AMIDA, the independent Swiss watch brand, has officially re-entered the Japanese market after nearly 50 years. The legendary "Digitrend" model, which revolutionized the watch world in the 1970s, is being reintroduced in a modern iteration.

Since its founding in 1925, AMIDA has operated as an independent brand, upholding the tradition of Swiss watchmaking. The brand first garnered global attention in 1976 with the release of the innovative "Digitrend" driving watch.

This model sent shockwaves through the watch industry at the time, as a mechanical wristwatch that combined a jumping hour mechanism for instantaneous time display with a unique digital display system utilizing a triangular prism.

The 1970s, when the "Digitrend" was born, was the Space Age, an era of sports cars speeding through cities and a societal yearning for space exploration. As futuristic concepts and designs permeated all fields, this model embodied the spirit of the times.

In 2024, AMIDA has revived the brand, creating a new "Digitrend" that merges the Space Age aesthetics of the 1950s to 1970s with modern, high-precision Swiss watchmaking technology. While cherishing the original's innovative spirit, the design and mechanism have been further refined.

The "Digitrend's" most distinctive feature is its unique structure for displaying time on the side of the watch. The secret to this "horizontal display" lies in its prism technology, which reflects light. This technology, patented in Switzerland in 1973, was developed with inspiration drawn from submarine periscopes.

While the movement operates horizontally, the prism's light reflection causes the time to be displayed vertically on the side of the watch. This technology was named "LRD" (Light Reflecting Display). It is an innovative system that embodies AMIDA's unique ingenuity, characteristic of the 1970s when digital displays were gaining attention.

Thanks to this technical innovation, the "Digitrend" received high international acclaim and remains AMIDA's signature model, still discussed among watch enthusiasts today.

The lineup includes four variations: the "Digitrend Steel Edition," "Digitrend Black Edition," "Digitrend Gold Edition," and "Digitrend Open Sapphire."

The "Digitrend Open Sapphire" is the latest model, representing a significant evolution with the themes of "transparency" and "mechanical beauty." Replacing the traditional dial, it incorporates the jumping hour mechanism and prism, maintaining the unique structure for viewing time from the side. By constructing approximately two-thirds of the case with sapphire crystal, it is designed to showcase the movement's beauty without reservation.

The movement features traditional Swiss decorative techniques such as Côtes de Genève, anglage (chamfering), and frosting. Furthermore, the skeletonized design allows visibility through the disks down to the mainplate.

The open, skeletonized case design draws inspiration from the hoods of classic cars from the 1960s and 1970s, particularly the Porsche, Alfa Romeo, and Chevrolet Corvair Testudo.

To achieve flawless, undistorted visibility, the curved structure is finished with high precision, designed to beautifully display every detail of the movement. The sapphire crystal is manufactured using the "Kyropoulos method" for growing large crystals. Crafting the prism for side display takes three hours, two of which are dedicated to polishing. Its precision boasts an astonishing tolerance of within 0.05 millimeters.

Bruno Gertschner, Chief Operating Officer of AMIDA, commented: "We are delighted to partner with DKSH as AMIDA's exclusive partner in Japan. Japan possesses a deep understanding of watchmaking and a strong commitment to beauty and craftsmanship, which aligns perfectly with our values. Through this partnership, we aim to deliver new value to Japanese customers by leveraging AMIDA's creativity alongside DKSH."

While the "Digitrend" embodies the 1970s fascination with the future, this new release represents a true evolution, transcending a mere复刻 (fùkè - reproduction) by integrating modern precision technology.

AMIDA Digi-Trend
Case Material | Steel (SS), Black (Black DLC coating), Gold (4N Gold PVD coating), Open Sapphire (SS)
Size | H39×W39.6mm, Thickness 15.6mm
Finishing | Hairline finish & Polish finish
(Open Sapphire only) Skeletonized, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal
Movement | Automatic (Cal. Soprod Newton)
Power Reserve | Approx. 44 hours
Functions | Jumping hour mechanism (AMIDA proprietary development, 9 parts)
Dial | Hour and minute display using two display disks (reflective display)
Time Display | Side digital display using sapphire prism (Light Reflecting Display) [Patent No. 3,786,626 (1973)], Indices: Orange
Decoration | Côtes de Genève, Anglage (chamfering), Frosting
Water Resistance | 5 ATM (50m) water resistance
Strap | Set includes SS bracelet and Alcantara® strap
Release Date | July 2025 (Steel Edition / Black Edition), September 2025 (Gold Edition / Open Sapphire)
Price |
Steel Edition: ¥643,500 (incl. tax)
Black Edition: ¥712,800 (incl. tax)
Gold Edition: ¥762,300 (incl. tax)
Open Sapphire: ¥960,300 (incl. tax) - Limited production of 150 units in the first year