The Renaissance of the Jumping Hour Watch, With Six of Today’s Finest

Although it was never really gone, there seems to be a renaissance of the Jumping Hour, or Heures Sautante complication, and we’re quite delighted about this. There’s an interesting convergence in jump hour watches: the display is often simpler than a watch with central hands, but the mechanism behind it is quite challenging! Energy needs to be built up over time, only to be released at the precise moment for a disc or a hand to make a jump at the exact moment needed, preferably without any form of kickback, flutter or other issues. In terms of style, jumping hour watches can be split into two main groups: very modern interpretations or very classical, heritage-inspired ones. Let’s take a look at some of the finest on the market right now! And while the list certainly isn’t exhaustive, and we realise there are quite a few more affordable options out there, we’ve focused on high-end pieces for now. 

Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour

The trigger for this topic, apart from the reason Jumping Hour watches are fascinating in their own right, was the unexpected Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour. Rooted in the late 1920s, AP goes out of its usual comfort zone with this one. The rectangular pink gold case features vertical gadroons along the flanks that extend into the lugs. The top crystal is tinted, with the dial plate bonded directly to it. It shows the jumping hours at noon and the trailing minutes in gold-framed windows below. The calibre 7122 is visible through the caseback and has a 52-hour power reserve. Worn on a black textured calfskin strap with a gold clasp, it retails for EUR 64,900.

For more information, please visit AudemarsPiguet.com.

Quick Facts – 34mm x 47.1mm x 8.8mm – 18k pink gold case with gadroons – black PVD-treated top sapphire crystal – sapphire crystal caseback – 20m water-resistant – dial plate bonded to sapphire crystal – gold-framed apertures – black jumping hour & trailing minutes discs with white numerals – calibre 7122, in-house automatic – 293 components – 28,800vph – 52h power reserve – black textured calfskin leather strap with 19k pink gold clasp – 15245OR – EUR 64,900

Czapek Time Jumper

To celebrate ten years of the revived Czapek name, the beloved indie brand released the rather stunning Time Jumper. This modern interpretation of a Montre à Guichets comes with a hinged top cover finished with guilloché, revealing the jumping hours in the centre and the dragging minutes in an arched window below. Flip it open, and you see almost all of the complication’s construction, with the two sapphire discs, the gears, levers, springs and so on. Around the back, you get a view of even more of the movement’s mechanics. The Time Jumper is limited to 100 pieces in steel at CHF 42,000, or 30 pieces in yellow gold at CHF 64,000.

For more information, please visit Czapek.com.

Quick Facts – 40.5mm x 12.35mm – steel or yellow gold case – three-dimensional guilloché hinged cover – box-sapphire crystal – 30m water-resistant – transparent dial with hour discs – laser-coloured minute disc – calibre 10.01, in-house – automatic winding – 275 parts – 28,800vph – 60h power reserve – patent-pending 24-hour jumping hours on two digits – blue rubber strap with pin buckle – 100 pieces in steel, 30 in gold – CHF 42,000 (steel) or CHF 64,000 (gold)

Chronoswiss Neo Digiteur

Late last year, Chronoswiss dusted off its iconic Digiteur, a watch originally released in 2005. Renamed the Neo Digiteur, the case has been completely overhauled, with recessed, sandblasted flanks, while still honouring the original. It comes with a granit (anthracite) or sand (we’d say salmon) dial, with jumping hours at the top, running minutes in the centre, and seconds at the bottom. The manually wound movement is partially visible through an aperture at the back, and the watch is worn on a black nubuck leather strap with a steel pin buckle. It comes in a run of 99 pieces per dial colour, and a price of EUR 13,800.

For more information, please visit Chronoswiss.com.

Quick Facts – 48mm x 30mm x 9.7mm – stainless steel case, satin-finished & polished – sapphire crystal with see-through caseback – onion-style crown – 50m water-resistance – granit or sand dial – separate hours, minutes, seconds apertures – calibre C.85757, manual winding – 21,600vph – 48h power reserve – proprietary in-house jumping hour module – black nubuck leather strap with steel pin buckle – limited to 99 pieces each – EUR 13,800

Niton Prima

Reviving old names is still going strong in 2026, with Niton returning to the stage. This once-famous jumping hour specialist, founded in 1919, supplied movements to Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, and others, and was resurrected by industry veterans Yvan Ketterer and Leopoldi Celi. The Prima takes its looks from vintage Niton watches, with a central disc for the minutes, a jumping hour display up top and a (very) small seconds subdial. The case is available in rose gold or platinum; only 19 will be made in each material, and the movement looks stunning. The price is set at CHF 44,750 in gold, or CHF 47,750 in platinum.

For more information, please visit Niton.swiss.

Quick Facts – 27mm x 35.5mm x 7.9mm – platinum or rose gold case – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – opaline or rose gold-plated case dial – blued markers & hands – jumping hours, running minutes & seconds – calibre NHS01, made with LTM – manual-winding – 28,800vph – 72h power reserve – Geneva Seal & ISO 3159 Chronometer certified – grained calf leather strap with pin buckle – limited to 19 pieces each – CHF 44,750 (rose gold) or CHF 47,750 (platinum)

Cartier Tank à Guichets

When we think of Guichet watches, our minds almost immediately go to Cartier, and with good reason. Last year’s Tank à Guichets revived one of the Maison’s most emblematic yet unconventional watches, which have now become part of the Cartier Privé collection. First presented in 1928, this modern reinterpretation stays true to form, with two windows for the hours and minutes. Available in precious metals only, there are two layouts possible: vertically aligned in yellow gold, rose gold or platinum, and a sort of winking/smiling limited edition in platinum. Prices range from EUR 52,000 to EUR 66,000, depending on the reference.

For more information, please visit Cartier.com.

Quick Facts – 24.8mm x 37.6mm x 6mm – 18k yellow or rose gold, or 950 platinum case, brushed & polished – bevelled hour & minute windows – crown at noon – not water-resistant – jumping hour & dragging minutes windows at noon & six – calibre 9755 MC, manually wound – in-house – 21,600vph – 43h power reserve – alligator leather strap with gold or platinum pin buckle – EUR 52,000 (yellow or rose gold) – EUR 60,000 (platinum, non-limited)

H. Moser & Cie Pioneer Flying Hours

On the more contemporary side of the spectrum sits the H. Moser & Cie Pioneer Flying Hours. As part of Moser’s more rugged, sportier line of watches, it transforms a wandering hours display into a Jumping Hour/Dragging Minutes one. The white fumé dial keeps things serene, with the central disc trailing along three apertures for the hours. With three mostly hidden discs, the hour numeral instantaneously jumps from window to window. Powered by an in-house movement, even down to the hairspring, it once again shows what Moser is capable of. Worn on a grey rubber strap, it’s part of the permanent collection and retails for CHF 29,000 before taxes.

For more information, please consult H-Moser.com.

Quick Facts – 42.8mm x 14.2mm – stainless steel, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – screw-down crown – 120m water-resistant – white fumé dial – jumping hour discs with central minute disc – calibre HMC 240, in-house – automatic with bi-directional winding – planetary flying hours display – 21,600vph – 72h power reserve – Straumann hairspring with flat overcoil (in-house) – grey rubber strap with pin buckle – permanent collection – CHF 29,000 before taxes