The Amida Digitrend story started with it’s launched in 1975. In Basel, on the 24th of April 1976, the Amida Digitrend starred on the watch fair. It was a remarkable watch in the fact that it was meant for car drivers. The way the hands are on the wheel it requires to turn the wrist a good bit in order to read a normal watch. When driving at high speeds though it was thought to be smart to make a watch that was easier to read. So this is the actual Amida Digitrend story: a watch that enables the fast car driving owner to check the time safe and easy without turning the wrist.
The Digitrend watch was produced in 2 case materials by Amida. You could choose between a shiny chromium plated case or a futuristic black PVD case. The PVD-version came with a black plastic strap. While the chrome version had a chromium plated matching bracelet.
Under the brand name “Monor” a PVD version with a 17 jewels was issued. Monor was owned by Amida. The brand “Crehor” from Belgium issued a doublé version with 17 jewels.
Two calibres were used in the Digitrend: Amida 420 – 1/17 jewels and Amida 710 – 1/17 jewels. I have never seen an Amida with 17 jewels, only 1 jewel pin lever versions. The Monor and Crehor do have 17 jewels, both in Amida 710 and 420 calibres.
The watch has a mirror insde. The dials are printed in mirror image.
The Amida Digitrend, in a way, was an answer from Swiss watchmakers to the Japanese quartz watch revolution. This watch was one of the few Swiss mechanical watches that could compete… but not for long. Quartz took over the whole business!
