Mondaine Stop2Go Watch

In 1944, Hans Hilfiker, a Swiss engineer, designed what would go on to become the Official Swiss Railway Clock. It featured an easy-to-read dial with large black stick markers and a bright-red seconds hand. About 40 years after the clock’s debut, the Mondaine watch company received official license from the Swiss Federal Railways to use this iconic design. Today, it’s a watch recognized around the world—a tribute to Switzerland’s history of timekeeping and watchmaking.

The Stop2Go is virtually identical, mechanically speaking, to Hilfiker’s original design. Indeed, says A Blog to Watch, “this is the brand’s most authentic and accurate reproduction of a Swiss Railway Clock.” As the red seconds hand reaches the 60-second mark—which it achieves in an accelerated 58 seconds—it pauses for two seconds to allow the minute hand to jump ahead to the next marker. At this point, the seconds hand resumes. The original idea behind this design was to synchronize all Swiss Railway clocks in order to ensure that each train departed precisely at the top of the minute.

Equipped with a 41-millimeter case, the Stop2Go features a proprietary Mondaine 58-02 quartz movement, which is unique to this watch. It consists of two separate motors, with the hour and minute hands operating independently of the smooth-sweeping seconds hand. This extra motion requires a stronger battery, in this case a lithium-ion battery, which will power the watch for up to 3 years. The Stop2Go features a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating, plus a screw-down caseback. At the 3 o’clock position on the outside of the case is a unique rocker-style crown.