Maybe you’ve heard of a jump hour watch before, or perhaps you have come across this article entirely by accident. In any event, it is here that we will explain exactly what that is. So what is a jump hour watch then? Simply put, a jump hour watch is a watch that displays the hour through a small window, which only changes every hour on the hour.
This is exactly why it is referred to as a “jump hour watch”. Because the hour suddenly changes. It “jumps” to the next hour. This is in contrast to a traditional mechanical watch in which there is an hour hand that slowly transitions to the next hour as the minutes go by.
A lot of times, people may not even realize what type of watch this is. That is because the hour window is commonly confused for a date window by those who are not familiar with jump hour watches.
This is an easy mistake to make, as many watches have date windows, and they are numbered 1-12, just as the hour window on a jump hour watch is numbered 1-12. But, if you notice that it only has a single hand, it will be apparent what it is. So the next thing is how do you tell time on a jump hour watch? More on this below!
How To Tell Time On A Jump Hour Watch
Telling the time on a jump hour watch is actually pretty simple. The time is presented in a window on the watch. The location of this window varies, depending on the particular watch. It can be located on the top, bottom, or sides of the dial window. It just depends on what watch you have.
First off, a jump hour watch only has 1 hand, a minute hand. A regular watch needs both an hour and a minute hand, but since the hour is already displayed in the window, there is no need for an hour hand. This is exactly how you tell the time.
To tell the time on a jump hour watch, you simply look at the hour display, then look to where the minute hand is pointing. Then you have the time. That’s it. It’s that simple!
I also feel that it is important to note that even though a jump hour watch uses a single hand, it should not be confused with a one-handed watch. A one-handed watch also has a single hand, but it uses completely different method entirely to tell the time. The easiest way to distinguish the two is that a jump hour watch will always have an hour window, whereas a one-handed watch will not.
The next thing you may be wondering is: “How did jump hour watches come about?”
Where Did Jump Hour Watches Come From?
The actual concept for jump hour watches began with pocket watches. The idea was for a pocket watch to use rotating disks with numbers on them in tandem with actual hand markers. It was actually patented by an engineer by the name of Josef Pallweber back in 1883.
The pocket watches that used this complication were known as “Pallweber watches”. These were sold by the IWC until 2010 when the trademark watch name of “Josef Pallweber” was sold to Marc Baltensweiler. These are now being sold as Joseph Pallweber edition luxury watches.
So Why Wear A Jump Hour Watch?
The last question we will be answering here is, “Why even wear a jump hour watch at all?” Is there any real benefit to using one?
Some people like jump hour watches for the simplicity and minimalist design. You can easily see the hour and minutes, and there is only one hand. The watch is therefore less cluttered. For people that like their watches simple, and clean in appearance, this would appeal to them.
For others, it is a fashion statement. Jump hour watches are unique in their appearance and stand out in comparison to standard mechanical watches. So for people who want something uncommon, or if they just like the design, a jump hour watch is for them.
Final Thoughts
A jump hour watch is definitely one of the lesser known types of watches. However, it is a unique concept that will appeal to both casual wearers and watch enthusiasts alike. Because of how obscure they are, it may be a bit difficult to actually find one, but the internet is vast, so they will come up in a search. Ebay is particularly useful when looking for rarer watch types.
Well I hope that this article has been useful and informative. We always strive to try to bring helpful information to our readers. If you enjoyed this article, then for more on watches, you can check out some of our other info articles!
