The 46 Best Skeleton Watches - Skeleton Dials at all Price Points

Skeleton watches, or watches with skeleton dials, can surprisingly be controversial among collectors. But one thing is clear, skeleton dials has become widespread with many (dare I say most) brands offering at least one piece with such a dial. So what exactly is a skeleton watch? Well, if you are used to watches with display casebacks exposing the movements, a skeleton dial watch is not that different. Instead of exposing the movement in the caseback of the watch, a skeleton watch showcases the movement on the dial. Because of this, brands that offer these skeleton watches are forced to finely finish their movements, as everything is on display for the wearer to see.

At Wrist Enthusiast, we enjoy skeleton watches. Our timepieces are mechanical marvels, so why not display the inner workings when wearing the watch? While skeleton dial watches may look expensive (and many are prohibitively expensive), there are options in almost all price-points. I decided to put together the most extensive list of skeleton dial watches across styles and price-points. Check out our favorite 35 men’s skeleton watches.

Oris Big Crown ProPilot X

The Oris ProPilot line was an extremely well-received newcomer in 2022, but its predecessor, the Big Crown ProPilot X kicked off the brand’s contemporary Pilot line with a bang. Featuring an oversized 44mm Titanium case, the dial has been almost completely opened up to display the brand’s exceptional Caliber 115 movement with a whopping 10-day Power Reserve. The movement is a looker with the massive mainspring at 12 o’clock, the Power-Reserve Indicator at 3 o’clock, and the running seconds at 8 o’clock. All the components are minimalistic and skeletonized to keep the Calibre 115 the focal point of the watch, and it’s a looker landing the Big Crown Pro Pilot X at the top of our list. You can pick one of these up for $7,600 USD.

Cartier Santos de Cartier

The Cartier Santos is a personal favorite of the Wrist Enthusiast team. It’s unique, fun, and non-traditional while still maintaining the Cartier DNA in every model that gets released. So, naturally, the Santos De Cartier, makes the top of the list. There have been a number of Skeleton Santos’ released in various materials, but our favorite has remained the Steel model. It’s still quintessentially a sports watch, which the open-worked dial maintains legibility and class. Traditionally Cartier, the indices act as the cage for the dial, while the Caliber 9611-MC has been largely hollowed out as much as possible. This gives the dial an ultra transparent effect allowing the wearer to see very minimal obstruction through the dial. The hands have been heat blued and starkly contrast the colorway of the dial. You can pick up a Santos De Cartier Skeleton for around $28,000 USD.

Cartier Mechanical Legends Crash Skeleton

Keeping with Cartier, the second watch on our list is the fan-favorite Legend’s Crash. It’s unique case shape works really well in Rose Gold, and the skeletonization of the dial gives a really unique showcase of the odd-shaped movement that drives the watch. The roman numeral dial plate is an artistic statement itself. If there was ever a case for skeletonized watches to showcase more obscure movements, its the Cartier Legends Crash (hence why we included it on our list of best skeleton watches). The caliber 9618-MC is already a beautiful mechanical watch movement, and showcasing it’s finishing in the Legends Crash feels like a no-brainer. Price for the Legends Crash is around $62,000 USD.

Cartier Santos-Dumont Micro-Rotor

Some watch enthusiasts may not consider Cartier a high horology brand. But perhaps their minds were changed when the brand released the Santos-Dumont Micro-Rotor at Watches & Wonders 2023. The watch is simply stunning. It features a skeletonized movement with the 212 parts held together by bridges that also happen to be the watch’s hour markers. Indeed, it took Cartier two years to develop the 9629 MC Caliber automatic movement with micro rotor. The watch is offered in steel, rose gold and yellow gold with navy lacquer on the bezel. Prices range from $30,100 USD to 40,450 USD depending on the model.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak with Frosted Rainbow-Dial Ref. 15468BC

What list would be complete with the Audemars Piguet 15468BC Royal Oak? The Royal Oak is always a contender for any “Best Of” lists, but the extra little features of the 15468BC catapult this particular model to the top. First, the frosted case is simply stunning. Frosting the case gives the aesthetic of an ice-out Royal oak without actually setting gems. This is achieved by micro-hammering the case instead of the vertical brushing usually associated with the Royal Oak. This allows for the 32 baguette Rainbow sapphires that are set into the bezel to really shine. Then, of course, there’s the Calibre 3132. The double balance movement has been open-worked, finished, and set with 38 jewels. Overall, it’s simply stunning and deserves its place at the top of the list. You can pick up the Royal Oak 15468BC for around $300,000 USD.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked in Ceramic (Swap Out for Cactus Jack) - Audemars Piguet X Cactus Jack Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked

