5 Great Skeleton Mechanical Watches For Men: Gears in Motion
Mechanical Skeleton Watches for Guys: My Top Picks
There is almost nothing I find more fascinating than a mechanical watch. Maybe it's just me, but seeing how all the gears fit intricately together in a delicate balance is incredible and inspiring. If you're looking for the best skeleton watches for men, you're not alone. They're extremely popular and a good one is a real prize.
A men's skeleton watch is unique from other models in that it reveals the inner workings of the mechanism. A window of crystal or glass shows off the moving gears and springs, normally hidden from view, as they tick down the seconds, minutes and hours. Despite being fully mechanical, skeleton watches can have some great features, and they're the perfect men's accessory to any outfit.
This article is written to help you identify the best skeleton watches for men, and it will take a look at five of my favorites on the market today. We'll compare each watch and list the pros and cons, as well as anything else you might want to know. We'll also touch briefly on some of the terminology so you know what you're getting.
Features, Functions and Terms
Just so you're acquainted with the terminology that's thrown around with these things, I wanted to go over a few of the common features and functions that you'll find on a good men's skeleton watch. The exact features you'll need is really up to you, but here are some common ones.
Automatic Skeleton Watches:
A lot of men's skeleton watches are automatic in function. This means that they don't require a battery or any kind of winding to keep them powered up. Normally a mechanical watch would need periodic winding to store the energy to continue timekeeping. An automatic cleverly uses the natural energy in your arm motions to keep the watch wound up with a ratcheting action. Not having to wind is always a bonus, but it tends to increase the price a bit.
Water Resistance:
I always think it's somewhat humorous that watch brands put so much effort into making their devices water resistant to several hundred feet. I suppose it's true that accidents happen and a watch can end up in the drink. Many skeleton watches for men will have extensive water resistant qualities, and it's always a nice thing to have, just in case.
Multiple Dials, Day and Month:
Some of the mechanical skeleton watches for men on the market now come with multiple dials, and it's really up to you whether this is a feature you'd like. They will, in addition to telling the time, keep track of the day of the week and the month, and sometimes the year.
Stuhrling Delphi: Classic, Automatic Skeleton Watch for Men
Most of my favorite styles incorporate a mixture of classic and modern elements, and this beautiful watch by Sturhling is a great example of that look.
With polished stainless steel elements tastefully matched with radiant indigo and silver touches, this watch has an understated, classic look. It's a large face watch with a dark blue band behind the indicators, and a skeleton cutout in the center behind the krysterna crystal display. There is a cutout on the case back too. The band is high quality stainless steel and it's very durable and comfortable.
This is an automatic skeleton men's watch, so there is no need to wind it if you wear it every day. It's water resistant and very durably made, and it has three dials so you can count time up to the second.
It's also extremely affordable as Stuhrling brand automatic watches go, so it's great for someone who wants a higher end watch without having to take out a second mortgage.
Android Antiforce: A Modern, Automatic Skeleton Watch for Guys
One of the best and hands down coolest looking automatic skeleton watches for men on the market today is the Antiforce by Android. It combines excellent craftsmanship and automatic features with a cutting edge, futuristic and gorgeous watch design.
Android opts to go futuristic in a lot of their designs, and this one really stands out. All the same, it maintains a few classic look features. It's just slick.
The watch was designed with an eye towards combining retro features and looks with a futuristic vision and aesthetic. The result is this hefty, modern style timepiece. It's mostly made out of brushed stainless steel, and it is automatic so it will self wind with your movement. The mineral crystal window allows a direct view into the inner workings for a mesmerizing effect. The band is made from real leather, and it's very comfortable on your wrist.
It's a phenomenal statement piece that pairs as well with a suit as with a casual night out.
Invicta Diver: A Truly Classic Men's Skeleton Watch
You may already recognize the name Invicta, they're a popular Swiss brand with a solid history and background in watch making. Their watches are intricately built and made to last, and they have a classic style that doesn't fade over time. This skeleton watch for men is a hand wind variety, meaning that you'll need to keep it wound every so often.
This particular model is black in color, and features a comfortable and flexible polyurethane wristband along with a beefy stainless steel housing. It's water resistant to over 150 feet, and it's really an intuitive and well thought out device with features such as the tiny chain to keep the dial cover on hand.
With a crystal class display you can see directly into the inner gears and see how it runs, from both the top and the bottom. As with most Invicta watches, this is a fabulously attractive and stylish piece well worth your attention.
Akribos: A Refined, Classic Skeleton Watch
If you're after a more refined and classic look to your watch, you may like this offering by Akribos. Featuring a subtle yet stunning mesh steel wristband and a dimpled silver bezel, this is a great 'suit' watch that screams class and sophistication. Most of the housing is glass, meaning that you get a clear, uninterrupted view of the gears and springs as they work harmoniously together.
It's one of the best skeleton watches for men because it's subtle enough to not be showy, but it's intricate and classic enough that you'll feel like a million bucks wearing it.
It has a separate second hand, which is a nice feature. It's a hand wind mechanical watch, so you'll have to wind it each day. Water and scratch resistant, with a super large face and transparent crystal on the display and back, it's a winner.
Kenneth Cole: Subtle, Gorgeous and Sophisticated
This is a gorgeous and highly stylized watch from Kenneth Cole that's sure to please men from all walks of life. The first thing you'll notice up close is the highly stylized display with the large art deco style numbers. It's a large face watch, and you have a great view of the gears behind the mineral crystal display.
The band is a mesh metal style, which I always think looks great. The effect is a comfortable yet sophisticated timepiece that you'll be happy to show off at work or on your free time. It's available in a few different color and metal schemes, so you have a few options there, and it has an hour, minute and second hand.
And, of course, this is an automatic skeleton watch for men so there is no need to wind it up if you're wearing it each day.
I should also mention that this is the most affordable watch I've reviewed here, as most Kenneth Cole brand watches are pretty decently priced. It sure won't look cheap when paired with a crisp shirt and blazer.
Word of Warning:
There are a lot of cheaper automatic skeleton wrist watches for men available today, and some can be found for as little as $30 online. I strongly recommend that you avoid these 'no name' brands. The average automatic has over 120 internal parts, and it doesn't take much for a cheap quality watch to break.
There is a good reason for the higher price tag with brands like Invicta, Stuhrling and Akribos. They have fine-tuned the process and taken a lot of external factors into consideration, such as temperature, humidity, shock, moisture, overwinding, etc. They will last a long time and they usually come with a great warranty to boot. Just my two cents!