Skeleton watches play an important role in the world of Orient Star. The first skeleton watch joined its ranks in 1991, making it a double anniversary. For the brand, it is a way to highlight the mechanical movements that power its watches, something on which they are rightfully proud, of course, in a modest, Japanese way. In the Orient Star M45 F8 Skeleton, the movement is a treat not only in a technical sense but also in an aesthetic one. It houses caliber F8B62, for which Orient upgraded the power reserve from an already decent 50 hours to a generous 70 hours, just as the anniversary they were celebrating. The Orient Star gets this power reserve from a single barrel, which can be admired at the twelve o’clock position and runs at 21,600 VpH/3HZ.

Making a skeleton watch is not that difficult, but getting it visually right is another thing. Orient Star took the most challenging path here, as they wanted to give you a tour through the inside of the movement without compromising reliability, showcase their decoration techniques, and all that without compromising legibility. They not only achieved all that but also placed a cherry on top by doing so in a rather sophisticated way. The movement is nicely skeletonized, but not overly so. This means that the bridges are not cut away to the bare minimum, which not only makes them more robust but also allows Orient to finish them with a perlage. This gives, combined with the chamfered edges, an incredible play of light. The hand-blued hands also happily join in this firework-like spectacle, but then you notice another dash of blue on the top-left side just under the seconds hand. This is the silicon escape wheel that was developed and made in-house as well in collaboration with Epson, using its proprietary MEMS technology.

Orient takes getting the proportions right very seriously, and that’s why this M45 F8 Skeleton has a diameter of 38.8mm. Combined with a thickness of 10.6mm, it results in a classically proportioned watch that looks good on a wide variety of different wrist sizes. It is known that the Japanese are always very eager to obtain perfection, and happy to go the extra mile to obtain this. This is also present in the Orient Star, as the brand utilizes a super anti-reflective coating on the sapphire crystal to ensure that as little glare as possible distracts you from admiring the movement or, of course, telling time. However, you probably do more of the first without even noticing the latter. Another aspect where Orient went all in, is the finishing of the case. This is done by hand using the Sallaz method, and the result is quite similar to Grand Seiko’s Zaratsu polishing. As the M45 F8 Skeleton is a manual wound watch, a good feel of the crown is an essential part of the overall experience. While modest in size, the crown offers a nice grip, the right amount of resistance, and a smooth winding experience. When you pull the crown you notice that the Orient Star is also fitted with a stop on the balance wheel, allowing you to set the watch down to the right second.

Skeleton watches are often not among the most legible, but the M45 F8 Skeleton is the exception to this rule. Orient gave all the functions their own outlined segment, which for the power reserve and the small seconds are screwed into the movement. The same goes for the small plate on the right side of the watch, showing the Orient Star name and logo. The outer ring features a crosshatched decoration with a pad-printed railroad track for the minutes and stainless steel hour markers. Orient also applied a very fine finish on these as well, and when the sun hits them under certain angles, the give flashes of color.

The caseback is kept clean, and the caliber F8B62 shows the traditional layout of a high-end manual wound movement. The finish is also very pleasing here, as Orient Star opted for their version of ‘Geneva Stripes,’ and applied it in such a way that there is quite a bit of play of light and even some added visual depth. This version of the M45 F8 Skeleton features a yellow gold plated movement with a champagne-colored hour ring, but Orient also offers the Orient Star with a rhodium-plated movement and white hour ring (reference RE-AZ0005S), which is a bit more contemporary and even more under the radar.

A strap is often considered the finishing touch of a watch but also an essential one. It is interesting to see that Orient forgo the traditional alligator, but went for a very high grade of shell cordovan. The strap breathes the atmosphere of a pair of very expensive, handmade shoes. As I am unfortunately not familiar with Japanese shoe manufacturers of this level, I would say that a pair of Alden’s comes very close to the experience of this strap. Orient even went through the trouble of fitting it with a folding clasp with a very thin design so that the closure doesn’t get too bulky. This makes the Orient Star M45 F8 Skeleton, which retails for $3,150 not only a refined choice, but also a comfortable one.

For more info, visit Orient Star, here

Under Guido Terreni, Parmigiani Fleurier has made brisk strides from a niche, slightly patrician enthusiast brand to one of the most interesting and dynamic names out there with the Tonda PF collection. Terreni had already demonstrated his talent at Bulgari with the Octo Finissimo, a collection that would cement the reputation of the brand as a major disruptor in the industry. At the helm of Parmigiani since early 2021, Terreni has quickly taken advantage of the brand’s potent vertical manufacturing capabilities, and the result is a hit.

