Top Skeleton Watch Brands Perfect for Timepiece Enthusiasts

Skeleton watches have gained immense popularity among watch enthusiasts for their intricate designs and the mesmerizing view of their inner workings. These timepieces not only offer a unique aesthetic appeal but also showcase the craftsmanship and engineering involved in their creation. Top brands have pioneered innovative designs and have perfected the art of making skeleton watches, setting high standards in the industry. To find out which brands have mastered this captivating watchmaking style, check out the list below.

Illustration of skeleton watches

Best brands of skeleton watches in 2025

Audemars Piguet

Audemars Piguet is renowned for its exquisite skeleton watches, showcasing the brand's mastery in haute horlogerie. The Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked, introduced in 2016, exemplifies this expertise with its hand-finished movement featuring 245 components and a patented double balance wheel system for enhanced chronometric performance. Audemars Piguet strictly limits its production to around 48,000 watches per year, ensuring each piece receives meticulous attention, with up to 72.9 watchmaker-hours invested per watch. The brand's Frosted Gold technique, introduced in 2016, adds a unique visual allure to its timepieces. With a history of innovation and a commitment to quality, Audemars Piguet remains a leader in the luxury watch industry. Learn more about the intricacies of skeleton watches from Audemars Piguet.

Richard Mille

Richard Mille is renowned as one of the premier producers of skeleton watches, known for its meticulous craftsmanship and innovative materials. In 2022, the brand produced 5,400 timepieces, and in 2023, it aimed to produce 5,600 pieces to meet growing demand. Notably, Richard Mille produces 60% of its movements in-house, ensuring uncompromising quality and innovation. The brand's watches, such as the RM 50-03, feature advanced materials like Graph TPT™, which is six times lighter and 200 times stronger than steel. Each Richard Mille watch can take between three to five years from design to completion, reflecting the brand's commitment to excellence. For more insights into their market impact, read the latest sales figures news that might make its competitors nervous.

Hublot

Hublot, a prominent brand within the LVMH group, has distinguished itself as a leading producer of skeleton watches, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and innovative design. In 2022, Hublot outperformed its Tag Heuer colleagues in terms of sales, highlighting its strong market presence. The brand's success is partly attributed to its unique blend of traditional watchmaking and modern aesthetics, which has resonated well with luxury watch enthusiasts. With LVMH's overall watch division maintaining a positive trend, Hublot's performance has been a significant contributor to this success. The brand's average selling price and market strategy have positioned it as a key player in the luxury watch industry.

Vacheron Constantin

Vacheron Constantin is renowned as one of the premier producers of skeleton watches, mastering the art of openworking and transparency to create ethereal timepieces. The brand's expertise in skeletonization involves the skills of Master Watchmakers, Master Chamferers, and Master Engravers, resulting in intricate and visually stunning movements. For example, the Vacheron Constantin Malte Squelette, debuted in 2003, features a skeletonized automatic Caliber 1120/1 movement, showcasing the brand's dedication to metiers d'art. The company's commitment to quality and craftsmanship is evident in its limited production, with estimates suggesting around 20,000 to 25,000 watches produced annually. This attention to detail and exclusivity has contributed to Vacheron Constantin achieving a turnover of CHF 1.097 billion in 2023. For more details about their skeleton watch collection, visit their official website.

Ulysse Nardin

Ulysse Nardin is renowned as one of the best producers of skeleton watches, leveraging its rich history and innovative techniques. Founded in 1846 in Le Locle, Switzerland, the company has a legacy of producing highly accurate marine chronometers, with 4,324 performance certificates out of 4,504 submitted (95%) from the Neuchatel Observatory. Under the leadership of Rolf Schnyder and Ludwig Oechslin, Ulysse Nardin revived its brand in 1983 and introduced groundbreaking timepieces like the Freak in 2001, which features a silicon escapement and a 7+ day power reserve. The brand continues to innovate with collections like the Blast Skeleton X, combining modern materials and traditional Haute Horlogerie. Ulysse Nardin's commitment to precision and design has solidified its position in the luxury watchmaking industry.

Roger Dubuis

Roger Dubuis is a renowned Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, particularly celebrated for its exquisite skeleton watches. Founded in 1995 by Roger Dubuis and Carlos Dias, the brand is known for its intricate mechanical movements, with most of its calibers produced in-house and bearing the prestigious *Poincon de Geneve* certification. Since 1999, Roger Dubuis has been using in-house designed and produced movements, and by 2005, it had launched the groundbreaking Excalibur collection featuring the double tourbillon skeleton movement. The brand's commitment to quality is evident in its production, with only 24,000 out of 20 million Swiss watches annually receiving the *Poincon de Geneve* certification, and Roger Dubuis holding a significant majority of these. In 2017, the brand innovated further with the Excalibur Spider Carbon, marking the first time a watch's movement plate, bridges, and tourbillon upper-cage were made entirely of carbon.

Cartier

Cartier is renowned as one of the premier producers of skeleton watches, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and innovation. The brand introduced its first entirely in-house designed and produced skeletonised movement, the calibre 9611 MC, in the Santos 100 Skeleton watch in 2015. This movement, featuring 138 parts and 20 rubies, beats at a frequency of 4 Hz and provides a 72-hour power reserve. In 2023, Cartier unveiled new skeletonised Santos de Cartier and Santos Dumont models, highlighting their commitment to high horological art. These timepieces, such as the skeletonised Santos de Cartier with 126 baguette-cut diamonds, exemplify Cartier's excellence in watchmaking. Discover more about the new skeletonised Santos de Cartier and Santos Dumont models.

Zenith

Zenith, established in 1865 by Georges Favre-Jacot, is renowned as one of the premier producers of skeleton watches, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and innovation. The brand's iconic El Primero movement, introduced in 1969, was the first high-frequency automatic chronograph, operating at 36,000 vibrations per hour (5 Hz) and offering a resolution of 1/10 of a second. This movement was even utilized by Rolex for their Daytona chronograph from 1988 to 2000. Zenith's commitment to in-house production is evident, as they manufacture nearly all components, including complex stamping tools, with only a few external suppliers for parts like hairsprings and jewels. The brand's continuous innovation, such as the El Primero 21 with 1/100th of a second precision, solidifies its position as a leader in Swiss watchmaking. For more information, visit the Zenith official page.

Panerai

Panerai is renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship in producing skeleton watches, showcasing intricate components through sophisticated watchmaking procedures. Since 2005, Panerai has developed over 25 different calibers, including complicated mechanisms like tourbillons and minute repeaters. The brand's skeletonized structures, such as the Skeleton Submersible models, feature materials like Carbotech and Titanium, ensuring both functionality and stylish design. These watches often include advanced features like GMT functions and patented polarized dates. Panerai's commitment to quality is evident in the rigorous testing of each timepiece, ensuring a 25% higher water-resistance than declared limits.

Tag Heuer

Tag Heuer, a renowned brand within the LVMH group, is distinguished for its innovative and iconic timepieces, particularly its skeleton watches. The brand's Monaco series, for instance, has been a staple in watch enthusiasts' collections since its inception, with notable models like the skeletonized Monaco chronograph featuring the Caliber HEUER 02 Automatic and an 80-hour power reserve. In 2021, TAG Heuer created the first ever open-dial Monaco for the Only Watch event, and subsequent models have continued this innovative trend. Despite challenges in the market, TAG Heuer's performance has been supported by its strong partnerships, such as with the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula 1 Team since 2016. However, in 2023, TAG Heuer experienced a decline of -7% in sales, highlighting the competitive nature of the luxury watch market. For a deeper look into the Monaco skeleton chronograph, check out this comprehensive analysis.