Next on the list is another Audemars Piguet with the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked in black Ceramic. Not only is the 5135 movement ultra complicated, but the 41 mm Black Ceramic case lends aid to accentuating it. The watch is still superbly legible considering it’s a Perpetual Calendar with a Moonphase while also being highly skeletonized to see all 374 parts inside. It’s rare to see such a complicated movement so legible on a Skeleton dial. So much credit for that is due to the case being a matte-ish black Ceramic. Secondary Market pricing for this watch puts it right around $600,000 USD.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Skeleton Watch Ref. 5180/1R

The Patek Philippe Calatrava Skeleton (Ref 5180/1R) was introduced in 2017, and has become quite a wildly popular item amongst major collection circles. For starters, part of what makes this watch so unique is the culmination of different qualities that don’t look innately “Patek” in nature - At least any modern one. The Calatrava is the brand’s dress watch segment, with the 5180/1R being hollowed out and help by a series of indices housing the Caliber 240 SQU movement - Which has been meticulously hand-engraved. Just the engraving takes the Maison around 140 hours of work.

The watch has become a lot more popular among Celebrities, especially since Connor McGregor was spotted rocking it frequently on his nights out on the town. The cheapest we’ve been able to find this classic design Patek Philippe is around $82,000 USD. If you are looking for a classic watch with a skeletonized movement, this is the piece for you.

Gerald Charles Maestro 8.0 Squelette Gem-Set Limited Edition

At Wrist Enthusiast we are fans of anything Gerald Genta, and it doesn’t get more “Genta” than his last design, the Maestro from Gerald Charles. Gerald Charles has a variety of Maestro models, but the 8.0 Squellete, and particularly the gem-set models, is quite possibly our favorite. The exposed movement is executed perfectly. The movement utilizes a microrotor which allows the case to be just 8.35mm thick. Additionally, many of the bridges are treated with anthracite NAC that makes the watch (with its lighter hands) extremely legible. The gem-set variations, including the emerald set version pictured below are available on request.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Skeleton

One of our absolute favorite watches at Wrist Enthusiast, is the Vacheron Constantin Overseas. We’re simply huge fans of the sport watch segment, and find that Vacheron Constantin simply does a superb Perpetual Calendar. So marrying those two items and skeletonizing the dial is a match made in heaven. The Rose Gold Ultra-Thin Skeleton is everything that Vacheron Constantin does right in one watch. The dial, although yes, complicated, is legible at a glance, and the skeletonization actually adds to the watch instead of detracts from it - A rare feat when it comes to open-worked sport watches. The Ultra-Thin Skeleton Overseas comes in at $115,000 USD.

GIRard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton Ceramic

One of the sleeper hits on the list is the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Skeleton. GP tends to fly under the radar when it comes to their sport watch offerings, but the Laureato Skeleton in black Ceramic is one of our all time favorite offerings from the brand. Historically, the Laureato models themselves have competed with the likes of the Royal Oak, and the Nautilus, but in the case of the ultra-complications, it tends to get left behind. The Laureato Skeleton Ceramic is a testament to how well the brand can do complications, while also maintaining true to it’s sport watch roots. The Ceramic case and bracelet lends the beautiful GP01800-0006 movement to be on full display without detracting from it. Overall, we felt it deserved a spot on the list. You can find the watch for $44,000 USD, a surprisingly low price for what you get with this watch.

Maurice Lacroix AIKON Automatic Skeleton 39mm

One of my (Travis) most worn watches has been the Maurice Lacroix Aikon Automatic. The watch can keep up with any of the big dogs and comes in at a more than affordable price. The brand has since released the watch with a skeleton dial to show off the fun and utilitarian ML115 movement. Further, it comes in a very modest 39mm case size, making it a solid Skeleton dial steel sport watch for smaller wrists. The price for the Aikon Skeleton 39mm is a very modest $3,200 USD.

