Style
Skeleton
The movement itself is the dial.
- Best for
- Anyone who wants to see the mechanism working, and accepts trading some legibility for it.
Origin
An 18th-century display craft — cutting away every part of a movement not needed for strength — revived as a modern statement of finishing.
Hallmarks
The features that put a watch in this family.
- Bridges and mainplate pierced away, leaving only structural material
- Hand-bevelled and polished internal angles on every exposed edge
- Little or no dial; hands often filled with lume for legibility
- Frequently paired with a sapphire caseback so light passes through the watch
Iconic examples
- Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Openworked
- Cartier Santos Skeleton
- Hublot Big Bang Unico
- Zenith Defy Skyline Skeleton
Keep reading
StyleDigital
A screen, a resin case, and more functions than hands allow.
StyleVintage Reissue
An archive design rebuilt with modern reliability.
CelebrityPaul Newman
His name is on the most famous Rolex dial of all.
CelebritySteve McQueen
Made the square-cased Monaco a racing legend in Le Mans.
CelebrityBuzz Aldrin
Wore the first watch on the Moon.
CelebrityJohn F. Kennedy
Took the oath of office wearing a friend's gift.