What's a Skeleton Watch? Why It's a Must-Have

The skeleton watch first became a widespread phenomenon in the 1700s when legendary clockmaker Andre Caron developed the first one. Since then, they have remained a luxury staple for anyone who appreciates the intricate craftsmanship behind watchmaking.

Iced-out watches are the ultimate drip-to-rock on your wrist. You can take it even further with a skeleton watch that’s covered in quality stones. When we first launched our own watch collection at GLD, we were hyped to put our own twist on the skeleton aesthetic. 

If you’re curious about adding a skeleton watch to your accessory collection, we got you. This guide contains all the information you need to know about these symbols of true luxury. First, let’s start with why you should rock one in the first place. 

Why Rock a Skeleton Watch? 

Skeleton watches are premium pieces that are sought after by watch collectors around the world. If you appreciate the artistry behind crafting quality timepieces, the inner workings are a spectacle in motion. 

This design is also synonymous with true luxury. If you want to show others that you’ve worked hard to build your success in life, there are few better ways of doing so. With a skeleton timepiece on your wrist, people will know you’re serious about being on your grind and want to reward yourself for the hustle. 

Skeleton Watches vs. Traditional Watches 

Beyond a closer view of the inner workings of the watch, what separates a skeleton from a traditional timepiece? The three main differences include the following: 

1: No Face Cover 

Skeleton watches don’t have a face cover like traditional watches do. Instead, you see every moving part of the watch working to keep the time. You can easily get lost in staring at each gear moving in sync with one another. 

2: Only the Bare Essentials 

Some skeleton watches begin as traditional watches and then undergo the process of “skeletonization.” This means removing any part that isn’t essential for the timepiece to function. 

Beyond the gears, only the essential timekeeping elements are present on a skeleton watch, such as the hands and the hour markers. Each component is polished beautifully to provide it with a sleek appearance that makes an impression whenever it’s worn. 

Some skeleton watches might also include some additional features like chronometers, but these would be considered nonstandard for most. Additionally, you could find watches that are half-skeletonized with mechanisms only partially visible. 

3: Pricepoint 

Most skeleton watches cost more than traditional watch styles. The amount of work in creating an aesthetically beautiful presentation of the mechanisms requires more delicate, skilled craftsmanship than something that can be covered by a watch face. 

How to Choose a Quality Skeleton Watch for Your Collection 

Skeleton watches are heirloom-quality pieces that upgrade any accessory collection. When you’re thinking of investing in a quality piece, here are some tips to keep in mind: 

Start by deciding how skeletonized you want your watch to be. If you want one that qualifies as a true full skeleton, look for one without chronometers or any partial face. You can also consider other materials, like whether you want a metal or rubber strap or if you want a non-iced or iced-out piece. 

Next, the type of movement makes a major difference in how the watch operates. If you do not want to be constantly winding your watch or replacing batteries, choose an automatic movement that is powered by moving your wrist. 

Finally, we arrive at stone quality. If you’re someone that wants to rock plenty of ice with their watch, how the stones are set will make all the difference. Is the timepiece flooded with professionally hand-set stones or simply attached with cheap glue? 

If you’re paying for quality, hand-set stones are an obvious choice. They will remain in place and won’t fall out or lose their shine over time. 

Get the Ultimate Iced-Out Automatic Skeleton Watch for Your Collection Today 

When we launched our Era watch collection at GLD, we stuck to our original mission: Provide quality jewelry that people can wear proudly without breaking the bank. 

Our Alpha Era Skeleton collection does just that. Compared to many other luxury watch brands, you can get a quality piece at GLD without emptying out your bank account to do so. 

Each Alpha Era Skeleton watch is finished in our signature 18k gold plating and flooded in stones applied with our patented hand-setting process that leaves no empty spaces. They also contain a unique full automatic movement mechanism that erases ticking from the equation without affecting precision.