Skeleton Pocket Watches

Skeleton Pocket Watches

A skeleton watch is one where the dial has been cut away so the movement is on show. Instead of a closed face with numerals printed across it, you get an open frame with the gear train, the escapement and the balance wheel visible, all of it moving while the watch runs. It is the closest you can get to watching the mechanism work without opening the case, and it is the reason people pick this range: they want the watch to be the thing that gets noticed, not just a way of telling the time.

Hand-wound, with no battery

Nearly all of these are hand-wound mechanical, which is part of the appeal, because the movement you can see through the dial is the one keeping time. Winding is straightforward. Turn the crown clockwise until you feel firm resistance, then stop rather than forcing it, and do it at roughly the same time each day so the watch does not run down. A small number of pieces in this category use a quartz movement instead, and the movement type is listed on each product page. Every movement we sell carries a 12-month warranty.

With a lid, or without

Most of the skeleton pieces here sit inside a hunter or half hunter case rather than being left fully exposed. If you want a lid that closes over the cut-away dial, look at Full Hunter Pocket Watches. If you would rather read the time through a window without opening anything, Half Hunter Pocket Watches pair particularly well with a skeleton dial, since the movement shows through the window. A handful are open face. The wider collection sits under Vintage Style Pocket Watches.

Finishes, chains and delivery

Finishes are plated and tone finishes rather than precious metal, and cover silver-tone, gold-plated, brass and black, so you can match the case to a suit or to the rest of someone's jewellery. A chain is sold separately and there is a matching one for every watch, with a free matching chain added to orders over $100; they are listed under Pocket Watch Chains. In-stock pieces leave Brisbane within 1 to 2 business days, free Express Post applies on Australian orders over $60, and unworn watches can be returned within 60 days.