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South China Morning Post

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

Jump-hour watches might be a throwback, but in 2025 they're having a full-on renaissance. Forget traditional ticking hands: these 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