Grand Seiko Kodo Constant-force Tourbillon

A few months ago, Grand Seiko unveiled a whole slew of winning models for Dubai Watch Week. Among them, was a massive surprise model call the Kodo Constant Force Tourbillon - a super unique skeletonized dial ultra-complication watch unlike anything the brand had produced before. The Kodo is a $350,000 piece of art for your wrist. The movement, while highly skeletonized still maintains a superb level of legibility all while showcasing a stunning tourbillon on both sides of the case. The 60-second Tourbillon beats 8 times per second, and gives off a unique “Hum” that sounds vaguely like a 16th note in music - where the watch gets its name.

Richard Mille RM 27-04 Rafael Nadal

We couldn’t put together a list of the best skeleton dial watches and not include at least one Richard Mille. Most, if not all, of the super expensive and super divisive brand’s watches can be considered “skeleton dial” watches. And what better watch to feature from Richard Mille’s lineup than the one designed in collaboration with Richard Mille’s most visible ambassador, tennis star Rafael Nadal. In our view, the Richard Mille RM 27-04 Rafael Nadal is quite the stunner. Released in 2020 to celebrate the 10 years of the partnership between Nadal and Richard Mille, the RM 27-04 “Nadal” is equipped with the greatest shock resistance of any Richard Mille at about 12,000g. Additionally, the the watch has a tennis racket string motif stretching the dial of the watch plus a lot of empty space showcasing the complicated, yet small movement. The Richard Mille RM 27-04 Nadal retails for $1,000,000 USD.

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton Power Reserve Ref. 103126

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton is one of the more utilitarian sports watches on this list. The “ultra-black” ceramic case and bracelet give the watch a more tactical look while showcasing the lovely BVL 128SK movement just fine. A large portion of the dial plate has been removed to display some cool finishing that all compliment each other well, without taking away from the more brooding elements of the watch itself. Price for the Octo Finissimo Skeleton is around $25,000 USD.

FP Journe Repetition Souveraine

FP Journe is often heralded as “The Watchmakers Watchmaker” and for good reason. Of all the Maison’s, Journe has rarely (if ever) had a miss. So naturally, the Repetition Souveraine makes the list of our favorites. The hand-finished gold movement is accented by beautifully legible matte blue hands to allow the reader to peak the time without detracting from any part of the movement finishing. The movement is especially complicated with a Minute Repeater that strikes on demand and a vertical 15-tooth escapement - All visible through a smoked sapphire crystal. The price for this watch is “Upon Request”, but we’ve seen it listed north of $500,000 USD.

Accutron Electrostatic Spaceview 2020

One of the more affordable models on this list is the always lovely Accutron Electrostatic Spaceview 2020. Accutron was the “It” watch brand of the 60’s and the Spaceview collection is a wonderful tribute to that. The stainless steel case and dial plate has been deconstructed down to showcase the brands signature Tuning Fork “Electrostatic” Movement. The movement utilizes a series of turbines that rotate with movement to power the watch. And, through the sapphire crystal, it’s all on full display. The Accutron Electrostatic Spaceview is a lot of watch for the money - Coming in at a modest $3,450 USD.

Bulova Curv Chronograph

A skeleton dial on a watch with a quartz movement? While we almost exclusively see skeleton watches in automatic (or manual wind) watches, Bulova managed to do the unthinkable and make a quartz watch with an openworked dial. And it looks pretty good. The Bulova Curve is more than just a quartz watch, the innovative curved case and movement gives the watch a sleek and futuristic aesthetic. What’s even better, because the watch is a quartz watch, it is pretty affordable. You can pick up the Bulova Curv Chronograph for $520 USD on Amazon.

Zenith Defy Classic Automatic 41mm Skeleton Dial Titanium

When it comes to Skeletonized sports watches, there are few that do it better in a modest price point than Zenith. The Defy Classic Automatic Skeleton watch is about as clean and lovely a Titanium sports watch as you can get. The model is a perfect 41mm diameter size for its hollowed-out dial that suspends the movement in the Star pattern of the zenith logo. The date wheel accents the dial in a transparent black ring, while the chapter ring in blue makes it easy to pick the time out at a glance. It’s simply contemporary with a bit of that futuristic Zenith pizzazz. And that’s why we love it. If you're in the market for a Titanium sport watch with a Skeleton dial, take the Defy Classic into consideration. MSRP is $8,350 USD.

Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonphase Platinum Skeleton

What watch list could be complete without the inclusion of an Omega Speedmaster? There are a ton (and I mean a ton) of skeletonized Speedmaster’s, but for us, many miss the mark when it comes to eligibility and cohesive design in a skeleton chronograph. At the end of the day, our team felt the Moonphase Platinum is one of the most beautiful Skeleton chronographs on the market. First, it features a moon phase, which, feels fitting for a Speedmaster, it’s not overly complicated to look at, and is simply very legible for a Platinum dress watch. While this particular Speedmaster is discontinued, you can find it on the secondary market for around $75,000 USD.

IWC Portuguese Skeleton Minute Repeater Ref. 5241

One of the more unique offerings that IWC has produces has been a Minute Repeater in the early 2000’s. The model was well recieved and did some heavy lifting for future Skeleton watches from the brand, but fell a little more behind the curtain until the auction circuits started picking up. The Ref 5241 Skeleton Minute Repeater has one of our all-time favorite movements in it, the Caliber 95911. The minute repeater utilizes a slide that activates two hammers that strike a “Gong” to determine the time at two different octaves. A super cool function that looks very clean skeletonized. Last auction sale for this watch we saw was around $50,000 USD - Which feels really modest considering how complicated and unique the Ref 5241 is.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Skeleton

Parmigiani struck gold when they released the Tonda PF collection in 2021. For what seems like the first time, Parmigiani has a watch that can go head to head with the likes of the Royal Oak, Nautilus and Overseas. The brand’s take on a skeleton dial does not disappoint either. With the Tonda PF Skeleton, Parmigiani not only exposed the movement in the dial, but managed to do so without make the watch look crowded or hard to read. The dark grey movement is contrasted by the rose gold hands and hour markers in a way that just exudes class. Thus, the Parmigiania Fleurier Tonda PF Skeleton is a welcome newcomer to our list. The stainless steel model of the Tonda PF Skeleton is not an inexpensive watch. It retails for $65,300 USD.

Piaget Altiplano Skeleton

The Piaget Altiplano Skeleton has gone through a number of iterations over the year, but it’s remained at the forefront of Enthusiasts minds due to the Ultra-Thin models breaking records on an almost yearly basis - Until Richard Mille took the cake from them earlier this year. The Aliplano Skeleton has been one of the staple skeleton dress watches for our team. It’s classy and eye-catching without being boring. It’s uniquely Piaget but still has a contemporary look to it - And of course, the movement is absolutely stunning. The Piaget Altiplano Skeleton can be found for around $32,000 USD.

Glashütte Original Senator Skeleton

Adding another German brand to the list with the Glashutte Original Senator Skeleton. Glashutte has always produced very well-finished movements, and are become somewhat of an authority for movement finishing from a German brand. Some of the photography of the brand’s movements is legendary and for good reason. The Glashutte Original Senator Skeleton brings a lot of that intense finishing to the front. With a massive oversized bridge that allows for the super-hollow movement to shine with much less obstruction than many other watches from competing brands. You can find the watch for around $24,000 USD making it a fairly “cheap” price for a Glashutte of this caliber.

Dewitt Academia Skeleton Bi-Retrograde

Dewitt is often overlooked as a brand, but they make some of the more truly remarkable movements for Skeleton watches. The Academia Skeleton Bi-Retrograde is arguably the brands first “traditionally” styled skeleton dials in that it’s round, features hands to tell the time, and still maintains a more reasonable dial plate as opposed to other models the brand produces (which are absolute insanity to say the least). The watch features an insane 100 hours of power reserve, which is a large part of what makes up the dial complications. The movement is hand decorated, and truly a beautiful watch, even though only 28 of them were ever produced. The watch comes with an MSRP of around $80,000 USD.

Montblanc Star Legacy Exo Tourbillon Skeleton LE8

Another brand that often flies under the radar when we talk about Skeleton watches is Monblanc. The brand has an impressive inventory of Skeleton offerings across a number of their product lines. Our team, however, is a huge fan of the Star Legacy Exo Tourbillon LE8. The watch comes after Montblanc acquired Swiss movement manufacturer, Minerva to showcase the brands penchant for high horology. The LE8 features an oversized “Exo” Tourbillon and a superbly hollowed out dial to showcase the intricacies of the tourbillon without compromising the legibility of a more traditional dial located at 12 o’ clock. Price for the Star Legacy Exo Tourbillon is around $150,000 USD.

