Bring Out the Skeletons

Cartier proves once again that it reigns supreme in skeletonised timepieces.

- Sean Mossadeg

DISCUSSING SKELETONISED TIMEPIECES can reveal a chasm, dividing watch lovers into two camps. there’s no sitting on the fence here. You either like it or you don’t. still, it would be impossible not to appreciate the intricacies that go into creating such works of art.

Hate Botero’s large people all you want, for example, but if you cannot admire the the processes that go into his craft, then you may be missing out on the true beauty of art.

The process of skeletonisation is a reflection of this meticulous approach to art. unlike openworked dials that are defined simply by the absence of a dial, thus putting the movement on display, skeletonised watches see the movement itself pared down to the bare bones.

What started as a necessary challenge at a time of material shortage in the late 18th century became a measure of a brand’s ingenuity and mastery of this time-honoured technique. in a skeletonised watch, the plates and bridges of a movement need to be hollowed out, leaving the absolute minimum to hold components together.