The appeal of the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF is apparent. A sports watch on bracelet with top-notch finishes, excellent in-house movements and particularly impressive attention paid to detail: In a market starved for precisely this type of product, the Tonda PF has done nothing short of transforming the brand. The collection debuted with a time-only micro-rotor model, a chronograph, an annual calendar and a split-seconds chronograph. This year at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2022, we saw the release of the second batch of Tonda PF watches. While the GMT Rattrapante deservedly got the most attention for its novel application of a split-seconds mechanism to a GMT complication, I found myself just as enamored with the pair of Tonda PF Skeleton watches.

I recently spent just shy of a week with the red-gold iteration of the Tonda PF Skeleton and walked away impressed — if not also relieved at no longer having to worry about scratching a nearly six-figure watch. Indeed, I’m impressed at how successfully the Tonda PF collection has matured in just a couple of years under Mr. Terreni’s stewardship but also at the immaculate design, execution and watchmaking on display here.

Before getting too deep into the skeletonization here, I want to briefly touch on some details that make the Tonda PF Skeleton such a cohesively designed watch. First off, the bracelet is as refined and comfortable as any other out there and I appreciate how short the links are, which makes a comfortable fit so much easier. While I’m not sure the “integrated bracelet” designation I’ve seen used is technically accurate here, the point is moot because it looks, fits and wears exactly as one would expect a luxury integrated bracelet watch to. Another detail is the matching rose-gold hand-knurled bezel, which is likely made even more potent on the steel model that has a platinum bezel.

The case proportions deserve praise as well. Automatic movements can have the unfortunate side effect of adding heft to a case but the 40-mm-wide case of the Tonda PF Skeleton comes in at just 8.5 mm thick. For me, this makes for an ideal case size for an everyday wear. Oh, and it’s water resistant to 100 meters.

Skeletonization has been seeing a steady revival in the past few years, with S-tier releases or line updates from Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin and Parmigiani all largely within their integrated bracelet sports watch collections. Anecdotally, I’ve observed a noticeable uptick in appreciation for the skeletonized arts by younger enthusiasts, as well. Still, a generation of collectors (present company included) had been trained to largely dismiss skeletonization as either a musty baroque technique that flouts admittedly arbitrary standards of “minimalism” or worse, a generic “lux” add-on seemingly conceived with the sole purpose of spoiling legibility. But, these days it seems there is renewed hope.

“Wow, that’s legible!” is the G-rated edit of a refrain that I uttered at both my meeting with Parmigiani and later during my week with this watch. And the fact remains: It really is very, very legible! The sad truth is that a skeletonized dial with a set of polished gold hands would, in a vast majority of cases, be an illegible mechanical salad. Here all the curving and sweeping bridges are done with a graphite finish that lends a matte and monochromatic dial for the delta-shaped hands to contrast against. The wheels and remainder of the components are finished with rhodium plating, which matches the mellowness of the color scheme. The hand-chamfered edges of the bridges create a polish that is a nice contrast to the sandblasted and vertical brushing finishes throughout the dial.

There are thoughtful and meticulously executed little details all over this watch. Take the hour indexes, for example. While they appear fairly ordinary at first glance, a closer look shows that they are affixed to the dial only on one side at the rehaut at which point they almost cantilever over the vertically brushed ring at which point the chamfered edge lines up with the satin-brushing of the innermost ring before the dial’s skeletonized core begins. And on the caseback, note that the rotor has a sapphire crystal oval housing the PF insignia. It’s just a little touch that adds to the lightness and airiness of a skeletonized watch.

The solid gold rotor is, like the hands and indexes on the dial side, the only non-monochromatic aspect on the caseback. The automatic in-house Caliber PF777 operates at 4 Hz and has a 60-hour power reserve. No, it’s not a microrotor or manual-wind movement, which I know some people were hoping for, but in terms of practicality and execution, I have no qualms.

This is especially true when considering the measurements of the watch. Automatic movements can have the unfortunate side effect of adding heft to a case but there’s not much to complain about with an 8.5-mm-thick case. Again, I find this makes for an ideal case size for an everyday wear. Well, maybe the steel model is better as an everyday wear but the point stands.

