On Holden’s list, Almost Favorites
Mido Multifort TV Big Date
The Mido Multifort TV Big Date (M049.526.11.041.00) is an everyday sports watch from Mido: a 39.2 mm stainless steel case, 11.5 mm thick and 46.5 mm lug to lug, with an automatic Mido Calibre 80 with big date movement and 100 m water resistance.
Going by its 46.5 mm lug to lug, it should sit within the flat top of a wrist of about 6.3 inches (16.0 cm) or larger.
Research found it at $1,085 on the street (August 2026) and about $1,300 used (August 2026).
This is the Mido I keep coming back to, with the TV case, a real big date and the 80-hour movement, and that's a lot of watch for the price. I still need to decide bracelet or strap in person.
Specifications
From the research, with the sources for each group of facts. Unknown means no source confirmed it.
| The watch [1][2][3][4][5] | |
|---|---|
| Brand | Mido |
| Reference | M049.526.11.041.00 |
| Category | Everyday / Sport |
| Production | Current (introduced 2023) |
| Case and size [6][2][3] | |
| Case diameter | 39.2 mm |
| Lug to lug | 46.5 mm |
| Thickness | 11.5 mm |
| Lug width | 22 mm |
| Case material | Stainless steel (316L); rose gold PVD-treated 3-part case on M049.526.37.291.00; titanium variant exists |
| Crystal | Sapphire with anti-reflective treatment (double-sided per Gnomon) |
| Water resistance | 100 m |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Movement [6][2] | |
| Movement | Mido Calibre 80 with big date, automatic |
| Power reserve | 80 hours |
| Accuracy | Unknown |
| Bracelet [6][2][3] | |
| Bracelet or strap | Steel refs: integrated-style steel bracelet; M049.526.37.291.00: brown relief-textured rubber strap with rose gold PVD pin buckle; rubber refs: color-matched… |
| Clasp | Pin buckle on rubber (rose config); bracelet clasp type not detailed in fetched sources |
| Price and warranty (US) [6][2][3][7] | |
| List price (US) | Unknown |
| Street price (US) | Gnomon USD 1,085 (rose, AD) (August 2026) |
| Used price (US) | Chrono24 listings avg approx. $1,300 (range approx. $1,100–1,400) for M049.526.37.291.00 — listing prices, not sold prices (August 2026) |
| Warranty | 2 years (retailer-stated; official page unfetchable, so not verified on midowatches.com) |
Will it fit?
A watch wears comfortably when its lugs stay on the flat top of the wrist. Here is the 46.5 mm lug to lug against the flat top estimated for common wrist sizes.
| Wrist | Flat top | Fit |
|---|---|---|
| 6 in 15.2 cm | 47 mm | At the edge |
| 6.5 in 16.5 cm | 51 mm | Comfortable |
| 7 in 17.8 cm | 55 mm | Comfortable |
| 7.5 in 19.1 cm | 59 mm | Comfortable |
| 8 in 20.3 cm | 63 mm | Comfortable |
Check it against your own wrist An estimate, not a guarantee; how the method works is on the tool page.
What the research found
These are the research’s judgments, scored against Holden’s priorities, not his own words.
Strengths
- Genuinely distinctive TV-shaped case with real Mido lineage (1970s TV-case models), not a homage
- True big-date complication at 12 — rare and mechanically substantive at this price (Calibre 80 big date, ETA C07.651 base)
- 80-hour power reserve with Nivachron antimagnetic balance spring
- Elaborate case finishing for the price bracket — Monochrome called it 'surprisingly elaborate for an accessibly priced sports watch'
- Slim-for-content 11.5 mm profile with compact ~46.5 mm lug-to-lug
Weaknesses
- Mineral glass caseback rather than sapphire (Monochrome)
- 100 m WR with fixed bezel — sporty-chic rather than tool spec
- Rose gold PVD configuration carries long-horizon coating wear-through risk
- Gnomon's own listing carries internally conflicting thickness/lug-to-lug figures, so exact dimensions deserve an in-person check
Research scores, 0 to 10
| Execution and feel in the hand | 8.6 |
|---|---|
| Design identity | 9.2 |
| Value at a realistic price | 8.8 |
| Long-term ownership | 8.0 |
| Movement and engineering | 8.1 |
| Wearability and proportions | 8.3 |
| Versatility and durability | 7.6 |
| Fit with Holden's collection | 7.8 |
Also on Holden’s list
Other everyday / sport watches on his list.
Sources
- MIDO Multifort TV Big Date | M0495263729100 — official product page midowatches.com · read August 26, 2026
- Hands-On: The Mido Multifort TV Big Date (launch, blue gradient) monochrome-watches.com · read August 26, 2026
- Introducing: The Mido Multifort TV Big Date Tunes into a More Luxurious Channel (rose gold PVD, brown dial) monochrome-watches.com · read August 26, 2026
- Mido Multifort TV Big Date M049.526.11.041.00 — retailer listing nicolsjewelry.com · read August 26, 2026
- Mido Multifort TV Big Date PVD Blue Ref. M049.526.37.041.00 gnomonwatches.com · read August 26, 2026
- Mido Multifort TV Big Date Rose Gold — Rubber Ref. M049.526.37.291.00 gnomonwatches.com · read August 26, 2026
- Mido Multifort TV Big Date M049.526.37.291.00 — Chrono24 reference page chrono24.com · read August 26, 2026
Personal research, not a source of truth. Spotted an error? Email a correction.