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WristBuzz› › Skeleton & Openworked Watches
🔍 Style · Openworked · Movement-as-dial

Skeleton & Openworked

Movements made visible. From hand-pierced 18th-century pocket watches to modern AP Royal Oak Skeleton, Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon, and Greubel Forsey openworked architecture.

Hand-pierced 18th c. origin
Galuchat Frosted finish
Sapphire bridges Modern flex
Hours of work Per piece
1,050 Articles
New: NORQAIN Independence Skeleton Titanium DLC - blacked out and 82 grams

Photo: Deployant · Yesterday

A skeleton watch exposes the movement architecture by removing every non-essential piece of metal: the dial is gone, bridges are pierced, plate material is cut away wherever it can be without weakening the structure. Modern brands push the genre further with openworked dials (the Royal Oak Skeleton, Hublot Big Bang line) and full-architectural pieces (Greubel Forsey, Roger Dubuis Excalibur, Richard Mille tourbillons). The aesthetic is movement-as-dial: every gear, escape wheel, balance, and hairspring is the visual language.

Skeleton watchmaking pre-dates the wristwatch. 18th-century pocket watches by Lépine, Breguet, and Vacheron began with hand-pierced bridges and floral engraving on visible movement parts; the technique was a display of finishing prowess and a way to lighten the movement. The wristwatch era picked up the technique slowly; serious skeleton wristwatches emerge in the 1920s and become a staple high-end finishing tradition by the 1950s.

The modern openworked era begins with the 1986 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton, which translated the genre to the integrated-bracelet sports tier. Hublot Big Bang Skeleton Tourbillon variants and Richard Mille's entire RM line treat the skeleton as default rather than special edition. Greubel Forsey and Roger Dubuis push the genre into full architectural watchmaking; the movement is the dial.

The technique is not just visual: serious skeletonisation requires ~3-5x the assembly time of a closed-dial watch, custom bridges that maintain stiffness with material removed, and finishing every visible surface to haute-horlogerie standards (anglage, perlage, polished sinks). Mass-market skeleton watches achieve the look without the finishing work; haute-horlogerie skeletons are recognisably finished to a different standard. See: skeleton dial wiki, anglage.

Iconic skeleton & openworked watches

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Skeleton 1986. The genre-defining modern openworked sports watch. Hublot Big Bang Skeleton Modern fusion-aesthetic skeleton. Sapphire-cased variants. Richard Mille RM 001 / RM family Skeleton-as-default architectural watchmaking.

Related brands

Audemars Piguet Hublot Richard Mille Greubel Forsey Roger Dubuis Cartier Breguet Zenith MB&F

From the wiki

Wiki · Guide
Skeleton Dial
Wiki · Guide
Anglage (bevelling)
Wiki · Guide
Perlage
Wiki · Guide
Côtes de Genève

Latest Skeleton & Openworked Watches news

1,050 articles · Page 1 of 44
Audemars Piguet Brings Le Brassus to Singapore SJX Watches
42m ago

Audemars Piguet Brings Le Brassus to Singapore

Next month the National Museum of Singapore’s Gallery Theatre will play host to Audemars Piguet’s Perspectives On Time exhibition. The pop-up event will explore 150 years of Audemars Piguet through four curated spaces, each focused on a different aspect of the brand’s history. Especially curated for Singapore, the exhibition is set to bring together both contemporary and archival pieces, including a range of historic Audemars Piguet wrist and pocket watches from the brand’s museum, many of which will be on display in the country for the first time ever. Four distinct spaces will be organised to highlight different aspects of Audemars Piguet’s technical prowess, including astronomical complications, open-worked movements, and chiming complications. Naturally, the exhibit opens with a look at the brand’s history from founding to present day, traced through a range of rare archival pieces and historic milestones. Open from 10:30am-6:00pm each day in 30-minute sessions, admission to the exhibition is free, though limited slots will be available so early registration is encouraged. The brand has thoughtfully set up a dedicated booking portal to simplify the registration process. Walk-ins will also be accommodated subject to availability. Perspectives On Time will be hosted from September 10-13 at The Gallery Theatre at the National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178897. Register online at audemarspiguet.com.  
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Introducing: Czapek Promenade Transparencies "Aqua Blue" Hodinkee
3 days ago

