Why jump-hour watches are making a comeback: IWC pioneered the earliest model in 1885, now Jaeger-LeCoultre and Louis Vuitton are weighing in – and Watch Ho & Co x Zentier's pieces sold out in seconds
mechanical marvels tell the time with numbers that 'jump' forwards every hour through a tiny window called a guichet. Quirky, precise and oddly satisfying, jump hours are the vintage-inspired, high-craft answer to the screen generation's love for digital clarity.
The idea dates back to 1656, when the Campani brothers built a clock for Pope Alexander VII that showed rotating numerals when the openworked dial was illuminated from behind by an oil lamp or candle – silent and visible in the dark. But it was Josef Pallweber who, in 1883, gave us the jump hour as we know it today, using discs instead of hands.
IWC picked up the idea and ran with it, releasing its Pallweber pocket watches by 1885. A century later, the maison revived the format with the 2018 Pallweber Edition 150 Years – a limited run that redefined digital-mechanical cool.
Advertisement
Jaeger-LeCoultre's Reverso Tribute Nonantième Enamel adds a cosmic flair to its design. Photo: Handout
Meanwhile, Cartier's 1928 Tank à Guichets distilled the concept into art deco minimalism: no hands, just windows with sharp numerals. Collectors clearly like the design – timepiece collectors' club Watch Ho & Co. recently chose the Zentier Lapis Sauté as its first ever collaborative piece, in two limited edition runs with malachite and lapis lazuli dials.
'Jump-hour watches offer a fascinating and unconventional way to tell time that feels fresh and exciting,' says
Watch Ho & Co co-founder Jackie Ho, 'For us watch geeks there's something truly special about watching the hour jump forward. It's like a mini performance on your wrist which can make you jump with excitement. It attracts those who seek something different from the usual two- or three-hand displays. It's not just about telling time; it's about enjoying the 'party trick'. This unique feature highlights the craftsmanship involved along with the atypical dial and case design.'
A Tank à Guichet watch displayed at the Cartier stand during the opening day of Watches and Wonders on April 1. Photo: AFP
Ho worked with Zentier founder Morten Loewe to develop a piece with a precious stone dial, stepped bezel and vintage size 36mm case to house the jump-hour piece. 'The vintage and retro design really resonated with me,' Ho added. 'Especially since we both share a love for vintage and neo-vintage Audemars Piguet.' The first run of 88 pieces for the malachite dial sold out in under a minute. The subsequent lapis lazuli edition was inspired by Mount Fuji, and met with similar success.
'Morten deserves all the credit for creating such an incredible piece and for being open to my many ideas to refine the Sauté,' Ho says. 'The name Sauté, which means a jump or leap in dance parlance, perfectly captures the grace and movement of the timepiece, especially fitting for Morten, a former World DanceSport Champion.'
The Watch Ho & Co. x Zentier Lapis Sauté was inspired by Mount Fuji. Photo: Handout
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
19 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
How to Style like Japanese actress Nana Komatsu at Chanel's high jewellery launch
Japanese actress Nana Komatsu commanded the most attention at Chanel's Reach for the Stars high jewellery global launch in Kyoto recently. The French maison exhibited 109 high jewellery pieces, referencing the founder's background, and featuring comets, wings and lions as central motifs. At the gala event, Komatsu was seen wearing a black lace gown with the Take My Breath Away necklace, bracelet and ring – sophisticated pieces crafted from pink gold, white gold, natural polished diamonds and black-coated gold. Want to recreate Komatsu's impact? Then check out some of the other dramatic jewels on offer this season. Cartier necklace Cartier En Équilibre Tsagaan high jewellery necklace. Photo: Handout Chopard watch
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
Taylor Swift's custom-made outfits for The Life of a Showgirl
Taylor Swift is in her showgirl era. During a two-hour appearance on New Heights, the podcast hosted by her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce , and his brother Jason Kelce, the 35-year-old award-winning musician announced her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, which is set to be released on October 3. Taylor Swift announced her latest studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on her boyfriend Travis Kelce's podcast. Photo: @taylorswift/Instagram Advertisement With over a million fans tuning into the live stream, Swift revealed key details about her 12th studio album, including a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter on the title track. She also shared that she wrote the album while touring Europe during the Eras Tour. There are rumours that one of the tracks on the album, 'Ruin the Friendship,' may be about Blake Lively The album cover, unveiled during the podcast, features Swift partially submerged in water, dressed in showgirl-inspired attire by Area, with the title emblazoned in bold, glittery orange letters, marking a vibe shift from her previous albums. Since the announcement, Swift has teased the album on Instagram, sharing a series of photos that showcase the bold new aesthetic fit for a Las Vegas showgirl. It signals an exciting new era for the 'Anti-Hero' singer. During the podcast, Swift said that the new album offers a look 'behind the curtain'. Taylor Swift's new album announcement has Swifties in a frenzy. Photo: @taylorswift/Instagram 'I wanted to glamorise all the different aspects of how the tour felt,' she said on the podcast. 'The reason I wanted to have an offstage moment as the main album cover is because the album isn't really about what happened to me onstage, but what I was going through offstage.' Swift was styled by long-time collaborator Joseph Cassell Falconer and photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Here's a detailed look at Taylor Swift's 'showgirl' outfits, which were custom-made for the Grammy winner by The Blonds, a New York-based fashion brand founded by creative director David Blond and designer Phillipe Blond.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Style Edit: Henry Jacques' Les Croisières fragrances distil a memory of summer
As the season begins to turn, those seeking to remain enveloped in summer's warm embrace need only turn to master perfumer Henry Jacques' Les Croisières – a library of six fragrances that capture the mood like the last of the season's wine. The fragrances are drawn from Henry Jacques' Les Classiques range – the house's foundational collection – and presented as Les Brumes, lighter versions specifically for misting or splashing. The ample size of each 75ml flacon encourages generous, playful applications – on leaving the poolside, heading for sundowners, or just lying on the deck of a yacht. To create Les Croisières, Henry Jacques drew inspiration from the unmistakable olfactory repertoire of summer – white flowers, citrus and the like – expressing them in the form of lighter essences, which suit the season better than the intensely concentrated extracts known to perfumers as 'absolutes'. Advertisement Henry Jacques Les Brumes Ambrose. Photo: Handout Les Croisières collection is also designed to envelop the wearer throughout an entire day, from indulgent morning to tranquil afternoon and on into sultry evenings. By its nature, summer is a season busy with social engagements while also offering soporific sessions of restful me time (preferably with a book and hammock). For every mood and occasion, there is an appropriate fragrance from Les Croisières. Les Brumes Musk Oil Gardenia. Photo: Handout Perfect for daybreak, the delicate and almost powdery Musk Oil Gardenia combines its namesake flower with ylang-ylang and musk in a comforting fragrance that evokes sunlight falling through curtains and the promise of a relaxed day. Henry Jacques Les Brumes Aude. Photo: Handout For wearers who like more active mornings, Henry Jacques presents Aude. Top notes of white florals and mirabelle plum give way to a heart of sandalwood and jasmine, then a base of white musk, amber and the faintest hint of tobacco. Evocative of fresh breezes and sea air, Aude conveys freedom and adventure.
