The eyes are the window to the soul, so they say. In the world of horology, the watch’s glass is the eyes and the movement, the soul, laid bare in these beautifully crafted skeleton watches.
Skeletonised, defined
Invented by French horologist André Charles Caron, the clockmaker to King Louis XV, in 1970, the skeleton watch lays bare the exquisite craftsmanship of the timepiece’s movement. All the moving parts are visible, allowing the wearer to appreciate how time is kept.
Patek Philippe Complications 5180/1R
Completely skeletonised, this Patek Philippe pays homage to the rare handcrafts painstakingly upheld by Patek Philippe. This skeletonised timepiece is decorated and engraved by hand. The latter alone accounted for 130 hours of craftsmanship. A first for the Swiss luxury watchmaker, the ultra-thin calibre 240, housed in a 39 mm rose gold case, adorns an engraved Patek Philippe seal. The self-winding movement offers a power reserve of 48 hours. For more information, visit the luxury brand’s website here.
Zenith Defy Classic Carbon
Again demonstrating Zenith’s vision of the future of watchmaking, the Defy Classic Carbon is bold, innovative, and lighter, thanks to its carbon-fibre makeover for the 41 mm case and, signifying a first for an automatic watch, the bracelet. Billed as a futuristic interpretation of skeleton watches, the watch’s black open-worked dial gives its wearer a glimpse of the firm’s Elite movement. The power reserve is rated at 50 hours. For more information, visit www.zenith-watches.com/int.
Cartier Santos de Cartier Skeleton Watch
The Santos Skeleton Watch sports a 39 mm steel case wrapped around the luxury brand’s calibre 9611 MC (power reserve of 72 hours), indicating time by blued-steel sword-shaped hands. The hours and minutes with skeletonised bridges form Roman numerals. The manually-wound movement is displayed via front and rear sapphire crystal glass. The heptagonal crown is set with faceted sapphire. The metal bracelet is interchangeable with a calfskin leather strap. For more information, visit the firm’s website here.
Hublot Big Bang Essential Grey
Providing a chic and technical new look at Hublot’s popular Big Bang timepiece collection, the Essential Grey, with its satin-finished monochrome aesthetics, is visually striking, magnifying the unmistakable design of the original. The visible HUB1280 calibre column-wheel chronograph movement (power reserve of 72 hours) is housed in a titanium case measuring 42 mm in diameter and 14.5 mm thick. Thanks to its dimensions, this skeleton watch is suited for all. For more information, visit the firm’s website at www.hublot.com.
TAG Heuer Carrera Tourbillon Chronograph
The Carrera Tourbillon Chronograph sports a bold black skeleton dial housed in a 45 mm titanium case with a ceramic bezel. The La Chaux-de-Fonds-based luxury watchmaker’s HEUER02T calibre movement is at the heart of this elegant timepiece. The automatic chronograph provides a power reserve of 65 hours. The watch is presented on a strap fashioned from matte black alligator leather, which is stitched onto rubber of the same hue. For more information, visit the firm’s website here.
Oris Big Crown ProPilot X Calibre 115
Inspired by the spirit of the Calibre 110, Hölstein luxury watchmaker Oris imagined the 115, a fully skeletonised movement reconnecting people to how things work. Housed within a 44 mm multi-piece titanium case, the inner workings of the hand-wound unit, offering a power reserve of 10 days, is visible through domed sapphire crystal. For more information, visit Oris’ website here.
Audemars Piquet Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked
Available in stainless steel, pink gold, and white gold, the Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked sports a slate grey open-worked dial, replete with pink gold-applied hour markers and Royal Oak hands with luminescent coating. A bracelet crafted from the same material as the case is incorporated into the 41 mm item. The self-winding movement comprising 245 parts is laid bare for the eyes. It offers a power reserve of 45 hours. For more information, visit the luxury brand’s website at www.audemarspiguet.com.