In this article, we look at 20 skeleton watches, from entry-level luxury to Haute Horology, that you can currently buy!
Within the world of horology, skeleton timepieces stand out for their craftsmanship and the artistic side of the brand, allowing them to get creative with the dials displayed and show more than just the time and complications. Skeleton timepieces offer enthusiasts and collectors alike the chance to see the intricate mechanics behind what makes their watch tick. Skeleton timepieces peel back the layers behind the solid dial to reveal the gears, springs, and balance wheels that power the watch.
The skeleton watch was first invented by a Frenchman named Andre-Charles Caron in 1760, who would later become a clockmaker for King Louis XV. These were, of course, pocket watch designs, but regardless, Caron realised that having the dials of the watches exposed seemed to showcase a level of complexity and elegance that captivated the buyers of luxury goods in the 18th century.
Almost three centuries later, the way skeleton timepieces are perceived is no different. Some brands offer a slight glimpse into the inner workings of the movement, while others go all out in captivating the audience with a dial display of artistic elegance. In this article, we will showcase 20 watches, from entry-level luxury to haute horology, that display varying levels of skeletonised timepieces!
1. Seiko – Presage Japanese Garden
One of the simpler skeleton dials is the Seiko Presage Japanese Garden. It features a blue dial with two different dial patterns. The left side of the dial has vertical stripes mixed with diagonal stripes, while the left quarter features a sunburst pattern. The open-heart balance wheel is on show, providing just the right amount of skeletonisation on the timepiece without detracting from the dial’s beauty.
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Model Reference: SSA421
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $925
2. Mido – Multifort Skeleton Vertigo
This Mido skeleton watch has it’s central dial portion skeletonised so that it has a nice balance between dial aesthetics and a view of the movement sitting underneath. This also allows the hour indices to stand out nicely, which can be one of the disadvantages of a skeleton watch, where the hour markers blend in with the skeletonised framework. The central skeleton portion has geneva stripes finishing as well.
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Model Reference: M038.436.11.061.00
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $1,775
3. Tissot – Complication Squelette Mechanical
Tissot’s Squelette Mechanical is a beautiful take on a skeleton watch with a wheel-inspired design for the skeleton framework. This hand-wound timepiece shows all, even the movement of the winding crown is shown. While the wheel framework on the dial side can cover up the movement through the open case back, not much is left up to the imagination!
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Model Reference: T070.405.16.411.00
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $3,105
4. Raymond Weil – Freelancer Bronze Skeleton
Raymond Weil’s Freelancer collection features some beautiful modern-day interpretations of skeleton timepieces. For this model, Raymond Weil have removed unnecessary components from the movement, allowing the watch to the see through for most of the components. The touch of colour in the gold gears and balance wheel stand out beautiful against the rest of the movement.
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Model Reference: 2785-SBC-60000
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $6,200
5. Baume & Mercier – Riveria 10721
The Riveria 10721 from Baume & Mercier is the brand’s answer to skeletonised timepieces. The satin-finished dodecagonal 42mm cae is complemented nicely by the black skeleton framework, which is symbolic of the minimalistic lines and bold shapes of the villas along the Mediterranean, more specifically the French Riveria.
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Model Reference: Riveria 10721
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $6,900
6. Rado – Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic
The Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic has many different elements that combine to make a visually appealing timepiece! Firstly, we get the full high-tech ceramic case and bracelet, making the timepiece not only light but also comfortable to wear. The rose-gold coloured bezel knurling beautifully complements the matt olive-green finish of the high-tech ceramic. To finish off the aesthetic look, the skeletonised dial highlights the R808 movement underneath.
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Model Reference: R32150162
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $7,450
7. TAG Heuer – Monaco Chronograph
TAG Heuer’s Monaco, with its iconic square case shape design, has been given a skeleton dial makeover. The black DLC titanium case serves as a nice contrast against the blue minute track and hour indices on the dial. The touch of yellow for the chronograph hand and sub-counter hands makes the dial stand out. TAG Heuer has taken a subtle approach to the skeletonisation of the dial, with the date disc, for example, being done in black.
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Model Reference: CBL2188.FT6261
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $16,300
8. Zenith Defy 21 Ultrablue
One of my favourite skeleton-dial timepieces is the Zenith DEFY 21 Ultrablue. This timepiece brings the skeleton dial to life through colour, which in this case is the blue mainplate. While much of the movement is covered because of the tri-counter layout, the watch still retains a skeleton view from the dial. The main appeal of this timepiece, besides it’s technical standpoint, is the matte titanium DEFY case working well with the blue tones of the timepiece.
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Model Reference: 97.9001.9004/81.R946
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $20,728 (Approx.)
9. TAG Heuer – Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon
The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph Tourbillon is a Australian Sydney Boutique exclusive! Unfortunately limited to just 10 timepieces, the show’s TAG Heuer’s take on Haute Horology. The brand states that the design of the timepiece evokes Australia’s natural beauty. The skeleton framework has a stunning blue finish, which is also applied to the column wheel and the tourbillon. The white elements on the dial, such as the hour indices and sub-counter rings, make the dial pop!
