« Skeleton watches offer a glimpse into fine mechanics »
In 1783, Abraham Louis Breguet began the 44-year construction of the most complicated watch of all time: the Marie-Antoinette pocket watch. The icon displays its more than 800 movement parts through a skeletonized construction, making the full fascination of its mechanics visible. Today, watches without a dial are enjoying growing popularity and bring transparent variety to every price range. We explain why every watch lover should own a skeleton watch and present five of the most spectacular models.
Living mechanics on the wrist
If you see watches as rational, utilitarian objects for telling the time, skeleton watches make no sense. Because of the reduced contrast between their hands and the background, most of them can't match the legibility of classic watches. But as enthusiasts, we aren't bound to ticking mechanics for rational reasons – our attachment is first and foremost emotional. And when it comes to pure joy on the wrist, watches without a dial are unbeatable: by bringing the rotor, barrel, gear train and balance wheel into the light of day, they offer the beholder a perpetual spectacle and become living companions in everyday life. Rationally speaking, they are lifeless objects, but we couldn't care less. Anything that has a heartbeat, makes sounds and moves must be alive!
We recommend that every lover of mechanical timepieces experience skeleton watches in person at least once in their life. Especially when the dream of a grand complication comes true, watches without a dial create a more intense experience and literally show where the great value of the work of art lies. On top of that, skeletonized wristwatches set themselves effectively apart from mainstream taste and – like their counterparts with dials – come in an enormous range of designs and shapes. From understated elegance to wild futurism, anything is possible.
Oris Artelier Translucent Skeleton
A classic with instant recognition value: the Oris Artelier Translucent Skeleton (Ref. 01 734 7684 6351-07 1 21 73FC) shows how much character watches without a dial can have. The 40.5-millimeter men's model is see-through from no fewer than three perspectives: the openworked front, a sapphire caseback and a transparent ring between the center and the edge of the case make the Translucent one of a kind. Twelve struts that double as indices connect the automatic caliber 734 to the stainless steel case, which is crowned by an 18-karat red gold bezel. You could almost believe the central section of this Swiss work of art was floating weightlessly in space. Also remarkable is the extent of the skeletonization, which even allows a view inside the barrel. Despite all its exotic touches, the Translucent is no extroverted showpiece screaming for attention, but an elegant dress watch that, with its restrained proportions and traditional leather strap, cuts a fine figure at any business meeting.
Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Chronograph Skeleton 44mm
With its powerful, large integrated case, the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic Chronograph Skeleton 44mm (Ref. AI6098-SS001-091-2) is hardly one of the shy watches without a dial. Designed in honor of the Indian motorsport team Mahindra Racing, the chronograph adopts all the distinctive features of the regular Aikon models: six claws on the bezel, sharp edges and the absence of lugs give this powerhouse a dominant presence that continues on the dial. Marked by deep red accents, it presents the chronograph functions in a bicompax layout that reduces the number of scales to the essentials and improves legibility. What these watches without a dial, water-resistant to 200 meters, have to offer inside is impressive: an in-house caliber ML206, developed together with the Swiss manufacturer Concepto on the basis of the renowned Sellita SW 500. Diving, timing and enjoying the mechanical show – with the Aikon Automatic Chronograph, anything is possible.
Zenith Defy Fusee Tourbillon
The Zenith Defy Fusee Tourbillon (Ref. 40.9000.4805/75.R582) takes us from the luxury class into haute horlogerie: crafted from spectacular platinum 950 and limited to ten pieces worldwide, the 44-millimeter hand-wound model brings not one but two top-tier complications to the wrist. In addition to a tourbillon, these skeleton watches feature an extremely elaborate fusee-and-chain transmission, which guarantees a constant delivery of energy from the barrel to the gear train and catapults the total number of movement parts to an astonishing 807 components. Because the watches are designed without a dial, the entire process of power transmission is visible to the wearer. A sapphire caseback offers further views of the inner workings, where the legendary El Primero caliber does its job. Surprisingly for the highest class of watchmaking, this six-figure work of art even offers 100 meters of water resistance. In typical Defy fashion, the Fusee Tourbillon has an integrated case, which sits on the wrist on an alligator strap with a double folding clasp.
Breguet Grandes Complications Tourbillon
The Breguet Grandes Complications with the Tourbillon Messidor (Ref. 5335BR/42/9W6) also demonstrates what watches without a dial can achieve at the pinnacle of watchmaking. Within a slim 40-millimeter diameter, the inventor of the tourbillon houses a particularly breathtaking version of the rotating cage, which appears to be decoupled from the rest of the movement. The secret of the Messidor – named after the month in which the tourbillon was invented in the French Republican calendar of 1801 – lies in sapphire connecting elements linking it to the rest of the in-house caliber 558 SQ2. Reading the blued Breguet hands at twelve o'clock may be challenging, but does that really matter? Let's rather enjoy the sight of countless handcrafted components – from the mainspring to the tourbillon, every single part meets the highest standards of watchmaking artistry. Whether you choose the warmth of the 18-karat rose gold case shown here or the even more exclusive platinum is a matter of personal preference. Watches without a dial in their ultimate perfection – Breguet shows what the superlative looks like.
Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire 43 mm
The most expensive indulgence in the skeletonized segment currently comes from Hublot with the Hublot Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full Sapphire 43 mm (Ref. 455.JX.0120.JX). What other manufacturers call skeletonized wristwatches looks rather closed off compared to the Full Sapphire: made entirely of sapphire crystal, as its name suggests, this incredible watch allows deep views from every angle into its interior, which also plays in the highest league. At six o'clock rotates a tourbillon that, like the other components, seems to float freely in space and is part of the automatic in-house movement HUB6035 with a 72-hour power reserve. No other watches without a dial are more transparent. Add to that a noteworthy record: the Full Sapphire is the world's first timepiece to feature not only a complete sapphire crystal case, but also a matching bracelet made of the same material. It almost seems as if the watch body didn't exist and only a tourbillon sat on the wrist.
