It's pure emotion that drives an enthusiast to buy a mechanical timepiece. For technically minded men who want to experience the beating heart and countless details of their movement every single day, we recommend a skeleton watch. From the upper-premium segment to the absolute high end: our top 5 transparent luxury watches offer plenty to dream about, give you ideas for your next purchase, and take you to the limits of what's mechanically possible.
Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre HEUER 02 Automatic Chronograph 45mm
If you love a progressive look with racing DNA and a chronograph function, you can't afford to miss the Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre HEUER 02 Automatic Chronograph 45mm. At the Uhrinstinkt price of €5,150, this skeleton watch offers a complete package that is unmatched in its class: alongside the fully in-house HEUER 02 movement with column-wheel architecture and a transparent chronograph bridge, it's above all the clean color scheme that impresses, shaping the entire design of this ceramic racer, which is water-resistant to 100 meters. Standout elements include the integrated rubber strap with folding clasp and the modern ceramic bezel with tachymeter scale.
The skeletonized Carrera has a distinctly industrial character, as the hidden date display and ring-shaped totalizers demonstrate. The dial offers a maximally unobstructed view of the gear train of the HEUER 02, which delivers an 80-hour power reserve at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz). On the wrist, this men's skeleton watch has a confident presence, defined by steep flanks and the brand's signature modular construction, in which the lugs, bezel, and screw-down caseback are mounted onto a central case body. Speaking of the caseback: the back of the Carrera also offers a clear view inside.
Oris ProPilot X
Our current favorite skeleton watch in the four-figure price range comes from Oris and boasts an incredible 240-hour power reserve: the Oris ProPilot X (Ref. 01 115 7759 7153-Set7 22 01TLC). Responsible for this virtually limitless energy storage is the in-house hand-wound Calibre 115, whose massive, open barrel sits enthroned in the upper half of the dial. Turn the imposing pilot's crown, and along with the long mainspring, the hand of a large power reserve indicator at 3 o'clock moves too – an indicator whose precision increases as the power runs down. There's also a small seconds between 7 and 8 o'clock, its dark gray ring finished with fine concentric circular graining.
Visually, the skeletonized Oris ProPilot X goes for a modern look, supported by the light gray tone of its substantial 44-millimeter titanium case and a knurled bezel with 120 notches. Reminiscent of a jet turbine, this is complemented by 60 counter-rotating grooves on the dial's flange. The focused, technical look of the ProPilot X continues in the titanium bracelet, whose angular links reinforce the masculinity of this Swiss instrument. If you buy mechanical watches primarily for what's inside and want maximum performance for your money, there's currently no better way to invest €6,900. Spectacular views from both sides of the case and 100 meters of water resistance are included.
Bell & Ross BR 05 SKELETON GOLD
Our next skeleton watch is a true rarity: only 99 pieces of the Bell & Ross BR-05 Gold, reference BR05A-PG-SK-PG/SPG, are being made. If you had to describe its appearance in a single word, "gold" is probably the only one that comes to mind. Everything that isn't a jewel by design or can't be gold-plated shines in this precious-metal hue. All the more astonishing, then, is the remarkably good legibility of this cleanly designed skeleton luxury watch.
The characterful screws, the rounded rectangular case, 100 m water resistance, and sapphire crystal – you might almost be tempted to say that the Bell & Ross BR 05 SKELETON GOLD relies on the usual standards of the luxury industry. But that thought lasts only until the moment you first lay eyes on this skeletonized golden beauty, because it's hard to fit more shine into 40 mm on a man's wrist.
Breguet Grandes Complications Tourbillon "Messidor"
Perfection and craftsmanship without compromise: buy a skeleton watch from the inventor of the tourbillon, and mechanical dreams come true. The captivating experience of a Breguet Grandes Complications Tourbillon "Messidor" (Ref. 5335BR/42/9W6) begins with the 18-karat rose gold case, whose slim dress-watch diameter of 40 millimeters seems just as incredible, given the extreme mechanical achievements inside, as its low height of 9.65 millimeters. Within the tightest of spaces, the "Messidor" – named after the month of the French Republican calendar in which Abraham Louis Breguet conceived the world's first tourbillon in 1801 – packs a skeletonized hand-wound movement with 201 components and spectacular fine finishing.
At the center of this high flyer, priced at €148,900 (MSRP), is its prominent tourbillon at 6 o'clock, which, thanks to an invisible tourbillon bridge, appears completely detached from the rest of the movement. As if guided by a magic hand, the cage completes its rotations in empty space while also driving the Messidor's small seconds. It's a sight that brings tears of joy to the eyes of any lover of refined over-engineering and proves that the manufacture from L'Abbaye, founded in 1775, would more than deserve a place in the "Holy Trinity" of Swiss watchmaking. Unmistakable hallmarks such as Breguet hands, the Breguet overcoil, the fine fluting (grooves) on the case band, and welded lugs are also present. If you love ceremonial elegance and have the budget to match, the Messidor is the ultimate skeleton watch.
Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire 43 mm
Ever since Hublot launched the first men's skeleton watch with a sapphire crystal case in 2016, fans have been waiting patiently for the big moment: an exotic piece whose bracelet is also made of the transparent material. At Watches & Wonders 2021, this monumental materials-engineering challenge was finally realized in the form of the Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire 43 mm (Ref. 455.JX.0120.JX).
As if complete transparency weren't enough, this high-end model heightens its exclusivity with a tourbillon at 6 o'clock, positioned beneath the micro-rotor. The sophisticated automatic movement is called HUB6035, is entirely made in-house, and delivers a 72-hour power reserve. The circle of owners couldn't be more select: only 30 skeletonized examples of the see-through Big Bang are being produced, making for one of the rarest looks you can wear on your wrist today. This rare special development from Nyon comes at a price: Hublot asks €416,000 for its sapphire dream.
