Swatch Group’s Sleeper Brand Debuts an Affordable Everyday Watch with Rolex Vibes

Every watch brand needs a solid “GADA” watch.

While not an official category like dive watches or dress watches, GADA (Go Anywhere, Do Anything) watches are arguably the most versatile watch style there is and are suitable for all occasions.

They’re dressy enough for formal occasions and sporty enough for casual wear. They’re built to be worn, with decidedly rugged cases and bracelets, usually in stainless steel, and enough water resistance that you’ll never have to worry about getting it wet. They have lume for nighttime visibility and are moderately sized for comfort. And they’re uncomplicated, displaying only the time and maybe the date.

In the luxury watch world, there is no shortage of these everyday GADA watches, especially from Rolex. The Oyster Perpetual, Datejust and Explorer all fill the role quite nicely, with their high price and, in some cases, elusiveness being the only real knocks against them.

Luckily, many affordable brands offer similar vibes to Rolex’s GADA watches for decidedly less money, with the latest being Mido’s new Commander Datoday.

Mido

Go Commando

Mido’s reworked Commander Datoday gives the model more timeless, agreeable styling compared to the older model, with new Rolex-ish baton indices replacing the older dot indices. Paired with the faceted fencepost hands and sunburst finishing, the dial has a nice, streamlined look.

The day-date complication remains, hence the “Datoday” in the model name, appearing in a framed window at 3:00. The placement of the window is admittedly a little odd, as it’s positioned closer to the handset than I would like. The positive here is that it means the 3:00 index is uninterrupted, but I think I’d prefer a cutoff index if it meant the day and date were closer to the edge of the dial.

Dual minute and second tracks, with Arabic markings on the rehaut for minutes and quarter-seconds tracked between the indices, add heightened sportiness to go along with the dressiness of the faux onyx-filled hands and indices. Super-LumiNova fills portions of the hour hand, minute hand and all hour markers, with just enough applied to be useful.

Mido

The stainless steel case measures 40mm across and just 10.7mm thick. It is round and nondescript with straight lugs that curve down slightly and an AR-coated box sapphire that sits proud of the case, adding a bit of retro flair.

There’s a second sapphire crystal on the caseback showing off the mildly decorated ETA movement: a day-date equipped Powermatic 80 automatic with an 80-hour power reserve and anti-magnetic Nivachron hairspring. Water resistance is a solid 50m.

Lastly, we have the bracelet, which, like the case and dial, is pretty basic, agreeable and Rolex-ish. It’s a steel Oyster-style affair that’s mostly brushed, with a folding clasp and quick-release spring bars for quick strap changes. However, with a 21mm lug width, finding replacement straps won’t be as easy as it could be.

Mido

Availability and pricing

While not as impressive or original as some of Mido’s other offerings, like the Multifort TV Big Date or Ocean Star Decompression Worldtimer, I think Mido’s new GADA watch does a nice job of capturing those Rolex OP vibes while adding a couple of complications and some niceties you won’t find on the Rolex, like a display caseback. And it does it all for a little over $1,000.

At launch, there are four versions of the Commander Datoday. Three are in plain stainless steel with a blue, silver or anthracite dial, with the latter reading the most “Rolex” to my eye. All three are priced at $1,090. Additionally, there’s a slightly higher-end fourth style with a deep green dial and rose gold PVD on the case and bracelet. That one costs a bit more at $1,260.

Mido

Mido Commander Datoday

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	Mido Cal. 80 automatic day-date (ETA)
Water Resistance	50m

• $1,090 at Mido

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