The curving, sweeping lines of the movement embrace a decorative and relatively unusual interpretation of skeletonization that is not preoccupied with cutting off as much as possible. In the old days, skeletonization was about creating a unique canvas with which to show off exceptional finishing and decorative skills. These are gorgeous when done properly and have a strong collector community that will pay exorbitant prices for pieces like the Patek Philippe Ellipse Ref. 3880 or certain Breguet references. For most contemporary buyers, this ornate style fell out of fashion some time ago and the skeletonized options in recent years have been lackluster overall. However, it does seem like we have seen a new take on skeletonization that is gaining momentum by refocusing the technique to serve the tastes of younger buyers open to appreciating mastery of the technique in a modern style.

Still, contemporary time-only skeletonized watches have largely lent themselves to a “decorative minimalism” aesthetic that’s the inevitable result of exposing the bare bones of a relatively simple movement. Many fail at this because oftentimes the result seems arbitrary and not particularly attractive, making one question the whole purpose of the exercise in the first place.

One watch that does time-only skeletonization well is the Cartier Santos, which has its empty outer dial section framed with bridges done as Roman numerals. This way one can appreciate seeing through the “bones” and out the other side of the case while retaining the purpose of a watch as a time telling device with a cogent design behind it. And then there are the complicated skeletonized watches that do not open things up with the purpose of laying the bones bare, but rather to heighten appreciation of the inner workings. A brand that used to be known for more ornate, decorative skeletonization is Vacheron Constantin who keenly understood the changing tastes of contemporary collectors when they released the Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-thin Skeleton in 2020.

There are not many examples, but some brands have seen stellar results by prioritizing legibility and crisp finishing over purely traditional interpretations of skeletonization. The Czapek Antarctique Rattrapante focused its use of skeletonization by coupling the technique with a movement that shows the split-seconds mechanism on the front of the dial. I’d also be remiss in not mentioning the Slim d’Hermès Squelette Lune that, like the Parmigiani, used darker and more muted matte finishes on the bridges and throughout. And then there’s the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 15305. Released in 2010, the 15305 was the watch that brought skeletonization to a new generation. By opening up the Caliber 3120 and largely sticking to anthracite or gray finishes, the 15305 had a skeletonized dial that matched the industrial vibe of the Royal Oak. Adapting this oftentimes stuffy technique to match the style of the Royal Oak was a stroke of genius that has left an indelible mark on the segment.

In many ways, the Tonda PF Skeleton takes this same attitude. Proportionality and beautiful curves are central to Parmigiani’s identity and are core elements of brand founder Michel Parmigiani’s design ethos. Anyone who knows me knows how big an admirer of Parmigiani I am, both of the man and the brand. However, it wasn’t until the Tonda PF collection that everything cohesively came together by putting the Parmigiani DNA on full display but in a package the market will truly embrace. The sweeping curves of the bridges casually adhere to the Golden Ratio and the curves echo the rounded edges of the case and the recognizable teardrop lugs.

I’ll spare you the tired conversation about how popular integrated bracelet sports watches (though “leisure watches” is more apt) are these days, though it is an obvious factor in this collection’s success. For the collector who wants something a little different from the usual offerings, getting some time with the Parmigiani Tonda PF Skeleton on the wrist is well worth the effort.

To learn more about Parmigiani Fleurier, click here, and to subscribe to the WatchTime print magazine, click here.    

The 41mm sand gold case which measures only 10.6mm in height, and bracelet are finished with the manufacture’s trademark alternation of satin brushing and polished chamfers. The large mirror-polished bevels of the octagonal bezel and the chamfers adorning every link and stud of the tapering bracelet further accentuate the play of light.

To enhance the new gold case and bracelet, Audemars Piguet created a corresponding sand-gold-toned shade to decorate the open-worked bridges and mainplate of Caliber 2972, whose layered architecture is prominently displayed on both sides of the watch.

This new electroplated color subtly contrasts with the rhodium-toned components of the movement’s internal mechanisms, further highlight the 3D effect of the skeletonized movement that was first released in 2022 to commemorate the Royal Oak’s 50^th anniversary. This state-of-the art manufacture self-winding caliber is equipped with a flying tourbillon and offers a power reserve of 65 hours. 

The geometrical openworked bridges and mainplate have been decorated with horizontal and vertical hand-finishing, accentuating depth and play of light. In addition, the other movement components present refined Haute Horlogerie decorations including satin, circular and sunray brushing, snailing, as well as polished chamfers. The polished V-angles that can be admired on both sides of the watch reflect the meticulous craftsmanship. 

