The invention relates to a mechanism for driving a jumping element comprising a drive wheel (1), an indicator of a unit of time, a jumping element (6) integral with said indicator and coaxial to said drive wheel (1) to which said jumping element (6) is coupled by a spring (8), a cam (12) arranged to rock a pallet-lever (20) in an oscillating motion so as to release the jumping element (6) once per unit of time. According to the invention, the cam (12) and the jumping element (6) have distinct pivot arbors, said drive mechanism, further comprising an intermediate train kinematically connecting the drive wheel (1) to the cam (12), and the pallet-lever (20) has four distinct arms (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d), two (20a, 20b) of the four arms forming feelers arranged to cooperate with the cam (12) and the other two arms (20c, 20d) forming escapement arms arranged to successively block and release the jumping element (6) once per unit of time, alternately.