Here’s a neat Ladies Sorna model from the 1970’s – the Sorna Jump. Another Watch Company long gone and not too much known of them. Swiss of course and originally from Grenchen, they used to manufacture watches under the brand names of Sorna, Sorina, Sornana and a few others with similar sounding names. From what I can find out they disappeared in 1994, though a new Sorna in Germany today also make Trias watches. Whether they bought the name I could not say.
Suffice to say, this particular model was born at the same time as the Hudsons as an attempt to stem the flow of cheaper Quartz watches from the East. By using mechanical movements as before they hoped to tempt the buyer with a digital look but using conventional components. Once again using Ebauche movements with hour and minute disc as opposed to hands, the hour either “jumped” into view at the last minute of the hour ended or slowly slid into view, depending on the mechanism employed. Thus providing a “digital” watch, though not as we would know it today.
I like this particular model as it has the Hour highlighted in white against black. This makes it stand out better than most especially as it is a smaller sized watch. Note this is a reasonable manual wind movement too with 17 jewels. Many other “jump” style watches often featured simple 1 jewel movements – so this is quite a decent watch.
I have another high gloss, high colour leather strap for this watch and as my Wife is as fickle as I am regarding straps and bracelets, I won’t know until I change this bracelet to see which one will get her approval. I can see her choosing the alternative matching blue conventional leather buckle strap – but it would be dangerous to second guess her!
Well I was right NOT to second guess, so I’ll not even show the strap – suffice to say she picked the bracelet!
Watch space 