Jaquet Droz Charming Bird “Final Version”

Jacquet Droz has always had an eye for creating more “Out There” models. The Charming Bird is just a prime example of how to integrate character into a Skeleton watch. The watch itself is unique in that several “iterations” were made to figure out how to make this “Final Version” Charming Bird. Unlike a traditional Minute Repeater complication, the Charming Bird utilizes a series of bellows and pistons so that when the wearer “Activates” the mechanism, the bird literally comes to life with a series of movements and a song. The bellows and pistons adjust and a solitary tune plays from the watch - Useful? Probably not exactly, but absolutely technically amazing, and rightfully earned it’s spot on our list. Price for thisJacquet Droz is $400,000 USD.

MB&F HM9 Sapphire Vision

MB&F has been producing stunning, yet innovative and even funky, watches through their Horological Machine line for years. The HM line is clearly more playful and avant-garde than MB&F’s more restrained (yet beautiful) Legacy Machine line. We already reviewed the MB&F HM9, but the brand raised the bar even higher with the MB&F HM9 Sapphire Vision. The HM9 Sapphire Vision takes the original HM9 and literally opens it up. Instead of only windows into the movement, the whole watch is encased in sapphire for the wearer to enjoy the inner workings of the watch. The variation of the HM9 Sapphire Vision shown has a white gold frame with a movement plated in red gold. There were four variations of this watch produced, each limited to only 5 pieces. If you can find one of these pieces at retail, it will cost you $450,000 USD. Read more about the MB&F and their watches on their website.

Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395

The most classic (no pun intended) dress watch on this list, is the Breguet Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Squelette 5395. The brand is what I would consider an “Always imitated, never duplicated” in the luxury watch space. The Classique Tourbillon is an example of an industry-leading dress watch with a Tourbillon that is also skeletonized. It’s legible, thin enough to slide under a cuff, and beautifully finished. Which is why we couldn’t create a list of our favorite Skeleton watches without a Breguet Classique.

Panerai Submersible S Brabus Black Ops Edition PAM01240

Panerai is a brand that has dabbled in skeleton watches for years but never fully committed to skeleton watches until the brand released the Panerai Submersible S BRABUS Blacks Ops Edition PAM01240. Up until the release of this watch in 2021 all of Panerai’s skeleton dial watches had high complications, such as tourbillons. The Submersible S BRABUS Black Ops changed that. That’s not to say this watch doesn’t have its share of complications. The P.4001/S caliber movement features a Polarized date, GMT, am/pm indicator, power reserve indicator on the back, and seconds reset. Unfortunately, only 100 of these pieces were made and they are sold out. But in the category of skeleton watches for men, Panerai really nailed it with this model. The Submersible S BRABUS Black Ops retailed at the time of release for $49,200 USD.

Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer 02 Skeleton

Tag Heuer wowed the watch world in 2015 with the release of the Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer 01 Skeleton. The watch perhaps had more in common with their higher-end LVMH sister brand Hublot than Tag Heuer. However, this piece offered a whole lotta watch at a Tag Heuer pricepoint. Tag Heuer only improved on the Heuer 01 with their follow-up, the Heuer 02. Not only do you get an extremely legible dial (due to the mixture of dark movement with light hands and subdials) but the watch also included a chronograph. The watch has a robust 75-hour power reserve and the movement is made of only 168 components (which should make for lower production and servicing costs). The best part? The Tag Heuer Carrera Heuer 02 will only set you back $5,900 USD at retail.

Devon Tread 1

The Devon Tread 1 is a unique inclusion to this list because while it’s skeletonized in a traditional sense, it’s more wrapped in sapphire than a crystal allowing one to see into the movement. The Devon Tread1 utilizes a cool movement built on a belt system as a way to tell the time. Instead of just small window to display the hours, Devon has opted to literally open up the entire case to allow for a unique view into how exactly each piece of the movement engages with each other. We found this to be a really cool way to not only display the time, but allow it’s purchasers a really engaging experience. The Devon Tread 1A retails for $18,450 USD.

