
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Mido Multifort Datometer Automatic Bumper, circa 1940s
- Maker / attribution
- Mido (maker)
- Date
- c. 1940s
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Unrecorded in source
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- vws3596cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3596cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Mido Multifort Datometer Automatic Bumper - c.1940s (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3596cs), this is a wristwatch by Mido, dated c. 1940s. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
Mido Multifort Datometer Automatic Bumper - Salmon Dial Caseback No: 470896 Brit PAT Pending Calibre: 1938, 3 adjustments. 385 509.....James Allinson watch so needs Caviat adding about service!!! Since its founding in 1918, Mido has embodied the perfect harmony between timeless design and cutting-edge innovation. With a heritage rooted in Swiss watchmaking excellence, Mido creates timepieces that transcend trends—crafted with precision, built to endure, and inspired by the architectural beauty that shapes our world. Each watch is a testament to the brand’s unwavering commitment to functionality, aesthetics, and enduring quality. For those who value sophistication with purpose, Mido offers more than just a way to measure time—it offers a way to define it. What's on offer We are delighted to offer this charming Mido for sale in superb vintage condition with a stunning salmon dial - a very unique piece - we love it! Refined and distinctive, this Mido timepiece pairs vintage charm with modern sophistication. The striking salmon pink dial adds a warm, understated pop of colour, beautifully contrasted by a sleek stainless steel case and a genuine black leather strap for a timeless, versatile look. These pastel colours are actually the height of fashion for 2025 so it is very on point! The case maintains its clean lines and polished finish, showcasing Mido’s dedication to craftsmanship. The dial features minimalist markers and subtle detailing that reflect the brand’s heritage of precision and design. The dial is in wonderful vintage condition and boasts original lume which has aged beautifully to a buttery yellow. There is some slight pitting on the hands - all part of the ageing process and a joy to vintage collectors! Ideal for collectors or anyone seeking a watch with personality and classic appeal, this Mido combines reliability, elegance, and a touch of vintage flair—all in one understated, stylish package.
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Automatic (self-winding) watches
Self-winding watches use the wearer's motion to wind the mainspring. Abraham-Louis Perrelet and Breguet made 'perpétuelle' pocket watches with oscillating weights in the late eighteenth century, but the principle only became practical in the wristwatch. John Harwood patented a bumper automatic in 1923; Rolex's Perpetual rotor (1931) winding in one direction, and later bidirectional rotors (Eterna, Felsa Bidynator), established the modern form. Micro-rotors (Universal Genève, Buren) and peripheral rotors made automatic watches thinner.
What to look for
- A semicircular rotor turning 360° over the movement, or a 'bumper' weight that rebounds between springs.
- 'Automatic', 'Perpetual' or 'Self-winding' on the dial.
- A sealed screw-back case, since automatic watches are wound less often by the crown.
Dating clues
- Bumper automatics: 1923–c. 1955.
- Full rotors: from 1931 (Rolex); widespread after c. 1950.
- Micro-rotors: from 1954–1958.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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