Introducing: Czapek Promenade Transparencies "Aqua Blue"

What We Know Today, Czapek has lifted the curtain on a new limited-edition addition to its Promenade line of everyday dress watches. The Czapek Promenade Transparencies "Aqua Blue" expands on a design motif first introduced with the Fratello x Czapek Promenade Transparencies "Veridian Green," this time applying the Transparency concept to a wholly in-house-devised model. Here, the "Veridian Green" sapphire-gradient dial has been swapped for a similar "Aqua Blue" variant, with the fumé effect achieved through a special metallization process in which small dots of metallic coating are applied to a sapphire disc. The dots themselves — which measure just eight microns each — are laid out in varying density to achieve the gradient effect, which radiates out from the small seconds subdial at 4:30. Unlike the Fratello limited edition, which had applied markers, the Promenade Transparencies "Aqua Blue" uses light blue 3D Super-LumiNova markers, which match the lume on the handset. Visible through the translucent dial is the SXH7, a skeletonized take on Czapek's in-house SXH5 micro-rotor automatic caliber. The SXH5 was first launched by the brand in 2020, and now finds itself at the heart of a number of watches in the Czapek lineup, including the Antarctique and, as the SXH5.1, in the solid dial Promenade. The SXH7, which is visible from both directions, is handsome, with plenty of modern, somewhat industrial touches (like sandblasted plates) and enough handcraft to keep tradi...
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Hands On: Cartier Privé Les Opus SJX Watches
5 days ago

Hands On: Cartier Privé Les Opus

The many shapes of Cartier were on full display at Cartier during Watches & Wonders, where the brand released the Privé Les Opus, a trio of platinum models with burgundy accents to mark the 10th anniversary of the brand’s Privé collection. The Crash Squelette is the only all-new model — with a new open-worked calibre — and the only limited edition. The Tank Normale and Tortue Chronographe Monopoussoir tread little new ground, but the platinum-and-burgundy livery is easy to like, and manages to be both distinctive and discreet. Initial thoughts Cartier occupies an enviable position in the luxury watch landscape, being the only brand among the top 10 luxury watchmakers (by revenue) with a sizable jewellery business. Perhaps for this reason, it’s also the only brand to achieve this level of success primarily on the basis of design, rather than technical innovation or haute horlogerie complications. The Opus trio proves why. Cartier earned its reputation as the “watchmaker of shapes” over more than a century, and today enjoys a rich back catalogue of designs. The three models chosen to represent the 10th anniversary of the brand’s high-end Privé line — the Tank Normale, the Crash, and the Tortue Monopoussoir — are among the fan favourites. The Tank Normale — especially on this bracelet — is one of my favourite Cartier models, offering a truly vintage look with modern build quality. Reflecting Cartier’s growth as an industrial watchmaker, each watch...
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Looking Through The Blinds: A Peek At The Patek Philippe Cubitus Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Ref. 5840P-001 Fratello
Aug 16, 2026

Looking Through The Blinds: A Peek At The Patek Philippe Cubitus Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Ref. 5840P-001

The introduction of the distinctly different-shaped Cubitus collection in October 2024 didn’t go unnoticed. Patek Philippe stated that the Cubitus collection’s mission is “to offer a new reinterpretation of the ‘elegant, sporty’ style” through a design in which the square bezel adopts rounded corners, “blending the square, the circle, and the octagon.” When you look at the basic […] Visit Looking Through The Blinds: A Peek At The Patek Philippe Cubitus Perpetual Calendar Skeleton Ref. 5840P-001 to read the full article.
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Tried And Tested: The CIGA Design Hunter Titanium Skeleton Automatic Fratello
Aug 15, 2026

