Gee-shay
For over a century, watchmakers have explored countless ways to display time, but few designs are as bold and unconventional as the Guichet-style watch. Stripped of traditional hands and dials, these timepieces rely on sculpted apertures to reveal the hours and minutes, creating a striking fusion of minimalism and mechanical ingenuity.
Though pioneered by Audemars Piguet in the 1920s and later embraced by maisons like Cartier and Breguet, the Guichet watch has remained a rare and enigmatic creation. Yet, despite its niche appeal, its influence has endured—spurring revivals in the 1990s and inspiring avant-garde interpretations by modern independents.
Today, as collectors rediscover the allure of these remarkable timepieces, the Guichet is making a quiet but undeniable comeback. Here’s why this century-old concept remains one of watchmaking’s most fascinating expressions of time.
1995 Audemars Piguet John Shaeffer Jumping Hour Guichet-style Minute Repeater.
The Iron Mask
Let’s rewind a century—almost exactly 100 years ago. A horological revolution was taking shape, introducing a style of watch unlike anything that had come before. These timepieces had no hands, no conventional dial—just an “iron mask” with two apertures displaying the hours and minutes. The hour disc jumped crisply at the start of each new hour, while the minutes were read via a sculpted pointer. Today, we recognise this as a Guichet-style timepiece. While open-dial and semi-jumping hour variations exist, for the purest definition of the Guichet style, we shall set them aside.
Left: Guichet watches from Audemars Piguet, 1921.
Right: An old ad from 1930s marketing a Guichet-stlye wristwatch. Note that one of the selling points was "no more broken crystals".
Early Guichet Watches
It is widely accepted—though still relatively unknown—that Audemars Piguet created the world’s first Guichet-style watch in 1921, producing both wristwatches and pocket watches in this radical format. These were ultra-rare creations, now considered grail-worthy collectibles. They embodied the rebellious spirit of the Le Brassus brand as it sought to carve its place alongside its more conventionally esteemed Holy Trinity rivals.
An early Audemars Piguet Jumping Hour Guichet-style wristwatch from 1920s. Part of the Pygmalion Collection.
The author's beloved Breguet Jumping Hour Guichet-style pocket watch from 1926.
The other haute horlogerie players in Guichet watchmaking during the 1920s and 1930s were Breguet and Cartier, both of whom crafted these avant-garde timepieces for wrists and pockets alike. While many lower-cost brands jumped on the trend sparked by AP, Breguet, and Cartier, the test of time has naturally favoured the quality-focused maisons. Today, the most collectible examples are almost exclusively from the original pioneers.
1930s Audemars Piguet Guichet-style Jumping Hour with in-line calendar, retailed by Cartier. Part of the Pygmalion Collection.
Post Quartz Crisis Revival
The 1920s Jumping Hour craze came and went, but experienced a revival in the ’90s following the Quartz Crisis that nearly decimated the industry. As mechanical watchmaking regained appreciation, numerous brands revisited the Jumping Hour display—among them AP, Cartier, Breguet, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, Chaumet, Franck Muller, and others.
1990s Audemars Piguet John Shaeffer Jumping Hour Guichet-style watch with a minute repeater, with hammers and gongs visible through the exhibition caseback. One of just 24 examples made in pink gold.
Two of the most notable Guichet-style watches from the ’90s stand out. The first is the ultra-limited John Shaeffer from AP—just 30 pieces across three metals, further enhanced with a minute repeater. A cushion case was incredibly unusual for AP, but this design was inspired by the brand’s masterpieces of the 1920s.
Cartier CPCP Tank à Guichets at Phillips.
The second is the Tank à Guichets from Cartier’s fabled CPCP collection, arguably the most famous Guichet watch of all. A total of 250 examples were produced—150 in platinum and 100 in pink gold—each entirely unsigned on the “dial” side.
Modern-Day Guichet Watches
The Guichet-style watch has undoubtedly inspired modern creations beyond vintage reissues from heritage brands. In 2003, Harry Winston released the third instalment of its horologically liberated Opus series.
Reading the Opus 3.
Conceived by independent watchmaker Vianney Halter, the Opus 3 was a fully digital mechanical watch that displayed a wealth of information and animation through its six front windows. The rest of the case was completely closed, with no dial—echoing the design hallmarks of the Guichet style. That same year, the Opus 3 won the GPHG Technical Innovation and Complication Watch Prize.
The evolution and adaptation of Guichet-style design.
Another avant-garde take on the Guichet watch is the Dream Watch 5 from artisanal independent watchmaker De Bethune. Sculptural in form, the DW5 evokes the imagery of spaceships and celestial minerals. Yet, despite its futuristic aesthetic, its time display is unmistakably inspired by the Guichet watches of the 1920s.
2014 De Bethune Dream Watch 5
More recently, Louis Vuitton’s 2025 Tambour Convergence pays tribute to the Guichet-style watch. While not a Jumping Hour Guichet itself, the inspiration is clear—reinterpreted with Louis Vuitton’s distinctive twist.
2025 Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence
Conclusion
Visually striking, mechanically engaging, and steeped in references to multiple golden eras of watchmaking, Guichet-style watches are making a powerful comeback today—and for good reason.