Christopher Ward C60 Concept

Not all Skeleton watches need to be exorbitantly expensive or feature unique technology. The Christopher Ward C60 Concept provides a simple, yet unique and affordable value proposition for those looking to have a tool watch and a skeleton dial. While, for all intents and purposes, a Skeleton watch isn’t exactly ideal for diving in murky water, the C60 Concept provides nice contrast and ample lume to be able to see it underwater. It also offers a substantially high level of finishing considering this watch only comes in $4,350 USD rightfully earning it a spot on our list.

Arnold & Son Time Pyramid

This watch needs no introduction among collectors. The Arnold & Son Time Pyramid has been something of a fan favorite among enthusiasts since the brand released the watch back in 2013. A year later, in 2014, Arnold & Son would release the watch in steel (in addition to gold). The brand also updated the watch to include a mirror on the back of the case which obscures the wearer’s wrist. This was done so that the beauty of the movement would not be hampered by the blemishes of our wrists (i.e. hairs). Pretty genius if you ask me. The watch has that classic look, which makes sense as it is meant to resemble an old clock. You can pick up the Arnold & Son Time Pyramid in steel for around $29,000 USD.

Norqain Independence Skeleton 42mm

Norqain is a young up-and-coming brand that has made its name for itself in the past few years. From the innovative Independence Wild One to the Adventure Neverest, the brand offers compelling designs at luxury, but reasonable, prices. In the skeleton category it is the Independence Skeleton that catches our eyes. The winged case is reminiscent of a Patek Philippe Nautilus or Hublot Classic Fusion (which makes sense given the close relationship both brands have had with industry titan Jean-Claude Biver). The watch is attractive, and at $3,990 USD you are getting quite a bit of watch for your money.

Jacob & Co. Epic X Titanium

Jacob & Co. is known for their out of this world complications and price-tags. But with the Epic X Titanium you get a much more accessible Jacob & Co. watch (though it is still pretty pricey) that has an open dial and sporty look. The watch plays into this sporty style by being extremely light and being offered on a rubber strap. The watch is also completely transparent, which gives the Epic X another interesting design element. The Jacob & Co. Epic X Titanium retails for $22,000 USD.

Ferragamo F-80 Skeleton Watch

Ferragamo has largely been know for it's high-quality leathers and fabrics. The Italian fashion has has long offered watches, but they've mostly fallen into what we would call "Fashion Watches", meaning they're more designed for aesthetic than quality. Recently however, the brand has revamped and re-released their F-80 Collection, and hands down our favorite is the Ferragamo F-80 Skeleton. Using sustainable materials, it comes in two flavors - A clean navy blue, or a pale pink. Both look fantastic, and with an all new Swiss automatic movement, they quality of both the watch case, the strap, and the movement kick Ferragamo's watch offerings up a bunch of notches. You can pick up the all-new Ferragamo F-80 Skeleton for $2,195 USD.

Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe

Perhaps one of the most intricate skeleton engineering on this list is the Greubel Forsey Double Balancier Convexe. Even with just a half dial exhibition this watch has a lot of charisma and utilizes the space in every way to exhibit the gears, rotating spheres, and bridges. The eye catching make of the movements makes it worthy of being on display. The watch’s physical movements of the gears and spheres, made up of 371 parts, keep the wearer going with the flow of time. The top half of the piece features a logo and a power reserve indicator of its 72-hour power. The watch is limited to 88 pieces. Price for the watch will be around $350,000 USD.

Akrivia LVRR-01

With the Akrivia LVRR-01 you get a lot more than just a visibly pleasing skeleton timepiece. The Akrivia is a chronometer tourbillon regulator that indicates the current time, but also measures elapsed time, and for the first time in the watch industry, the passing of time with a sonnerie mechanism. A pusher at 2 o’clock controls the chronograph functions and while using these functions a chime tracks elapsed time with every minute. The skeleton dial is fully exposed through the tinted open crystal highlighted with gold hands and details. However, flip the watch over and the caseback is a clean white traditional dial displaying time. Price for the watch will be around $497,000 USD.

Reservoir GT Tour Skeleton

This skeleton dial is a beautiful modern execution. It exposes the gears and bridges of the complication, but it also utilizes the sapphire crystal and a plexiglass plate below the crystal to play more into the transparent advantages of a skeleton timepiece. The watch is inspired by race cars and every bit of the design gives nod to a sports car dashboard. The first thing that catches the eye are the numbers printed right onto the bottom of the sapphire crystal indicating the minute track. There is only one hand on the dial, a bright orange minute hand which revs up like the rpm of a car dash. Once it reaches 60 min the jumping hours, displayed on the plexiglass disk changes, a white block highlighting the current hour. Below all of this are the visible blue bridges and steel complications. A great way to blend sports cars and watches. The piece retails for $6,800 USD.

