5 special skeleton watches you need to know about
What happens when watchmakers are given complete free range in the development of their skeleton watches?
Well, the most special models come out of it.
I've picked out my favorites, because I think you just have to know them!
Here are five special skeleton watches that you definitely need to know about.
Haldimann H8
We start this list directly with a banger. The Haldimann H8, Flying Sculpture has almost everything a high-quality watch needs.
A beautiful case, a working movement, even a flying tourbillonin the center of the dial. The only thing missing from this watch are the hands.
Yes, you read that right. This watch has no hands!
And to anticipate your question, no, you can't read it with any other trick.
The watchmaker himself, Mr. Beat Haldimann, describes: his piece is less a watch, and more a sculpture that can be worn on the wrist.
The sapphire crystal has a strong curvature, but the bezel is rather deep. This design allows the tourbillon, in its dance, to be examined from all sides.
If a watch that can't tell the time is a bit overkill for you, I understand you completely. Fortunately, Haldimann offers the same watch with dial and hands under the name H1.
Corum Goldenbridge
In an attempt to reduce the watch to the absolute minimum, Corum has managed to make a watch whose entire mechanics are attached to just one bridge.
The Corum Goldenbridge is practically transparent. Only a single bridge, which extends from one end of the watch to the other and in the middle of which are the hands, stands out directly.
Of course, in order to ensure this transparency, the crown, which it takes to set the time and wind the watch, had to be mounted right by the bracelet.
In addition, the case was equipped with sapphire crystal not only on the top and bottom, but also on the side, in order to provide the best possible view of the ingenious watchmaking art.
Is your watchknowledge up to date?
Here is our list of must-know watches!
Bet you'll find a watch on it that you've never seen before.
Jacob & Co
Jacob and Co are known for curious, special skeleton watches. My personal favorite, however, is the Astronomia Maestro Worldtime.
A little digression into the various features:
Triple-Axis Tourbillon
While it rotates around one axis in 60 seconds, it completes the second rotation in 90 seconds. The third axis is a four-armed platform that rotates 360° once in 10 minutes. However, the tourbillon is only one element that was attached to the platform. It also has a:
Miniature Astronaut
The astronaut is a 0.2 gram figure that slowly floats across the image of the Milky Way. The figure, which has been elaborately hand-painted, also performs a 360° rotation every 90 seconds to further give the impression that he is floating.
Minute repeater
Inlaid on the bottom is the minute repeater, which, at the request of the wearer, plays a little melody every full and quarter hour. The sound is caused by three small hammers striking a gong.
Diamond
A round diamond, also attached to the four-armed platform, decorates the watch. Similar to the astronaut, the diamond floats slowly over the Milky Way.
World time
The last of the 4 arms of the clock is decorated with a small feature. Namely, there is a large globe of the Earth attached to it, on which the time in the respective time zone is displayed.
All these decorations of course require some space, so the dimensions of the watch are also rather unusual. The diameter measures 50 mm, and the distance between the highest and lowest points of the case is a whopping 26 mm.
Is your watchknowledge up to date?
Here is our list of must-know watches!
Bet you'll find a watch on it that you've never seen before.
Vianney Halter
You may have noticed, I like the tourbillon. The next watch I'll show you, in my opinion, puts a worthy focus on the mechanical detail.
The Deep Space Tourbillon by Vianney Halter features a large hole in the center of the dial. This hole is filled by an ornate, three-axis tourbillon.
The hands extend from the outside of the dial to above the tourbillon. In order to view the ingenious mechanics, the watch has a so-called sapphire dome. That is, the sapphire crystal was bent into a dome to ensure the view from the side.
Fans of science fiction novellas and television series not only share this passion with the watchmaker himself, but will certainly get their money's worth when admiring this special skeleton watch.
Swatch Clear
The slightly different kind of skeleton watch.
In January 2022, the Swiss watch brand Swatch oriented back to its origins. They developed their classic watch models with a little twist.
Namely, the watches from the Clear collection are all transparent.
As typical for Swatch, this collection is also quartz watches, but you can examine the inside in great detail.
Also, compared to the other models I showed you before, these watches are highly affordable. So with 80 euros you are already there. If you, like me, are into fancy watches, but have no money at all, the Swatch Clear might be worth considering.
Is your watchknowledge up to date?
Here is our list of must-know watches!
Bet you'll find a watch on it that you've never seen before.
Conclusion
There are infinitely curious and special skeleton watches. If you give free rein to the most creative minds in the watch industry, the line between genius and madness is getting thinner all the time.
We haven't even delved deep into the unusual-watch box with this little list.
If you still haven't had enough of tourbillon watches, I can totally understand you, we've put two brilliant watches with tourbillons face to face and put them through their paces.
But in conclusion, the same motto applies in the watch industry as in fashion:
Whatever pleases is permitted.
Source cover photo: Haldimann H8
About the author
Benno Büchler
In pursuit of more charmingly atypical watches, the teenage interest developed into a real passion. I strive to find the perfect combination of deviant and ravishing for the wrist.
