Jumping hour clocks 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 quickly reviews 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 are surprised to learn that they were invented in the 19th century. The first known jumping hour clock 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 leap hour watch was designed by Joseph Pallweber for the Cortobert company (again, a French firm) in the 1880s. Instead of being a wristwatch, these they were in fact pocket watches, but they are very much the modern forerunners of today’s watches as they were the first to display the time through numbers displayed in a window instead of a dial as they did. other watches (and most still do).
This makes jumping hour clocks the first digital clocks: that is, a clock that displays the time through numbers instead of a face and hands.
the 1970s
The 1970s saw a massive increase in the popularity of the jumping hour clock. 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 an entirely new form of watch.
The current trend
Jumping hour watches are back in fashion as more and more people are looking for an interesting and different watch. There is a very large market for vintage clocks which has led many companies to launch new jumping hour designs. These companies even include long-standing watchmakers like Breitling.