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Model Reference: CAR5A8AK.FC6570
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $35,200
10. Hublot – Unico Yellow Magic
Hublot has once again brought their “Art of Fusion” to watchmaking with the latest release of the Big Bang Unico Yellow Magic. If you don’t want your timepiece to stand out, this certainly won’t be that watch. I personally love the combination of yellow and black, with the two colours contrasting perfectly with each other. The skeletonised dial paves the way for the wearer to see Hublot’s HUB1280 UNICO manufacture movement whilst still keeping the aesthetic appeal of the dial elements (indices/hands) intact!
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Model Reference: 421.CY.471Y.RX
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $44,100
11. Cartier – Santos De Cartier Watch
Cartier has several different versions of skeleton dial timepieces, one of them being the Santos De Cartier Watch. This timepiece, compared to the other skeleton models in Cartier’s collections, takes a simpler approach to the skeleton design, with only the bare necessities of the movement being included in the design. The framework for the movement lies with the hour indices on the dial, which stretches from the outer dial to the central square.
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Model Reference: WHSA0015
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $49,500
12. Montblanc – 1858 The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition
Montblanc’s 1858 The Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronograph Limited Edition is a beautiful take on the skeleton watch concept. The dial elements have been carefully designed to show it in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible. The sub-counters have been skeletonised as well, which shows more the gears of the Maison’s MB M16.29 calibre underneath. This watch is a beautiful rendition of the skeleton watch because Montblanc reversed the chronograph movement, so the underside of the movement is now on the dial side, showcasing the magic and beauty of the MB M16.29 movement.
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Model Reference: MB131155
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $66,500
13. Piaget – Polo Skeleton Watch
Piaget’s Polo Skeleton Watch is an elegant artistic skeleton timepiece. It is encased in an 18k white gold case and set with 56 brilliant-cut diamonds for the added luxury factor. The blue framework of the movement (which only measures 2.4mm thick!) features an intricate pattern that is still able to show many parts of the minimalistic movement.
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Model Reference: G0A46010
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $113,000
14. Audemars Piguet – Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked
Audemars Piguet takes the iconic Royal Oak design and gives it a skeleton makeover with the Double Balance Wheel Openworked timepiece. The timepiece features patented geometry that involves a very complex manufacturing procedure in which the brand fixes a second balance wheel onto the same axis as its balance spring assembly. The 18-carat pink gold of the case bracelet perfectly complements the black open-worked movement, which also acts as a beautiful contrast to the rose gold and gold elements on the movement.
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Model Reference: 15407OR.OO.1220OR.01
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $142,432 (Approx.)
16. Hublot – Spirit Of Big Bang Tourbillon Orange Carbon
Released during Watches & Wonders 2024, Hublot introduces the Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon in an all-new orange carbon look. The case certainly looks with part and adds to the artistic style of this timepiece, with the carbon fibre being mixed with orange micro-glass fibres. The skeletonised movement has been kept simplistic, letting the architecture holding the movement in place stand out beautifully.
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Model Reference: 645.QO.4710.RX
Australian Recommended Retail Price: $AUD 156,000
16. Zenith DEFY Double Tourbillon
A limited-edition timepiece of only 10 models, the Zenith DEFY Double Tourbillon comes in an impressive transparent sapphire case, which adds to the flair of this timepiece. The skeleton dial is just as impressive as it features a 1/100th of a second chronograph with double tourbillons: one 60-second tourbillon to drive the time and another 6-second tourbillon to drive the 1/100th of the second chronograph!
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Model Reference: 04.9000.9020/00.R920
Australian Recommended Retail Price: AUD $186,800
17. Patek Philippe – 5303R Grand Complication
As part of Patek Philippe’s Grand Complication collection, is this skeletonised timepiece, reference 5303R. This is a truly remarkable open-worked timepiece, as it features a minute repeater that you can see operate from the dial! The open architecture allows the minute repeater mechanism, including the hammers and gongs, to be admired in action, with Patek Philippe also reworking their manually wound calibre R TO 27 PS for this timepiece to further highlight its aesthetic appeal.
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Model Reference: 5303R – GRAND COMPLICATIONS
Australian Recommended Retail Price: Price On Request.
18. Cartier – Rotonde De Cartier Watch
Cartier’s Rotonde De Cartier Watch is a genuine marvel in haute horology. The timepiece features 578 components, which make up three of the most prestigious Fine Watchmaking complications, including a perpetual calendar, a minute repeater, and a flying tourbillon. The added beauty of this timepiece is the skeletonised dial, which shows the incredibly complex self-winding calibre 9406 MC as much as possible.
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Model Reference: WHRO0065
Australian Recommended Retail Price: Price On Request.
19. Vacheron Constantin – Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface
The Vacheron Constantin Tourbillon Retrograde Date Openface is another fine example of haute horology and ultra high-end watchmaking. The movement features a retrograde date display along with a tourbillon, with the intricate mechanisms operating these functions being partially visible through the skeletonised dial. The demand for mechanical sophistication and an expression of avant-garde aesthetic sums up this timepiece nicely.
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Model Reference: 6010T/000R-B638
Australian Recommended Retail Price: Price On Request.
20. Jaeger-LeCoultre – Hybris Mechanical Calibre 184
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s grand complication timepiece, which was introduced in 2019, is the Hybris Mechanical Calibre 184. It is a feat of watchmaking engineering as the timepiece comes with an incredible combination of complications that include a multi-axis tourbillon driven by a remontoir d’egalite, a minute repeater with Westminster chimes, and a perpetual calendar, all displayed in a skeletonised dial showcasing just how mechanical complex this timepiece really is.
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