AMIDA has unveiled two new versions of the iconic Digitrend “casquette” watch. They include the Digitrend Black Edition, and the Digitrend Gold Edition. The Digitrend Silver Edition, launched earlier, was nominated for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) “Petite Aiguille” category.
Left: Digitrend Gold Edition. Middle: Digitrend Black Edition. Right: Digitrend Silver Edition.
“The AMIDA Digitrend Steel, Black, and Gold models are a modern reinterpretation of the iconic 1976 models that captured the spirit of innovation and bold design. Those reimagined timepiece pays homage to the original’s pioneering digital display, featuring the distinctive horizontal readout that set it apart in the world of watches. Blending retro charm with contemporary craftsmanship, this updated model celebrates the legacy of the 1976 classic, offering a sleek and stylish nod to a design that remains timeless today.”
Image: Digitrend Gold Edition. On top of a vintage device of some sort.
Matthieu Allègre – a watchmaking designer, and Clément Meynier, founder of Depancel (a French watch brand for motorsports enthusiasts), teamed up to revive the iconic Digitrend. It was originally introduced in 1976, “inspired by the world of performance cars, crafted with drivers in mind.”
“Every detail from the golden era of the 70s has been faithfully re-created, with the sleek stainless steel, car body inspired case now upgraded for 50-meter water resistance.”
Key Features
Image: Digitrend Gold Edition. Vintage vibes.
“The design draws inspiration from the sports cars of the era, blending a futuristic aesthetic with hybrid functionality, combining a mechanical movement with a distinctive “LED-style” display. Instead of a traditional dial, the time is shown on a display beneath a sapphire prism, evoking the dashboard of a sports car or the control panel of a spacecraft.”
Functions and Dial
Hours and Minutes displayed digitally via two discs.
“The time is displayed through a clever optical effect created by a sapphire prism, allowing for a lateral readout that delivers clear and precise digital readings.”
Image: Digitrend Silver Edition next to a vintage telephone.
Hours displayed on the left. Minutes displayed on the right. “AMIDA Digitrend” displayed on the middle.
The display features a “redesigned minute aperture and reworked typography based on the original orange numerals for hours and minutes, a hallmark of the 1970s.”
Display Principle
The display is based on the principle of a submarine periscope. It is a patented LRD (Light Refractive Display) system.
“Drawing on the principle of a submarine periscope, where a horizontal image is projected vertically, AMIDA has named this system ‘LRD’ (Light Reflecting Display). As documented by Patent No. 3,786,626 issued on January 22, 1974, to its inventor Zeno Hurt in Molhin, Switzerland, for AGON Uhrenfabrik Robert Triebold AG, this clever innovation sets the DIGITREND apart as a truly extraordinary timepiece.”
Movement
Powered by Soprod Newton P092, a Swiss Made automatic movement.
An auxiliary module, developed in-house, features the jumping hour disc. It has 9 components and 6 screws.
“The internal module, developed with a minimalist dual-disc design comprised of just nine components, incorporates jumping hours for optimal efficiency and precise timekeeping, with tight tolerances.”
Movement thickness: 4.60 mm.
Auxiliary module thickness: 2 mm.
Jewels: 23.
Frequency: 28,800 or 4 Hz.
Power reserve: 44 hours.
Movement finishing includes Côtes de Genève, sandblasting, and circular grained automatic winding rotor with a rhodium-plated finish.
Case Versions
Image: All three versions. The impact the original design must have had when launched in 1976.
“The case, bold and streamlined, evokes the sleek lines of a sports car or a rocket’s fuselage. Its ergonomic design naturally conforms to the wrist, while the vertical display—designed for easy reading without lifting a hand from the wheel—cements the Digitrend’s status as a true driver’s watch. With a modern and versatile 39.8 mm width, it fits comfortably on any wrist.”
Digitrend Silver Edition: Case made from 316L stainless steel, “brushed and polished.”
Digitrend Black Edition: Case made from 316L stainless steel, “brushed and polished.” Features black DLC coating.
Digitrend Gold Edition: Case made from 316L stainless steel, “brushed and polished.” Features 4N gold PVD treatment.
Dimensions: Width: 39.60 mm. Depth: 39 mm. Thickness: 15.60 mm.
Display prism or “dial” features a sapphire crystal.
Crown at 3 o’clock on the case.
Image: Digitrend Gold Edition.
Caseback is screwed to the main case and features a sapphire crystal.
Water resistant up to 5 ATM or 50 metres.
Strap and Bracelet Options
Image: All three versions with their respective stainless steel bracelets.
Digitrend Silver Edition:
Image: Digitrend Silver Edition with Alcantara strap.
Anthracite Alcantara strap with orange calfskin lining. Buckle made from stainless steel.
Stainless steel bracelet – matches the case.
Digitrend Black Edition:
Image: Digitrend Black Edition with stainless steel bracelet. (Also header image.)
Anthracite Alcantara strap with orange calfskin lining. Buckle made from stainless steel, with black DLC coating.
Stainless steel bracelet with black DLC coating – matches the case.
Digitrend Gold Edition:
Anthracite Alcantara strap with orange calfskin lining. Buckle made from stainless steel, with 4N Gold PVD treatment.
Stainless steel bracelet 4N Gold PVD treatment – matches the case.
Our Thoughts
Image: The gorgeous Digitrend Gold Edition.
“A homage done right” is the first thought that comes to mind when writing about the AMIDA Digitrend. Matthieu Allègre, Clément Meynier, and their team have done a phenomenal job of reviving a late 1970’s icon and fast-forwarding it into 2024 and beyond.
The AMIDA Digitrend is brimming with details – automatic movement with an in-house auxiliary module with patented LRD system, see-through caseback, and alcantara strap and stainless steel bracelet options on all three versions. All this at relatively affordable prices. This is also “horology done right.”
Image: Digitrend Silver Edition with Alcantarta strap.
The AMIDA Digitrend is a breath of fresh air. I would love to own one, preferably the Digitrend Steel Edition with alcantara strap. We cannot wait to see either of the three versions in the flesh and do a hands-on review.
Additional Details
Name: Digitrend Silver Edition
Price:
Swiss Franc (CHF): 2,900 (taxes not included) – version with Alcantara strap
Swiss Franc (CHF): 3,250 (taxes not included) – version with stainless steel bracelet
Name: Digitrend Black Edition
Swiss Franc (CHF): 3,250 (taxes not included) – version with Alcantara strap
Swiss Franc (CHF): 3,600 (taxes not included) – version with stainless steel bracelet with black DLC coating
Digitrend Gold Edition
Swiss Franc (CHF): 3,500 (taxes not included) – version with Alcantara strap
Swiss Franc (CHF): 3,850 (taxes not included) – version with stainless steel bracelet with 4N Gold PVD treatment
AMIDA Digitrend is Swiss Made and comes with a 2-year international warranty.
Availability
Available on AMIDA’s website from November 20, 2024. Deliveries begin early December 2024. These watches will become part of the brand’s permanent, non-limited collection.
Beginning in 2025, the watches will be available at five prestigious global watch retailers. These include: Chronopassion in Paris, France. Prkjt8 in Bahrain. Chronométrie Clarence in Geneva, Switzerland. 10 Ten Labs in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Swiss Prestige in Taipei, Taiwan.
Please visit the AMIDA website for more information.
MB&F and Girard-Perregaux have their own versions of similar “casquette” watches, covered by us earlier. Please read here.
