A Brief History of Skeleton Watches

Skeleton watches are unique watches in which the case and various parts of the movement are transparent, revealing the innerworkings of the watch. Skeleton timepieces have been around for centuries and were among the first type of time keeping devices made. Not because manufacturers wanted to make something extraordinary, but because full outer cases and modern day dials had not yet been invented.

Today, Skeleton Watches are some of the most interesting and complex watches available. The vast majority of Skeleton Watches are mechanical, as opposed to quartz or battery powered. Mechanical watches are spring driven, using intricate gears and measuring devices to keep time. Precision is essential in mechanical watches and components must be near perfect to keep accurate time. Watchmakers delicately remove sixty to seventy percent of the metal typically found in a non-skeletonized watch to acheive the skeleton effect, and many luxury Skeleton Watches are intricately engraved.

The delicate work and care that goes into the creation of a Skeleton Watch is something everyone can appreciate. To view a mechanical Skeleton Watch in operation, especially when on your wrist, is truly a pleasure.

Glossary

Automatic Watch - A watch whose mainspring is wound by the movements of the wearer's arm. As a result of the movement, a rotor turns and transmits energy to the spring by means of an appropriate mechanism. The system was invented in Switzerland by Abraham-Louis Perrelet in the 18th century

Barrel - The thin round box containing the mainspring of a watch. The toothed rim of the barrel drives the watch mechanism.

Bezel - The part of the watch case immediately surrounding the crystal.

Case - The container that protects the watch-movement from dust, moisture and shock.

Crystal - The thin plate of glass or transparent synthetic material, for protecting the innerworkings of watches.

Dial - The face or plate of metal or other material, bearing various markings to show, in ordinary watches, the hours, minutes and seconds. Arguably, the piece that hides the true beauty of a mechanical watch!

Hand - An indicator that shows time. Watches usually have three hands showing the hours, minutes and seconds.

Mainspring - The driving spring of a watch contained in the barrel.

Movement - The assembly consisting of the mechanisms of a watch -the winding and setting mechanism, the mainspring, the train, the escapement, the regulating elements. What makes a watch operate. The NakedWatchTM offers a mechanical movement.

Skeleton Watch - A watch in which the case and various parts of the movement are of transparent material, allowing the working parts of the watch to be seen.

Winding - Operation consisting in tightening the mainspring of a watch. This can be done by hand (by means of the crown) or automatically (by means of a rotor, which is caused to swing by the movements of the wearer's arm).