Mido Multicenter Chrono opinions

Ted1858 · Feb 9, 2021

Good evening Mido enthusiasts,
I am curious to know your thoughts on the originality of the dial and hands of this Multicenter. What stuck out to me is that there is no lume on the dial, but the hands would have had lume at some point. The examples I’ve seen all have lumed numerals.

I am waiting on some better photos from the seller, but here is one:

speedmistr · Feb 9, 2021

Dial looks authentic but should be lumed. It might be a NOS replacement dial that hadn't gone through luming process. Or the lume was removed. But it looks too clean for that.

Dan S · Feb 9, 2021

I am not familiar with this particular dial and it makes me a little uncomfortable; as mentioned all the lume is missing in dial and hands. However, the printing does look good so I can't rule out that it's some sort of factory dial. The sweep hand is not original IMO, it has the wrong tail.

trash_gordon · Feb 10, 2021

Or someone ordered a non radiation example without radium on dial and hands?

Flip · Feb 10, 2021

Larry S · Feb 10, 2021

For reference

Ted1858 · Feb 10, 2021

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Here are some better pics:

Ted1858 · Feb 10, 2021

trash_gordon
Or someone ordered a non radiation example without radium on dial and hands?

So based on Flip's example, was it an option to originally order one in this configuration?

Flip - do you believe your hands to be original?

Dan S · Feb 10, 2021

Just keep in mind that generally speaking it's quite unusual that a watch from this era had luminous hands but no lume on the dial. And those hands definitely were made to hold lume. I think the best you can hope for is that it is some sort of service dial, but probably you would need to be satisfied with the idea that you would never be certain.

Ted1858 · Feb 10, 2021

Dan S
Just keep in mind that generally speaking it's quite unusual that a watch from this era had luminous hands but no lume on the dial. And those hands definitely were made to hold lume. I think the best you can hope for is that it is some sort of service dial, but probably you would need to be satisfied with the idea that you would never be certain.

Thanks. Yeah that's the part that I can't get over. I think I'm "reaching" for a reason to make it work, versus finding one that I know I will love and have no doubts about. I will give it some thought but may just pass on this one.

ConElPueblo · Feb 10, 2021

Flip

Are these yours? 😀

Ted1858
Thanks. Yeah that's the part that I can't get over. I think I'm "reaching" for a reason to make it work, versus finding one that I know I will love and have no doubts about. I will give it some thought but may just pass on this one.

I have heard that a number of NOS dials was floated at some point and I wouldn't be surprised if one was used to bring back this watch to a marketable state.

Flip · Feb 10, 2021

@ConElPueblo @Ted1858 I’d love to say they were mine but unfortunately no. It’s a reference I only became aware of last year and remembered I’d seen this picture recently after reading this thread earlier today.
I did find what @trash_gordon questioned interesting, the dial/hands combination going against the general rule, but could it be possible that it was a private no lume commission? Unlikely but not impossible

ConElPueblo · Feb 10, 2021

Flip
@ConElPueblo @Ted1858 I’d love to say they were mine but unfortunately no. It’s a reference I only became aware of last year and remembered I’d seen this picture recently after reading this thread earlier today.
I did find what @trash_gordon questioned interesting, the dial/hands combination going against the general rule, but could it be possible that it was a private no lume commission? Unlikely but not impossible

I'd say it is fairly implausible.

It's from an era where proper lume was a selling point, not an attribute you'd wish to dampen, IMO. In general, when lumed hands are paired with unlumed hands, caution is due. I cannot think of a watch where that particular combination is par for the course, but I'd love to see one.

There has been a few fifties Omegas shown on this site with that irregular pairing, but my guess would be that it is either a special order (as versions with lume wasn't available) or a post-purchase modification. We'll most likely never know 📖

Btw, I asked about the Midos in your post as I had only earlier today seen them on IG 😀

Flip · Feb 10, 2021

ConElPueblo
I'd say it is fairly implausible.

It's from an era where proper lume was a selling point, not an attribute you'd wish to dampen, IMO. In general, when lumed hands are paired with unlumed hands, caution is due. I cannot think of a watch where that particular combination is par for the course, but I'd love to see one.

There has been a few fifties Omegas shown on this site with that irregular pairing, but my guess would be that it is either a special order (as versions with lume wasn't available) or a post-purchase modification. We'll most likely never know 📖

Btw, I asked about the Midos in your post as I had only earlier today seen them on IG 😀

Same here 😀
I hope I haven’t offended the owner but I’ve just asked about their history. I’ll report back if he answers

Ted1858 · Feb 10, 2021

Appreciate all of the feedback! I decided to pass on this one. I’d rather not have something unoriginal or an implausible outlier; I like lume and originality so I’ll hold out for it. 😀👍

GrouchoM · Apr 17, 2022

FYI - In the opening sequence of the 1952 film "Kansas City Confidential" is a sibling

Mido Multicenter Chrono opinions

Ted1858

speedmistr

Dan S

trash_gordon

Flip

Larry S

Ted1858

Ted1858

Dan S

Ted1858

ConElPueblo

Flip

ConElPueblo

Flip

Ted1858

GrouchoM

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