Tried And Tested: The CIGA Design Hunter Titanium Skeleton Automatic

My first encounter with CIGA Design was with its Blue Planet model. In 2021, it won the Challenge Watch Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), which obviously gave it some proper traction. Although CIGA Design has been producing watches since 2016, I’d say 2021 was really a turning point for the Shenzhen-based […] Visit Tried And Tested: The CIGA Design Hunter Titanium Skeleton Automatic to read the full article.
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Fossil Spider-Man vs. Hulk Limited-Edition Automatic Watches: Great Packaging, But Is It a Hit? WatchRider
Aug 14, 2026

Fossil Spider-Man vs. Hulk Limited-Edition Automatic Watches: Great Packaging, But Is It a Hit?

If your inner 90s kid has a soft spot for comic books and mechanical watches, Fossil’s latest release might catch your eye. The brand has launched a new Marvel collection featuring two of the most recognizable heroes on the roster: Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk.  The Incredible Hulk Edition: Loud and Green The Hulk watch makes a big entrance. Coming in at a chunky 45mm, it features a stainless steel case with the green giant literally bursting through the open-worked dial. Fossil leaned heavily into the classic green and purple color palette, carrying those shades through to the silicone and nylon strap.   It’s bold, it’s loud, and it honestly looks like something Bruce Banner would accidentally break during a temper tantrum. The Spider-Man Edition: Caught in a Web? On the other side of the ring, we have the Spider-Man edition. This one takes inspiration from the darker 1990s comic-book era, featuring a 42mm black stainless steel case. It has a gradient dial with dimensional webbing stretching across the crystal and down onto the leather strap.   However, I have a bone to pick with this one. While I appreciate the stealthy, moody vibe, I think the Spider-Man model is missing a bezel with interesting details. Looking at the smooth black case, I just feel like something is missing in terms of overall design. A textured bezel or some web-engraved details around the edge would have really tied the whole look together. Right now, it feels just a little too quiet...
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Arcanaut Introduces Fordite 2.0, Now Fully Customizable Worn & Wound
Aug 10, 2026

Arcanaut Introduces Fordite 2.0, Now Fully Customizable

Arcanaut, the Scandinavian indie known for their innovation with and unusual use of uncommon dial materials, has announced a major update to their signature watch. The Arc II Fordite, a personal favorite of mine and a watch I’ve proudly owned for a number of years, has been rethought as a bespoke piece, customized by each individual owner in a number of ways. Some of the options available feel like natural evolutions for the line based on a number of things we’ve seen from the brand in recent years across other projects, but a few are genuinely surprising.  When purchasing an Arc II Fordite from Arcanaut directly, the customer is brought to their Fordite Configurator, which first asks for their choice in dial. This, of course, is the heart of a Fordite watch as every dial is inherently unique (they are made from paint drippings from American auto factories). Prospective owners have always been able to choose their dial of course, but the watches have been sold as finished products. The new process centers the dials and the surprising ways they vary in appearance, and asks customers to think about how best to complement it.  The most welcome new development in the new Fordite process is the ability to pick from multiple cases. A total of four options are available, in “Standard” and “Skeleton” varieties, coming in at 40.5mm (the original size) or a new 37mm diameter. A smaller size should be exciting news to many as the 40.5mm case can wear quite a bit larger ...
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Leaving Little To The Imagination - Hands-On With The All-Exposing BA11OD Chapter 7 Skeleton Fratello
Aug 5, 2026

Leaving Little To The Imagination - Hands-On With The All-Exposing BA11OD Chapter 7 Skeleton

This is the answer to the not-yet-answered question, but that was going to pop up anyway: The BA11OD Chapter 7 Skeleton is both an open-worked and a skeletonized watch. You get optimal full-frontal horological nudity in a chic sporty package for a great price. This watch might tick all your boxes. Find out as I […] Visit Leaving Little To The Imagination — Hands-On With The All-Exposing BA11OD Chapter 7 Skeleton to read the full article.
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Leaving Little To The Imagination - Hands-On With The All-Exposing BA111OD Chapter 7 Skeleton Fratello
Aug 5, 2026

