Irrespective of whether you are a new watch collector, dipping your toes into the world of luxury watches, or if you have an impressive collection, a skeleton watch is a prized possession for any luxury watch lover.

Although they were invented centuries ago, skeleton watches flew under the radar for a long time before becoming popular. Today, the skeleton watch is more than a time-keeping device. It’s a symbol of status and luxury. Continue reading to learn all about these magnificent accessories and a rundown of the best luxury watch brands in the market today.

What Is a Skeleton Watch?

A skeleton watch is a mechanical watch that displays the moving parts inside through the front, back, or a small window on the watch face. All the non-essential metal on the wristwatch is stripped down, leaving only the minimalist bare skeleton. A skeleton watch may or may not have a dial face.

The beauty of the watch is that you can see all the complex parts of the watch mechanism moving synchronously with each ticking second. It’s an artistic piece of craftsmanship, and the wearer can admire and flaunt the minute components and gears inside.

History of Skeleton Watches

In the 1760s, Andre Charles Caron, a French watchmaker, removed the dial and the non-essential components of a pocket watch, leaving a clear view of the inner operating mechanism. He started supplying these stripped-down slimmer timepieces to his elite Parisian clientele. Yet, yet his invention didn’t catch on until about 200 years later.

In the 1970s, the world of watches was flooded with cheap, quartz timepieces. To stand out in the market, luxury watchmakers reintroduced skeleton watches that displayed the exquisite machinery inside. Soon skeleton watches became a collector’s item among watch connoisseurs. Luxury watch brands like Tufina, Patek Philippe, Jaeger LeCoultre, and Vacheron Constantin aggressively promoted open-faced watches. Audemars Piguet even went as far as creating a whole department in their company to oversee the manufacture and sale of skeleton watches.

A Must-Have for a Luxury Watch Connoisseur’s Collection

At the turn of the new millennium, skeleton wristwatches became mainstream. They also made their appearance in sports and regular daywear watches. Hublot launched its first skeleton watch in 2009 and was followed by luxury watch brands like Zenith and Tag Heuer.

Today, luxury watchmakers use skeleton watches to flaunt their watchmaking caliber by blending style and substance in luxury open-worked timepieces. Theorema, Pionier, Arnold & Son Nebula, Bulgari, Corum, Girard, Louis Moinet, Zenith, Maurice Lacroix, TAG Heuer, and Tufina watches are big names in luxury skeleton timepieces today.