Look closely at the mother-of-pearl dial on the Mido Multifort Lady M005.007.11.101.00 and you will notice fine vertical strips. They are a deliberate nod to the suspension cables of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the 1930s landmark Mido cites as the architectural muse for the entire Multifort collection.

That collection carries real weight in watch history. Mido launched the original Multifort in the 1930s as one of the first watches to be anti-magnetic, water resistant, shock resistant and self-winding all at once. This 31mm lady's version keeps the mechanical heart: an ETA 2671 automatic with a date at 3 o'clock, decorated with Côtes de Genève striping and an engraved Mido logo on the rotor, all visible through the sapphire caseback.

The polished steel case and bracelet let the iridescent dial do the talking, while rose gold-toned hands and markers add a quietly feminine contrast.

Multifort Lady M005.007.11.101.00 Specifications

• Case: 31mm polished stainless steel, 9.45mm thick
• Dial: white mother-of-pearl with vertical strips
• Hands and markers: rose gold-toned
• Movement: Swiss automatic ETA 2671, date
• Power reserve: 38 hours
• Crystal: sapphire front and back
• Lug width: 17mm
• Bracelet: polished steel with folding clasp

Small, luminous and steeped in Mido history, it is a lovely first automatic or a meaningful gift.