Leaving Little To The Imagination - Hands-On With The All-Exposing BA111OD Chapter 7 Skeleton

This is the answer to the not-yet-answered question, but that was going to pop up anyway: The BA111OD Chapter 7 Skeleton is both an open-worked and a skeletonized watch. You get optimal full-frontal horological nudity in a chic sporty package for a great price. This watch might tick all your boxes. Find out as I […] Visit Leaving Little To The Imagination — Hands-On With The All-Exposing BA111OD Chapter 7 Skeleton to read the full article.
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H. Moser & Cie. Introduces The Fascinating Endeavour Cosmic Rain Fratello
Jul 31, 2026

H. Moser & Cie. Introduces The Fascinating Endeavour Cosmic Rain

H. Moser & Cie. unveils the Endeavour Minute Repeater Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Cosmic Rain as a limited edition of 20 pieces. This is a very significant artistic and technical effort from the Schaffhausen-based manufacture. Moser reinterprets one of its most complex creations in a 40mm titanium case, combining a minute repeater displayed on the dial […] Visit H. Moser & Cie. Introduces The Fascinating Endeavour Cosmic Rain to read the full article.
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Moser’s Repeater is Cosmic, Cylindrical, and Skeleton SJX Watches
Jul 31, 2026

Moser’s Repeater is Cosmic, Cylindrical, and Skeleton

While most Swiss watchmakers are taking their summer holidays, H. Moser & Cie. has unveiled the Endeavour Minute Repeater Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Cosmic Rain — the latest variant of the brand’s most complicated movement platform. The Cosmic Rain takes its name from its dial, which features mother-of-pearl inlays on an aventurine glass dial base. Devoid of a brand logo or wordmark — a long-running Moser motif — the dial effectively evokes a night sky filled with streaking comets. Initial thoughts H. Moser & Cie. is probably best known for its minimalist designs, but the Cosmic Rain’s openworked construction reveals another side of the brand. So, too, does its raden dial, which is dressed up with shimmering strips of mother-of-pearl. The Cosmic Rain is quite compact for such a complicated watch at 40 mm in diameter and 14.4 mm thick — barely larger than some time-only watches. These wrist-friendly dimensions, combined with a lightweight titanium case, should make for a comfortable wearing experience. The calibre HMC 909 features an off-centre time display that reveals both the strike train and the tourbillon, which has been elevated — literally and figuratively — with a cylindrical hairspring. Unfortunately, the vestigial centre wheel pinion is unnecessarily exposed, revealing the calibre’s roots as a movement designed for central hour and minutes hands. There’s a lot to like about the Cosmic Rain, but it’s hard to find justification for the CHF...
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The Bianchet Rotondo UltraFino Rose Gold: A Stunning Take On Contrast Fratello
Jul 30, 2026

The Bianchet Rotondo UltraFino Rose Gold: A Stunning Take On Contrast

I will admit it: when Bianchet first launched quietly in 2017, the idea of another openworked tourbillon watch wasn’t overly intriguing. Then again, as a traditionalist, I tended to dismiss watches like this in the past. But, as they say, the past is the past. Now, I enjoy more theater in my timepieces. Painstaking finishing, […] Visit The Bianchet Rotondo UltraFino Rose Gold: A Stunning Take On Contrast to read the full article.
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CIGA Design’s Warmer Take On Its Most Industrial Line - The Hunter Vintage Fratello
Jul 28, 2026

