Omega De Ville Prestige 'Tonneau' Jumping Hour

Not every great Omega is a Speedmaster.

In fact, some of the most fascinating watches the brand has ever produced are the ones that quietly sit off to the side, waiting for collectors to discover them. This De Ville Prestige Jump Hour is one such watch.

At first glance, it appears elegant and restrained—a softly curved tonneau-shaped dress watch from the late 1990s. Look closer, however, and you'll find one of watchmaking's oldest and most charming complications: the jump hour.

First conceived in the early nineteenth century, the jump hour was designed to make reading the time more intuitive by displaying the hour digitally through an aperture while a single hand tracks the minutes. Omega revived the complication in 1996 as part of the De Ville Prestige collection, creating a watch that felt both classically inspired and surprisingly modern.

This particular example, Reference 166.1230, pairs the complication with one of the most attractive dials Omega produced during the era. The warm salmon-pink dial features a radiant guilloché center section, a contrasting minute track, and applied Arabic numerals and baton markers. At 12 o'clock, the jumping-hour aperture displays the current hour, while Omega's distinctive openworked "apple" minute hand glides across the dial.

Housed in a 31mm stainless steel tonneau case and powered by the automatic Omega Caliber 1221, the watch strikes a perfect balance between technical interest and everyday wearability. The integrated stainless steel bracelet with signed deployant clasp completes the package, giving the watch a distinctly late-1990s sophistication that feels remarkably fresh today.

Accompanying the watch are its inner and outer presentation boxes, original paperwork, booklets, and warranty card, making it an exceptionally complete example of one of Omega's most unusual modern references.

Collectors often associate jump-hour watches with niche independents and complicated haute horlogerie. Omega's interpretation offers something different: a genuinely useful complication wrapped in an elegant, highly wearable design from one of Switzerland's most respected manufactures.

The story of Omega is one that captivates generations of horological devotees. The second-largest watchmaker in the world in terms of annual turnover, the Bienne-based firm has been continuously producing watches since 1848, which it does today under the auspices of the Swatch Group.

Founded in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland as La Generale Watch Co, Omega was well ahead of the horological curve from the beginning, developing the first minute-repeating wristwatch in 1892 as well as the eponymous “Omega” caliber in 1894. This 19-ligne movement was revolutionary in that its parts could be replaced by any watchmaker in the world without modification, while its winding and time-setting via the crown provided an industry standard.

Omega became the timepiece supplier of choice for the British Royal Flying Corps in 1917, while the Americans followed suit in 1918, choosing their watches for the U.S. Army. Awards for precision chronometry became almost commonplace, while 1932 saw them become the first watch brand to time an entire Olympic Games. Their Marine, which debuted the same year, is regarded as the first commercially available diver’s watch.

During the Second World War, Omega supplied well over 100,000 timepieces to British forces, making it the largest watch supplier to the British and her allies. These watches, from the unique 6B/159 to the famed “Dirty Dozen” W.W.W, remain highly collectible today.

1948 saw the launch of the original Seamaster: Built upon the tool watch legacy of the brand’s timepieces from the War, it’s since become a byword for reliability and legibility, both as a dress watch and, more recently, as a serious diver’s tool. The Speedmaster, released in 1957 and originally marketed for the auto-racing market, first rocketed to space on the wrist of American astronaut Wally Schirra in 1962. However, it became a household name when, in 1969, it accompanied Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, and later helped save the space-stranded crew of Apollo 13 in 1970 by timing a critical rocket burn.

Today, Omega’s watches — all of which feature in-house movements — run the gamut from svelte dress pieces to the venerable Speedmaster in all its guises. Providing an unquestionable value proposition, Omega is a brand that deserves to be at the center of every serious watch lover’s collection.

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Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a two-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.