Some pocket watches have complicated ‘jump hour’ mechanisms

Antiques & Collecting
Would you believe the first digital watches were mechanical? The “jump hour” watch, which displayed the hour and minute as discrete digits, was invented in 1883. Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates (c) 2025 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.
Would you believe the first digital watches were mechanical? The “jump hour” watch, which displayed the hour and minute as discrete digits, was invented in 1883. Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates (c) 2025 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.

Take a moment and picture a pocket watch. Are you thinking of a hunting case watch with elaborate relief decorations and an engraved monogram? A minimalist open-faced watch with a 14K gold case? Maybe a chain and a fancy fob? One thing is safe to assume: The watch probably tells time with hands on a dial. “Jump hour” watches like the one pictured here show that isn’t always the case. (Yes, this on…