CIGA Design’s Warmer Take On Its Most Industrial Line - The Hunter Vintage

The Chinese watch brand CIGA Design expands its most industrial line, the Hunter, with warmer tones. New Sand Gold, Rose Gold, and Brown Gold configurations allow the new Hunter Vintage to soften and bring warmth to the collection’s openworked design. The three colorways draw on visuals recalling the grand clock faces of the machine age, […] Visit CIGA Design’s Warmer Take On Its Most Industrial Line — The Hunter Vintage to read the full article.
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BA111OD Introduces a New Version of their Chapter 7 Skeleton Integrated Bracelet Sports Watch Worn & Wound
Jul 27, 2026

BA111OD Introduces a New Version of their Chapter 7 Skeleton Integrated Bracelet Sports Watch

Swiss indie BA111OD has introduced a new version of their Chapter 7 integrated bracelet sports watch featuring a skeleton dial. BA111OD has quietly been building a reputation these last few years for challenging long held conventions about value and what can be expected at certain price points (they make tourbillons starting at around $10,000). While the brand was founded in 2019, the family behind it has a watchmaking lineage that goes all the way back to the 18th century, so their perspective is shaped by both traditional Swiss watchmaking values and modern design sensibilities. I’ll be honest, my first reaction to the core Chapter 7 watches when they were initially introduced was essentially a shrug of the shoulders. Certainly there was nothing wrong with it, but it seemed to me to be yet another integrated bracelet design, an idea that has quickly become generic in these years following the Royal Oak and Nautilus boom. Somehow, though, with the skeleton version of the Chapter 7, first seen with an anthracite PVD treatment, the watch seemed to come together for me. I’m a sucker for a well executed skeleton treatment on a sports watch, and BA111OD’s approach, with cantilevered indices over a solid rehaut surrounding the open dial, makes for a legible and easy to digest presentation.  Last week, BA111OD unveiled a new version of the Chapter 7 Skeleton with a natural steel finish that they say is inspired by the summer light in Neuchâtel, where the brand is based. ...
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Hands On: FVF Genève FVF2 Openwork SJX Watches
Jul 24, 2026

Hands On: FVF Genève FVF2 Openwork

Watch designer Franc Vila kicked off his comeback with the FVF1 skeleton tourbillon, which he then followed up with the FVF2, a non-tourbillon watch that likewise indicates the time and day. The FVF2 Openwork strips away the dial, giving the watch a more mechanical appearance thanks to the exposed under-dial works, revealing the jumper spring for the retrograde day indicator. The reverse of the Openwork is identical to that of the standard model. The manual-wind movement blends contemporary and traditional elements — the striking, angular design works surprisingly well as a canvas for haute horlogerie finishing. Notably, the FVF2 movement is also its case: the base plate is one with the case middle, an approach FVF describes as a “unibody” architecture. Initial thoughts Because the FVF2 was created by a designer, it has a unique aesthetic that blends many elements and inspirations. The look doesn’t overemphasise any singular influence, making it more interesting than most time-only watches on the market today, many of which converge on the same few historical styles. Even though the FVF2 is a little bit of this and a little bit of that, everything comes together well. The standard FVF2 has a dial, offered in a wide range of materials, while the Openwork version does not. That is essentially the sole distinction between the two, but it makes a big difference in terms of aesthetics. In this sense the Openwork is similar to Roger Smith’s open-dialled watches, especi...
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Introducing - The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Minute Repeater Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Cosmic Rain Monochrome
Jul 23, 2026

Introducing - The H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Minute Repeater Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton Cosmic Rain

H. Moser & Cie. released its first minute repeater coupled with a tourbillon in 2019, exposing both complications on the dial. After several iterations, Moser unveiled an impressive, skeletonised take on the double-complication combo earlier this year. Since skeletonisation is often considered a complication in its own right, the triple-complication Endeavour Minute Repeater Cylindrical Tourbillon […]
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Hands-On: The Haim Watch Co. Annum Hodinkee
Jul 22, 2026

