Jump Hour Clock – A Brief History

Jumping hour watches are becoming incredibly popular right now. With the economic downturn, fewer people are looking for a watch that acts as a great status symbol. They are looking for a watch that provides them with something individual, unique and extraordinary. And that is what the jumping hour clock has always represented. This article takes a quick look at the history of the watch from its invention to its peak popularity to the present day.

The invention of the jumping hour clock

Many people associate jumping hour clocks with the 1970s, so they may be surprised to learn that they were invented in the 19th century. The first recorded jumping hour watch was made by the prestigious French watchmakers Blondeau for the French king of the time around 1830.

This one, however, was unique, the first mass-produced jumping hour watch being designed by Joseph Pallweber for the Cortobert company (again, a French firm) in the 1880s. Rather than being a wristwatch, these they were in fact pocket watches, but they are very much the modern precursors to the watches of today, as they were the first to display the time via numerals displayed in a window instead of a dial as they did other watches (and most still do).

This makes jumping hour watches the first digital watches: that is, a watch that shows time through numbers instead of a face and hands.

the 1970s

The 1970s saw a massive increase in the popularity of the jumping hour watch. That decade saw a major economic downturn and, like today, people moved away from watches as a status symbol to become a statement of individuality.

At this time, firms such as Lanco and Damas became popular with their innovative and almost space-age designs. Their use of color, shape, and font marked them out as a whole new form of watch.

the current trend

Jumping hour watches are back in fashion as more and more people look for an interesting and different watch. There is a very large market for vintage watches which has led many companies to launch new jumping hour designs. These companies even include long-standing watch makers like Breitling.