A Selection of Bold, Modern and High-End Openworked Watches

Lovers of complex mechanical watchmaking can rejoice with this week’s Buying Guide selection, as all of the watches on show come with openworked dials and movements. Not content with the most classical styles of skeletonization, we’ve opted for a range of contemporary and bold watches instead. On top of that, they reveal their most intricate details while also packing a level of innovation and style rivalled by few! With that in mind, let’s dive straight in!

H. Moser & Cie Streamliner tourbillon skeleton

H. Moser’s groovy Streamliner is a personal favourite of ours, and the Tourbillon Skeleton could very well be the best iteration to date. The soothing curves of the case and integrated bracelet blend seamlessly with the complex openworked mechanics. The whole watch is a play of monotone greys with subtle touches of gold for the hands and markers. The tourbillon escapement dominates the bottom half, and around the back, the gold-coloured skeleton rotor really stands out big time. The fact that H. Moser & Cie is one of the very few to produce its own hairspring is just the proverbial icing on the cake. It retails for CHF 76,000.

For more information, please visit H-Moser.com.

Quick Facts – 40mm x 12.1mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – openworked construction – red gold-plated indices & hands with Globolight inserts – calibre HMC 814, in-house skeleton automatic – 21,600vph – 72h power reserve – hours, minutes, small seconds on tourbillon – integrated stainless steel bracelet – part of the permanent collection – CHF 79,000 (incl. VAT)

De Bethune DB28XS Steel Wheels

Ignoring (or embracing, if you will) the very vibrant pink strap it was on when we shot it, the De Bethune DB28XS Steel Wheels is an absolute masterpiece. And while it’s not a through-and-through openworked watch, De Bethune is known for often pulling back the curtains on their incredible movements. With a compact and very thin case and an exposed escapement and running gear, the DB28XS Steel Wheels is a feast for the eyes. The delta-shaped bridge that covers most of it is a signature styling element, as are the blued components front and back. Retailing for CHF 82,000, there’s now a whole range of strap options to choose from.

For more information, please visit DeBethune.ch.

Quick Facts – 38.7mm x 8mm – grade 5 titanium case, polished – patented floating lugs – crown at noon – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – polished titanium base dial – delta-shaped bridge – heat-blued hands central hour & minute hands – calibre DB2115V13, in-house – manual winding – 241 parts – 28,800vph – 6-day power reserve – hours, minutes, linear power reserve on the back – leather, rubber or canvas straps – CHF 82,000

Artime ART01 Tourbillon

Artime is a very young brand, but it came out swinging for the fences with the ART01 Tourbillon. This highly contemporary watch hides nothing from the eye and is designed with complete transparency in mind from the ground up. The case is constructed of titanium and sapphire crystal elements for an extremely airy look. Central hour and minutes hands indicate the time, with the small seconds indicator on the tourbillon cage. Its crown has a function pusher for the movement, switching from neutral (N), time-setting (H) or winding (R). Worn on a black calfskin leather strap, the 20-piece limited edition costs CHF 195,000.

For more information, please visit Artime.ch.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 11.4mm – titanium & sapphire crystal case – titanium crown with pusher – 30m water-resistant – HyCeram chapter ring for hours & minutes – central hour & minute hands with HyCeram tips – manually wound movement – 21,600vph – 80h power reserve – 261 components – tourbillon escapement with small seconds – function selector – black calfskin strap with titanium folding buckle – limited edition of 20 pieces – CHF 195,000

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance 41mm 15407ST

A fitting example of “two is better than one”, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Double Balance 41mm 15407ST relies on two balance wheels to increase chronometric precision. And such technicalities always work best when visible, which is why the 41mm wide case is fitted with a completely openworked dial and movement. The calibre 3132 is fully exposed from both sides, runs at a rate of 21,600vph and delivers 45 hours of power. Of course, it’s fitted with the iconic integrated bracelet and retails for EUR 76,100. There’s also a yellow gold or limited black ceramic edition alternative, both costing EUR 100,700.

For more information, please visit AudemarsPiguet.com.

Quick Facts – 41mm x 9.9mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – octagonal bezel – sapphire crystal front & back – screw-down crown – 50m water-resistant – openworked dial with gold-toned finish – gold hour & minute hands – calibre 3132, in-house – automatic – double balance wheel – 245 components – 21,600vph – 45h power reserve – integrated bracelet with folding clasp – EUR 76,100 in stainless steel (EUR 100,700 in black ceramic or yellow gold)

Speake Marin Ripples Skeleton

The Ripples Skeleton is Speake Marin’s latest addition to its rounded-square luxury sports watch. And it must be said, the combination of curved and straight lines transcending from its exterior to its interior works wonderfully well! At 40.3mm across and just 6.30mm in height, it’s a superbly comfortable watch, with a new in-house openworked micro-rotor calibre pulling you in whenever you check the time. Blued signature spade-and-whip hands stand out against the rest of the mechanics, with a small seconds sub-dial whimsically placed between 2′ and 3′. Worn on an integrated steel bracelet, the Ripples Skeleton retails for CHF 29,900.

For more information, please visit speake-marin.com.

Quick Facts – 40.30mm x 6.30mm – 904L stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – screw-down crown with guards – 50m water-resistant – skeleton dial with small seconds at 01:30 – blued spade and whip hands – silver minutes flange – calibre SMA07, in-house – micro-rotor automatic – ultra-thin skeleton construction – 36,000vph – 52h power reserve – integrated steel bracelet with micro-adjustable folding clasp – CHF 29,900