Hands-On: The Haim Watch Co. Annum

Haim Watch Company, a Chicago-based microbrand, marked its fifth anniversary in 2025 by introducing an intriguing new timepiece called the Annum. I first saw the watch last fall at the WindUp Watch Fair in New York City, where the brand's founder, M. Zakir Miah, brought along a prototype that immediately caught my attention. Visitors at the event received a sneak peek of the Annum alongside previous creations like the Viajero worldtimer, a model I reviewed last year. Since that initial preview, the Annum has undergone a bit of an evolution, including a subtly redesigned case and a few small tweaks to the dial. In its final iteration, the Annum offers a compelling complete calendar watch that punches well above its weight and continues what Haim Watch Company has achieved with its Viajero: creative, supremely wearable takes on complications that stand out the price point. The Annum comes in three dial variations. "Dark Cobalt" and "Stone White" are solid-colored dials with a sunken-in CNC guilloché center section and applied hour markers on the grained outer dial ring. But when it was time to pick which variant I'd spend some time with for this hands-on, it was the semi-transparent "Fumée" dial that I wanted to see, and it wasn't even close. From afar, the Fumée iteration reminds me of the dials of great skeletonized perpetual calendars of old, thanks to the display of the module underneath the smoked PVC (plastic) dial. On this dial, the subdial rings and minutes track ...
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Revealed: Rolex’s Inclined Plane Clock SJX Watches
Jul 16, 2026

Revealed: Rolex’s Inclined Plane Clock

A recent design patent filing gives us a sneak peek at a mechanical clock from the most unexpected source, Rolex. Last year Rolex debuted the Submariner desk clock; the new clock is more ambitious, an inclined plane clock. In other words, a rolling Rolex. Notably, prototypes of this clock have already been produced: two were on show at the Rolex stand during Watches & Wonders 2026. One sat in the lobby on an upper floor, and another was in chief executive Jean-Frederic Dufour’s office. No photos were allowed of either, a rule strictly enforced by eagle-eyed security guards. The inclined plane clock, sometimes also known as a gravity clock, will be Rolex’s first in-house mechanical desk clock that’s commercially available, and its first skeletonised movement, in a minimalist, architectural package. While yet unnamed, Rolex filed a trademark application for “Haplos” within a few weeks of the design patent. Initial thoughts Twenty twenty-five was dominated by clocks, kicking off with a production version of Patek Philippe’s 31-day desk clock, crescendoing with Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête Du Temps. Even Rolex joined in unexpectedly, with a Submariner desk clock. The adorable Submariner-Date-inspired desk clock. Yes, the bezel is ceramic. No, it does not rotate. But Rolex seems to have more ambitious plans for its desk clock project, including a skeletonised inclined plane clock. A recently published Swiss design patent application gives us a clearer look at t...
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Comments 5

  1. Karam
    The Greubel Forsey architecture mentioned here is genuinely impressive from a chronometry standpoint. Those openworked layouts don't come cheap in terms of manufacturing tolerances. Curious if the article touched on how skeleton designs affect COSC certification or if there's any measurable deviation penalty versus solid movement cases.
  2. Anonymous
    Skeleton watches always feel a bit theatrical to me, like you're paying extra just to see the gears spinning. That said, there's something genuinely beautiful about the hand-pierced pocket watches from the 18th century mentioned here. Modern ones feel like they're trying too hard.
  3. WatchHusk
    The AP Royal Oak Skeleton and Hublot Big Bang Tourbillon get all the press, but honestly if you want to appreciate openworked movements without the six-figure price tag, look at what the microbrands are doing. Brands like Nezumi Studios and Raven are exploring skeleton concepts with real craftsmanship and way more soul per dollar spent.
  4. Reece
    been looking at skeleton watches and wondering about the depreciation angle. AP Royal Oak holds value pretty well historically, but does the skeleton variant retain differently than the standard model? cost of ownership over 5 years must be brutal if you're paying sport watch prices for something you mainly wear on weekends.
  5. Ravi
    Is a skeleton watch actually worth it as a first watch versus something like a standard Submariner or Speedmaster. I love the look but some of the collector stuff seems way out of budget. Should I be patient and save or is there a good entry point.

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