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Break Watches Jump Hour Watch Review - Amida Digitrend Homage

May 13, 2024 Nick Lehner

I first learned of the 1970s Amida Digitrend when MB&F released its HM5 in 2012. While the HM5 was clearly inspired by the Digitrend, homages are typically marketed towards those without the budget for the real thing. The HM5, however, is the rare case where the reinterpretation is significantly more expensive than the original. I would love to own one, but used ones are well into 5 figures.

Since then I've had an interest in an original Amida Digitrend, but have never tried to buy one. They are hard to find, and I was worried about maintaining a nearly 50-year-old movement that some call "disposable."

Then last month I learned that the defunct Amida brand has been resurrected, and will be re-releasing a 2024 version of the Digitrend. I was interested as it would avoid the pitfalls of going vintage, but when I saw that it would be priced over $3,000, I reconsidered. Would I want to spend that much on such a funky watch? I shared the link with a friend, and he pointed me to a very wallet-friendly Digitrend homage sold under the brand name Break Watches. Typically I don't go for homage watches, but I decided to take an inexpensive gamble and see if a jump hour driving watch was for me.

Break Watches Jump Hour First Impressions

In the right lighting, the time display with its vibrant orange numerals is extremely fun to look at. You immediately feel a fun and casual vibe when strapping it you your wrist.

The case feels solid and heavy, striking me as a watch that could take a major impact (which is good because it's quite thick and easy to bang into things).

Break Watches Jump Hour Details

A silver brushed steel version is available, but I opted for the all-black model. I felt it looked cooler, and hoped that it would visually shrink a very thick watch.

The black case has a sandblasted finish, with only the front flat surface being brushed. It gives it a cool stealth look and should be more resistant to scratching.

The display layout is faithful to the original, albeit with the branding replaced by the word "Quartz." In fact, no branding is present anywhere on the watch.

Wearing the Break Watches Jump Hour

The Break jump hour is 43mm wide, which is about 1mm wider than the original Amida Digitrend and 3mm wider than the reissue.Because it's square, it looks big, but because it has no lugs, the height is very compact at 38.8mm. Despite having a large footprint, it will fit comfortably on smaller wrists.

At 18.1mm thick, the front portion of the case sticks up high off the wrist though. It's only a hair thicker than the Digitrend reissue, but I believe that vintage Digitrends are quite a bit thinner.

The caseback adds a lot of thickness, although it does somewhat sit between my wrist bones. It feels well-balanced for how thick it is, but I have already banged it a few times as I get used to its height.

Vintage models used an acrylic prism to reflect the time display from flat discs in a vertical orientation. I've read that they were dark and difficult to read, and the Break watch suffers a similar fate. MB&F solved this by adding flaps on the back of the case to let in more light.

Since the Break watch is quartz-powered and already has a battery, it does benefit from a backlight that can be activated with a push of a button.

The LED makes the watch easy to read in darkness, provided that you are looking at it straight on.

If you don't need to know the time to the minute, Break Jump Hour is easy enough to read in optimal lighting conditions. At any other time, it is difficult or impossible to tell the time. The prism crystal is curved and does not appear to have any AR coating. This means that reflections can often obscure the display.

Additionally, if ambient light is bright, the backlight doesn't show, making it difficult to read in a shadow. The watch is a fun watch to wear, but this makes it impractical as a time-telling device. The concept is a driving watch, but behind the wheel I found myself checking my car's clock to confirm if I had read the Break watch correctly.

Break Watches Jump Hour Strap Original and Replacement Straps

The Break Jump Hour came with a strap that looks similar to our Ridge model. This one is made from silicone rather than FKM rubber, however, and feels inexpensive. It's understandable for such an inexpensive watch to have a subpar strap, and it has 22mm lugs, so there are lots of great options for it.

My current favorite is an orange Smooth FMK Rubber strap with a black buckle.

Here is a list of some of the straps that would fit and we think look great with this watch. At the end of the article you'll also find photos of some of our favorite combinations.
-Deployant Rubber
-Ridge Rubber
-Premium Sailcloth and Sailcloth Colorway Collection
-Rubber and Sailcloth Hybrid Straps
-Vented Rubber
-Slim Ridge Rubber
-Waffle Rubber
-Beads of Rice Bracelets
-Epsom Leather

Break Watches Jump Hour Movement

The quartz movement powering the Break watch operates the jump hour display via a micromotor gearbox. The minute disc makes a small jump forward every 30 seconds. As the minute changes from 59 to 00, the hour display rotates to the next hour quickly, taking only a few seconds.

A stainless caseback is secured by screws. A button sits where the crown would be on an original, but in this case, activates the LED backlight for about 5 seconds. Two inset pushers, one to advance minutes and one for hours sit on either side of the light button.

Original Amida Digitrend watches used a hand-wound, single-jewel movement. The reissue will use a Soprod automatic with a module housing the display discs and jump hour mechanism. I don't mind this watch being quartz as there is no seconds display and thus no hand to tick.

Final Thoughts

I like "car" watches like the Autodromo Group B, because the automotive inspiration is not in your face. With the Amida Digitrend (and this subsequent homage), it's more obvious that the watch was inspired by a 1970s instrument panel. I gave it a pass, however, because it's not simply an existing model with a few car graphics slapped on it. It uses a distinctive method to display the time, which I wanted to experience.

I've had a lot of fun wearing it, and it has attracted more comments than most of my other watches. Its poor legibility makes it impractical, however. I'm happy with the Break Watches version because the fun per dollar ratio is very high, but it convinced me not to pursue a real Amida Digitrend.

Break Watches Jump Hour Specifications:

Name: Break Driver Jump Hour - Black
Reference Number: PC4059
MSRP: $119.80
Diameter: 43mm
Height: 38.8mm
Thickness: 18.1mm incl. caseback (advertised at 16mm)
Lug Width: 22mm
Movement: Quartz with LED backlight
Water Resistance: 30m
Crystal: Mineral Prism
Crown: Push-pull/push to illuminate
Bezel: N/A
Bracelet/Strap: Silicone