The complication takes centre stage as heritage brands including Cartier, Tudor, Louis Vuitton, and Bremont reimagine this historical mechanical marvel with bold new design perspectives.
Cartier Tank à Guichets
Cartier once again channels its legacy of innovation through the latest addition to its sought-after Cartier Privé collection – the new Tank à Guichets. A bold expression of modernity since its debut in 1928, the Tank à Guichets replaces the traditional dial and hands with a digital time display, revealing hours and minutes through minimal apertures. It was one of the most talked-about releases at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025.
“Six years after the debut of the Tank Louis Cartier, Louis Cartier took his quest for simplicity even further with the Tank à Guichets. Time is revealed solely through two minimal openings, with the traditional dial replaced by a streamlined, all-gold case defined by clean lines and perfect proportions. A jumping hour mechanism and a dragging minute display embody Cartier’s commitment to refined watchmaking, where technical mastery always serves aesthetic excellence,” says Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s Image, Style and Heritage Director.
Initially designed for an era of growing speed and mobility, the Tank à Guichets was Cartier’s response to the need for legibility at a glance. This year’s reissue pays homage to the original, with a hand-wound 9755 MC movement featuring jumping hours and dragging minutes.
Two interpretations are offered: one faithful to the 1928 design with apertures at 12 and 6 o’clock, available in yellow gold, rose gold, or platinum, and a second platinum edition with angled apertures inspired by 1930s design cues, limited to 200 numbered pieces. With its minimalist elegance and technical complexity, the Tank à Guichets remains a symbol of Cartier’s avant-garde spirit.
Bremont Terra Nova
Bremont has introduced its first Jumping Hour calibre, showcased in two striking Terra Nova models. These field-inspired watches, first introduced in 2024, draw inspiration from early 20th-century military pocket watches, characterised by low-profile, cushion-shaped cases and shortened lugs. Now, the addition of a jumping hour complication adds mechanical intrigue to this modern classic.
At the heart of the new models is the Bremont Calibre BC634, developed in collaboration with Sellita under a two-year exclusivity agreement. It’s a high-torque, high-performance movement designed so that the hour disc “jumps” instantly, within less than 1/10 of a second, precisely as the minute hand completes a full revolution. This level of responsiveness adds both technical precision and a visually captivating way to read the hours, aligning perfectly with Bremont’s commitment to innovation and clarity.
The two variants revealed at Watches and Wonders 2025 include a limited edition 38mm cupro-aluminium bronze-cased model (100 pieces), styled with apertures in a straight-line configuration – a nod to vintage ‘Montre à Guichet’ displays. The second is a 40.5mm stainless steel version in polished and brushed 904L steel with a black gloss dial, offering a more refined look while retaining rugged sensibilities.
With this release, Bremont not only enhances the Terra Nova collection’s mechanical depth but also signals its ambition to push forward with creative, contemporary complications rooted in traditional craftsmanship.
Tudor Black Bay Pro
Also at Watches and Wonders 2025, Tudor expanded its Black Bay Pro line with a model featuring an opaline dial and a high-performance jumping hour mechanism. Maintaining its 39mm steel case, fixed 24-hour graduated bezel, and COSC-certified Manufacture Calibre MT5652, this new version brings a fresh design perspective to the professional-grade GMT tool watch.
The opaline dial – a first for the Black Bay Pro – introduces a softer, matte aesthetic while boosting readability. Applied monobloc ceramic markers, outlined in black and filled with Super-LumiNova, contrast sharply with the dial for optimal legibility in low light. Matching black-outlined “Snowflake” hands reinforce this clarity and maintain the signature Tudor style first seen in 1969.
Functionality is at the heart of the watch. The second time zone is displayed via a yellow 24-hour “Snowflake” hand, while local time is set by a jumping hour hand, allowing it to move in one-hour increments without affecting the minutes or seconds. This feature is convenient for travellers frequently crossing time zones. The jumping hour is coupled with the date display at 3 o’clock, which adjusts instantly forward or backwards when crossing midnight.
Inside, the robust MT5652 movement offers a 70-hour “weekend-proof” power reserve and is finely regulated to -2/+4 seconds per day, surpassing COSC standards. The watch comes with a steel bracelet, a hybrid leather/rubber strap, or a jacquard-woven fabric strap crafted by Julien Faure.
This update to the Black Bay Pro not only honours Tudor’s heritage of exploration watches but enhances usability for modern adventurers.
Louis Vuitton Tambour Taiko Spin Time
Inspired by nostalgic flap displays at train stations, Louis Vuitton’s 2025 Tambour Taiko Spin Time collection showcases rotating hour cubes in a whimsical jumping display. The collection reimagines time-telling with jumping hour cubes that rotate to reveal the hour – an innovative design by La Fabrique du Temps founders Michel Navas and Enrico Barbasini. Housed in sleek, white gold cases, each of the six limited-edition watches blends Japanese taiko drum influences with haute horlogerie savoir-faire. Powered by a new in-house calibre, the collection showcases refined craftsmanship, poetic motion, and signature LV style – uniting light-catching finishes, grey-blue hawk’s eye quartz dials, and a uniquely whimsical complication.
A highlight is the Tambour Taiko Spin Time Air Tourbillon (pictured), combining two advanced complications: the levitating Spin Time Air and a central flying tourbillon shaped like a Monogram flower. Ingeniously engineered by La Fabrique du Temps, the calibre LFT ST05.01 required a restructured architecture to position the automatic movement and flying tourbillon (performing one revolution per minute) within the case’s core, while the jumping cubes occupy peripheral volume, proving both a technical and artistic triumph.
Whether paired with opaline dials or guichet displays, the jumping hour is reclaiming its place in horology’s spotlight. Once a niche curiosity, it’s fast becoming the statement complication of the moment.
