Teddy Baldassarre
The Best Jump-Hour Watches
For a watch-enthusiast raised on traditional analog timekeeping, jump-hour watches do not necessarily present the easiest or most intuitive way to read the time on their dials, but they inarguably offer one of the most dynamic ways to do so. Instead of a slow-moving central hand to indicate the hour, watches with a “jumping” design rely on a numbered disk that flips instantly to the next hour numeral at the start of each new 60-minute period. These disks most often operate behind a round aperture and are usually paired with either a similarly rotating disk for the minutes or, perhaps, with an analog hand for an interesting hybrid design. And while they may seem decidedly avant-garde in their aesthetic, watchmakers have incorporated this style of time display in their movements for over a century. Here is a look at eight of our favorites from recent years. [toc-section heading="A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Date"] The Zeitwerk, which German luxury watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne introduced in 2009, is technically a “digital” watch, but it isn’t like any other one you’ve ever seen: there are no electronics, no LCD screens, and you won’t find it at your local big box store. The Lange Zeitwerk Date flies in the ionosphere of high horology, with a 44.2mm round case, made of 18k white gold or rose gold, framing an intricately crafted dial that boasts a jumping-hour digital display, powered by the manually-wound L043.8 movement. Every detail of this watch is a handcraft...
