toughest Divers

If you have been following my horological journey, you know that my appreciation for watch collecting went into full bloom years ago. From my career perspective as a statistician and financial analyst, I have an analytical eye for technical precision, value-for-money, and—above all else—material innovation.

 

When it comes to mastering avant-garde materials, there is one Swiss brand that has captured my attention from a technological standpoint: Rado. Originally founded in 1917 as Schlup & Co. in Lengnau, Switzerland, the company began selling watches under the "Rado" brand name in the 1950s. Since then, they have built a reputation as the pioneering "Master of Materials".

Today, we are putting three distinct Rado dive watches from my collection head-to-head: the vintage-inspired Captain Cook 42 mm Automatic Green (Reference R32505313), the high-tech Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver (Reference R32144202), and the retro-classic Original Diastar Diver Automatic (Model R12639023).

 

  

 

Brand Cluster: The Ball Watch Company - the Underrated King of Over-Engineered Swiss Watches

If you’ve been following my horological journey, you already know that technical innovation and sheer, unadulterated robustness are the absolute cornerstones of my watch collection. Ever since my love for watches went into full-bloom, I've been fascinated by the clever engineering required to make a tiny mechanical object survive extreme environments.

Today, we are looking at three Swiss-made heavyweights from the BALL Watch Company—a brand whose DNA is forever welded to the American railroad safety standards of 1891. Specifically, we are comparing my Engineer Hydrocarbon AeroGMT (Reference DG2016A-SC-BK), the monumental Engineer Hydrocarbon DeepQUEST (Reference DM3000A-SCJ-BK), and the vintage-inspired Engineer II Skindiver Heritage Blue (Reference DM3208B-P1-BE).