Jumping hours, cosmic light: Bold new releases from Audemars Piguet, Urwerk, Tissot and others

Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour revives a design first seen in 1929. Read more at straitstimes.com.

A quirky relic of the 1920s, the minimalist “window display” format is suddenly the toast of modern watchmaking, and Audemars Piguet (AP) has joined the party with serious flair.

The new Neo Frame Jumping Hour revives a design first seen in 1929. The black sapphire crystal dial creates a slick, uninterrupted surface enhanced by pink-gold-toned apertures that reveal the hour and minutes through bevelled openings.

Beneath the sleek surface, titanium and aluminium discs display crisp white numerals, jumping and gliding in synchronicity.

The Art Deco influence comes through in the fluted case sides, angled lugs and black-and-gold colour scheme of the 18K pink-gold case, sized at a refined 34mm by 47mm. A textured black calfskin strap with matching stitching and a solid gold folding clasp complete the vintage-meets-modern look.

Inside beats the automatic Caliber 7122, an evolution of AP’s esteemed 7121, with a 52-hour reserve and a pink-gold rotor visible through the caseback.

Price: $95,000