If you’re a follower of fashion, you’ll no doubt have heard about the new trend for jump hour watches. These are some of the hottest watches around. With the credit crunch, the style has moved away from expensive ‘bling’ towards watches that are more fun and interesting. In particular there has been a massively increased trend in vintage watches, particularly those from the nineteen seventies. One of the most popular designs from this period is the jump hour watch. But what are they?
What are jump hour watches?
On the inside, there is very little difference between the jump hour and the standard watch. Take a look at the mechanism and you’ll see very little difference. The difference is in how the time is displayed on the watch. Whereas a standard watch displays the time by a pair (or sometimes three) hands pointing at fixed numbers, jump hour watches have a wheel that rotates to display the correct time i.e. the numbers themselves move. The watch will have a small window so that only the correct time is displayed.
The fact that the time is displayed in numbers rather than with a dial makes jump hour watches the first digital watches in history. Although you might associate digital watches with the electronically displayed watches, the definition does not apply only to those types of watches. The strict definition of a digital watch is one, “that displays time in the form of numbers, rather than by a dial and hands.” As you can see, jump hour watches very much fall into this definition.
When were jump hour watches invented?
Although they are mostly associated with the seventies, the first jump hour watches were made as far back as the nineteenth century. The watch generally credited with being the first was made by famed French watch makers Blondeau for the French king.
There is very much a renaissance in interest in the jump hour watch at the moment. As well as a large market in the sale of vintage items, companies are moving into new designs in the hope of capitalizing on the trend. If you want to make sure you’re wearing the right watch this season, this is a trend you don’t want to miss out on.
