Jumping For Joy, With Six Of The Coolest Jumping Hour Watches

Fresh off the avalanche of releases during Geneva Watch Days, we’re revisiting a Buying Guide topic from earlier this year. Sparked by watches like the De Bethune DB25 Digitale, one of this year’s absolute best of the fair, and the refreshingly cool M.A.D.3, we take another look at Jumping Hour watches. From brands high and low, it seems like many are riding the wave, and who are we to complain? On the contrary, there are plenty of cracking watches with jump hour displays to enjoy! With that in mind, here’s a selection of six of this year’s coolest!

Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time

Following last year’s limited editions, Louis Vuitton returns with the brilliantly cool Tambour Spin Time. Based on the same concept, the new collection spans five models, including this khaki green closed dial version. The cubes make an instant 180-degree rotation on the full hour, with the light side marking the current hour. Paired with a central minutes hand, the display is as intuitive as it is playful. Next to this, there’s also the openworked Spin Time Air, the travel-ready Spin Time Air Antipode, and a Flying Tourbillon edition. Worn on a khaki green rubber strap, this white gold Tambour Spin Time is added to the permanent collection and retails for EUR 86,000.

For more information, please visit LouisVuitton.com.

Quick Facts – 39.5mm x 12.15mm – white gold case, brushed & polished – sandblasted bezel with 12 LV letters – sapphire crystals front & back – 100m water-resistant – sunray and sandblasted dial in khaki green – white gold markers and hands – calibre ST13.01, in-house automatic – hours with spin time display, central minutes hand – 28,800vph (4Hz) – 45h power reserve – khaki green rubber strap, gold pin buckle – reference W9WGA2 – EUR 86,000

MeisterSinger Panthero

For the single-handed brand MeisterSinger, the jump hour indication is far from new, as they first introduced it with the Salthora collection in 2014. With the Panthero, MeisterSinger makes a significant step up in terms of detail and design. The black lacquered face has an off-centre minute dial which integrates a jumping hour aperture up top, and a running seconds sun wheel at the bottom. The movement uses a Sellita SW300 as a base, with a module by Dubois-Depraz for the indications. Worn on a leather strap with a folding clasp, it retails for EUR 6,990, while limited editions such as this guilloché model go for EUR 7,990.

For more information, please visit MeisterSinger.com.

Quick Facts – 40.5mm x 11.25mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – 50m water-resistant – black lacquered dial – jumping hour display with off-centre minutes & running seconds indication – single hand (minutes) – Calibre MS_JH-01, automatic – Sellita SW300 base with Dubois-Deproiz jumping hour module – 28,800vph – 47h power reserve – alligator embossed calfskin leather strap with folding clasp – EUR 6,990

Otsuka Lotec No.8

Literally bursting upon the scene from seemingly out of nowhere about two years ago, Otsuka Lotec is one of Japan’s most creative and expressive discoveries. The industrial inspiration, the non-conventional displays, the original designs- it all just clicks. This No.8 is the latest to come from the mind of Jiro Katayama, the man behind Otsuka Lotec. Using a Miyota 9S05 as a base, it uses an in-house module to split the time between a jumping hour display with a central indicator on the left, a retrograde minute display with a flywheel to slow it down on the right, and a running seconds disc tucked away at noon. Getting hold of one is a challenge, as it’s basically only sold in Japan to people who have a domestic credit card, through raffle-based allocations. The price is approximately EUR 5,500.

For more information, please visit Otsuka-Lotec.com.

Quick Facts – 31mm x 47.8mm x 10.8mm – stainless steel case, brushed – curved sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 30m water-resistant – split jumping hour, retrograde minutes & running seconds display – Miyota 9S05 base, automatic – in-house display module – 28,800vph – 32h power reserve – 24mm black rubber strap with steel pin buckle – exclusively available from the brand’s website – raffle-based allocations – approx. EUR 5,500 at the time of publication

De Bethune DB25 Digitale

We’ve picked it as one of the best from this year’s Geneva Watch Days, and we simply can’t get enough of it: the De Bethune DB25 Digitale. It delivers all that the brand is known for, and more, with a spherical moonphase in the centre, surrounded by a gold-studded blue Starry Varius disc. Outside of that is a disc with a random guilloché pattern in blue, with a jumping hour display at 12′ and a running minutes indication at 6′. Besides all that, it comes with the brand’s signature openworked lugs and a movement that’s just to die for, again with all the De Bethune traits. Worn on a blue alligator leather strap, its price is upon request.

For more information, please visit DeBethune.ch.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 11.9mm – grade 5 titanium case, polished – openworked lugs – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – jumping hour, running minutes, spherical moonphase – blue Starry Varius & random guilloché sections – silver barleycorn guilloché ring – DB2144V3, in-house – manual winding – 416 components – 28,800vph – 120h (5-days) power reserve – blue alligator leather strap, titanium pin buckle – price upon request

Amida Digitrend OSII Black

The jumping hour display perfectly lends itself to creating something highly original and expressive, as showcased by this Amida Digitrend OSII Black. Rekindling the unique flip-up display of the 1970s original, the Digitrend OSII Black opens up its cover to reveal the two discs that make up its indication. A special LRD prism flips the jumping hours on the left and the running minutes on the right side to a vertical display. The vintage sports car inspiration is evident, thanks to the sapphire crystal hood, the polished “roll bars”, and ribbed “air vent”. The base movement is Soprod’s Newton P092, with an in-house module on top. Prices start at CHF 5,150.

For more information, please visit Amida-Watches.com.

Quick Facts – 39.6mm x 39mm x 15.6mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal hood – 50m water-resistant – LRD prism display – jumping hours & scrolling minutes – fully luminous – Calibre Soprod Newton P092, automatic – in-house jumping hour disc module – 28,800vph – 44h power reserve – black alcantara strap or integrated steel bracelet – limited edition of 150 pieces – CHF 5,150 (on strapp) or CHF 5,500 (on bracelet)

Chronoswiss Neo Digiteur Pastel Code

Known for its devotion to the regulator watch, where time is split into separate indications, one of Chronoswiss‘ most loved watches is the Digiteur of 2005. Relaunched last year as the Neo Digiteur, its story continues with these three new Pastel Code editions. The refreshing colours, Rose, Mint and Sky, give the Neo Digiteur a refreshing new spin, without tampering with its striking jumping hours, dragging minutes and sweeping seconds display. Power comes from a Peseux 7001 with an in-house module for the unique way to tell time. Worn on a grey or black textile strap, the series is limited to 99 pieces each and costs EUR 12,700.

For more information, please visit Chronoswiss.com.

Quick Facts – 48mm x 30mm x 9.7mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal – screw-down sapphire caseback – reshaped onion-style crown – 50m water-resistant – rose, mint or sky dials with regulator display – jumping hour, dragging minutes, sweeping seconds – Chronoswiss Calibre C.85757, manual – Peseux 7001 base with proprietary module – 21,600vph – 48h power reserve – grey or black textile strap – limited to 99 pieces each – EUR 12,700