SJX Watches
Amida Returns with the Digitrend
Amida, a historical brand recently brought back to life, has introduced its first watch in more than 45 years, the Digitrend. Based on a historical design from 1976, the new Digitrend features an upright digital jump-hour display and a retro-futuristic design. While the formula for reviving dormant brands is nothing new, the team behind Amida, led by designer Matthieu Allègre and also includes Clément Meynier and Bruno Herbet, has managed to hit all the right aesthetic notes at a reasonable price. Initial thoughts I’ve always been attracted to retro-futuristic design, and watches like the original Digitrend have a distinct appeal. Unfortunately, the quality of the originals left much to be desired. In this context I appreciate what Mr Allègre and his team have accomplished. Specifically, they’ve managed to improve the design, including the small details like the typography, without diluting the original aesthetic. Additionally, the build quality has improved over the original. The brushed steel case of the new Digitrend is simple but done well. Most importantly, they’ve installed a much higher quality movement, which is comprised of a Soprod P092 base movement with an in-house designed jump-hour module that adds just nine additional parts. This minimalist approach is commendable and should aid reliability and serviceability. The hour and minute discs rotate in the same plane as typical hands, but are then ‘projected’ to the vertical time display with a sapphir...