Raymond Weil Freelancer Skeleton

The dial of the Raymond Weil Freelancer Skeleton is a complete skeleton dial with not only an exposed movement, but one with cutouts that are transparent through both the front and back crystals. These spaces are not filled with gears or bridges and allows for slight openings to see fully through the piece adding another cool dimension. This piece is a take on a newer generation of the Raymond Weil Black Freelancer Skeleton, a bestseller of the brand. The piece is made with an in-house caliber with a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour. Raymond Weil continues to show the development of their in-house calibers and what they can do for the aesthetics and functionality of their watches. This timepiece is available for $3,325 USD..

Christopher Ward Bel Canto

Skeleton dials are fun, eye catching, and can range from very intricate movements and bridges to a more clean and simplified exposition. The Christopher Ward Bel Canto fits the latter. It has minimal bridges, and the backdrop of the movement is a solid colored dial plate, which enhances the gears and bridges to stand out more. Time is displayed through a subdial floating at 12 o’clock and all of this sits in a titanium case. The titanium case not only allows for a light durable watch it also enriches the chime played at every hour from the strike of a hammer within the watch. The piece starts at $3,795 USD on strap and is available in a variety of colorways and bracelet options..

Hublot Spirit of Big Bang

As always Hublot comes in with a bang, therefore their Big Bang line doesn’t fall short of the aesthetic and innovative designs Hublot is known for. This skeleton timepiece truly embodies the concept of exhibition and transparency into the movement. The gears and bridges of the complication make up the entire dial of the large titanium case. Even with its minimal coloring it’s not shy in its bold design. The exposed caseback also displays a clear view of the movement so it’s like seeing right through the piece. The Hublot Spirit Big Bang is available for $23,100 USD. .

FP Journe Vagabondage III

The FP Journe Vagabondage III has the look of layered clocks all rotating like gears amongst the movement of the watch which is visible through the gaps and openings of the dial rings. The Vagabondage dials have gotten more detailed with the evolution of each model. The collection was born through the success of FP Journe’s creation of three models in a tortue case that were auctioned to support ICM charity. The watches were met with immense success and excitement, which inspired the three Vagabondage models in their flat tortue cases. The watches were made in limited editions with the Vagabondage III released between 2016-2019. The Vagabondage III was a digital jumping hours and seconds and came in three variations in platinum and 18k 6N gold. Price is on request from the brand, but fetches well into the $300,000 USD on the Grey Market. You can read more about the watch here..

Mido Multifort Skeleton

Mido’s Multifort Skeleton timepiece displays a mostly monochromatic look with its grey outer dial and steel complications. The skeleton display is highlighted in the center of the dial in this semi exposed piece. The intricate details are visible but overall, the piece is mostly clean and minimal. The piece gets is design inspiration from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the team at Mido embodies this through their architectural implementation of the movements. The piece starts at $1,170 USD for the steel colorways. Two other variations are available if you’re looking to add more color. Two other variations are available if you’re looking to add more color..

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Monobalancier

The Excalibur Monobalancier is valiant in both its skeleton dial and titanium case and bracelet. The design flows effortlessly across the whole piece. The grooved ridges around the thin bezel allows for the dial to be more open and visible and blends nicely into the bracelet with its shortened links. The skeleton dial stands out beneath the wide sapphire crystal in a nice balance of differently shaped cut outs. Star shaped and circulars cuts across the dial expose the movements and bridges enhancing the visual appeal. The watch is firmly higher end luxury and retails for $66,500 USD.

Hamilton Ventura XXL Skeleton

We’re used to traditional round watches, even square or tonneau cases, so it’s always cool and exciting when a brand gets really creative and creates an untraditional case shape. The Hamilton Ventura XXL Skeleton does just that. This unique shape looks something like a futuristic spaceship with its movement exposed through cut outs of a black dial. The triangular case has lots of dimension with its stepped grooves. This piece is a funky skeleton that we love and great for anyone who admires a unique skeleton piece. The watch retails for $1,895 USD.