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked is priced at CHF 250,000.

To learn more, visit Audemars Piguet, here.

Gerald Charles was founded in 2000 by Gérald Genta, one the 20th century’s most important watch designers, who opted to use his middle name, Charles, as part of the brand’s title. After selling the company in 2003, Genta continued as its designer-in-chief until his death in 2011, thereafter leaving a treasure trove of watch designs in the company’s care. Today, each watch created by Gerald Charles is based on one of his original designs, working to carry on the horological legend’s design creativity and mechanical ability through its timepieces.

The Gerald Charles Maestro 8.0 Squelette, Ref. GC8.0-SQ-A-00, is a mesmerizing fusion of the familiar Maestro case shape and an exceptional open-worked movement, being designed by renowned watch designer Octavio Garcia, a previous collaborator of Genta’s. The steel case features a 39mm diameter with a 8.35mm thickness, making use of an asymmetric polygon silhouette inspired by an original design conceived by Genta. The case itself is constructed of 18 separate components, including among them a screw-down crown that assists in the watch attaining an impressive 100m water resistance. The watch is secured to the wrist via a clous de Paris patterned rubber strap, which was first seen on the Maestro Anniversary watch in 2019.

The dial of the Maestro 8.0 Squelette showcases a celestial sky chart theme, a testament to Garcia’s creative vision. Skeletonized bridges are satin-finished and adorned with rhodium plating or deep anthracite NAC treatment. Every angle, bevel, and aperture is hand-polished, and all wheels feature circular graining on each surface. The rehaut— the inner ring between the dial and crystal–  held by a series of nine star-shaped screws, and was specially designed for Gerald Charles.

At the heart of the novelty lies the automatic GCA 5482 calibre, exclusively developed for Gerald Charles by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. Comprising 160 components, this ultra-thin movement measures just 2.6mm in height and includes a star-shaped gold micro rotor running on ceramic bearings, and despite its slimness boasts a solid 50-hour power reserve. The movement’s intricate finishes, including brushing, rhodium-plating, and anthracite NAC-treatment, are each visible through the sapphire crystal case back.

The Gerald Charles Maestro 8.0 Squelette Ref. GC8.0-SQ-A-00 is available for pre-order now with a deposit of $6,380. The final pricing is marked at $63,800 with delivery to begin in November 2023. Production will be limited to 100 pieces per year. The horological gem will also available for a hands-on opportunity at this year’s WatchTime New York event, it alongside hundreds of other watches from over thirty distinct watchmaking houses.

To learn more, visit Gerald Charles, here.

And to purchase tickets for WatchTime New York 2023, click here.

Working to evoke the ambiance of a beach club holiday, the 200m water resistant design is a novel take on a familiar Independence silhouette— pairing sports watch charm with the inspiration of bright blue Mediterranean waters. Crafted with Norteq, the brand’s proprietary carbon fiber material known for its robustness and light weight, this 42mm timepiece is just 78 grams. Notably, the watch is 50% lighter than a stainless steel Norqain, and six grams lighter than the previous edition Wild One.

Besides its material construction, the case features a large pair of turquoise guards surrounding its screw-down crown, while a prominent bumper on the opposite side further ensures its hard-wearing capabilities. Worth noting is both these details are a part of the watch’s rubber shock absorber, a single inner case within the outer Norteq cage, and itself surrounding a deeper titanium container. A buttery, mesh rubber strap secures the watch to the wrist, itself accented with more turquoise tones.

The dial of the new Wild One pairs a central skeletonized aesthetic with bold Norqain details, including prominent hour indices attached to an outer turquoise minute ring outline. A pair of accented, skeletonized hands point to the passing hours and minutes, while X1 Superluminova accents throughout the display ensure readability throughout lighting conditions.

At its heart, the Wild One Skeleton Turquoise houses a skeletonized caliber NN08S, the same movement seen in previous Norqain Independence Skeleton models. Based upon the Sellita caliber SW200-1, the Norqain variation of the mechanism features a 41-hour power reserve and a COSC chronometer certification, with its various mechanical workings and brand-signed rotor visible via a sapphire exhibition caseback.

The Norqain Wild One Skeleton Turquoise is available now, with pricing market at $5,790.

To learn more, visit Norqain, here.

And to purchase tickets to WatchTime New York 2023, click here.