True ‘skeletonization’ also includes the trimming away of any non-essential metal on the bridge, plate, wheel train or any other mechanical part of the watch, leaving only a minimalist ‘bare’ skeleton of the movement required for functionality.
Not sure if this counts or not, but Swatch has many lovely pieces that showcase the internal components, most of which go for under $300. This one has been my daily driver for about 18 months now
This just maked me want to bring back clear-plastic electronics.
🤩🤩🤩
As a kid my friend who owned an N64 got to use the clear-green controller. The rest of us always had to wrestle it out for the other three opaque controllers based on how fucked up the joysticks were.
Not super interesting looking except for the visible antennas and connectors.
I still think it looks interesting. But those are plastic cover panels underneath the clear plastic. You can see the screws through the back. So not quite the same.
Yeah all the components in the fairphones are modularized with no exposed electronics so it’s easy for non-technical users to swap defective parts without damaging anything. So nothing cool to see sadly, except for repairable design.
high-end watches are crazy. this is a 500 grand jacob & co astronomia:
they have tons of these, all with free-floating three-axis tourbillions.
Just insane that thing even works. Crazy engineering.
This is not a watch you wear, this is a display watch/collectors item.
Probably a good investment piece too.
I never liked Jacod & Co, I don’t find their watches useful at all. Imagine walking and your hand goes on the wall.
Imagine someone with Jacob walking near a wall…
they also have ones covered completely with diamonds so they can’t be read. usability is probably not their primary concern.
If you own a watch like this, probably someone else is walking for you. /s
As a watch collector, they’re usually on the cheap side. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but they’re usually on the shitty side as well. Kind of like those weird ass knives at truck stops are basically Chinese pot metal crap, they just want someone to think they’re cool who has no idea what they’re buying.
Maybe some, but can’t you actually get one that’s made well? I’ve seen a few for a couple hundred.
Had one of these at one point. I enjoy the look.
I have one of the cheapest you can buy, a Relic. It’s been working great for me for over 10 years now.
could someone recommend a good cheap starter?
I’m always over stimulated by the choice and want something nice and quality for the money.
Is 200 too cheap?
I’m happy with my Seiko 5. It was like 90$ when I got it 7-8 years ago. It took a bit for it to “wear in” but now it keeps time for months without me having to set it.
Seiko makes excellent mechanical wrist watches. What is your intrigue? I’m assuming you like the idea of mechanical wrist watches and want a timepiece that is accurate and built to last. $200 is just a little below their entry price point I believe but you can always find used watches on eBay/Marketplace and the like. If you learn a little bit more about the industry then you might be able to find a bargain and get it serviced to work like new.
I got extremely lucky when I was fixated on the idea of owning or restoring a mechanical watch when I learned that my grandfather left behind a 1930’s Hamilton. Nothing super high end, but a watch that would probably go for $600 today and was my style. I find it hard to match my style today because it seems everyone is searching for a massive statement piece on their wrist. I just wanted a watch that ticks when its quiet, has character, and can be passed on to my own children.
For a skeleton watch, yes.
For a mechanical watch, also yes.
Unfortunately, prices have gone through the roof in the past few years.
Now I don’t think there are any nice quality watches left in that price range.You can still get a Vostok Amphibia for that kind of money, which is entirely hand-crafted, definitely interesting mechanically, and will last decades. But buying from Russia at the moment (on a Russian website), waiting a month for delivery, and getting the Vostok experience isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Also, I don’t think it’s even possible to get them shipped to the US.
Even a nice Quartz watch like a solar-powered Citizen Eco-Drive will be slightly out of your budget.
If you still do want a mechanical watch, look for Seiko, Citizen and Orient. Those are the best budget offerings.
Chinese Red Star watches also fit the budget, but they’re also not for everyone.I second Citizen Eco-Drive
I have a ton of watches and I wear my Citizen Eco-Drive Primo Stingray 620 pretty much everyday.
Definitely would suggest a solar or motion powered watch. Batteries are a pain.
Some companies have mechanical watches in the 400-500€ range that can go for 200€ used. I have a Junkers that I bought used for 200€ some years ago, and it’s got a glass bottom (other models do, too). But honestly, I wouldn’t make this a criterion, because you rarely see the back, and skeleton watches can sometimes look tacky.
I have an Original Grain watch that I like a lot. Not too expensive.
Festina. Reliable miyota movements.
I’ve got one of these, and it’s the least expensive that won’t get sneers
https://www.orientwatchusa.com/collections/orient-bambino/ra-ag0002s30b
I enjoy these very much, while also adoring my low-key mechanicals for the understated beauty.
I’ve never sesn a post that made me so ready to spend money before
They aren’t too expensive really, and I think it’s a great thing for people to have something like this that doesn’t rely on anything digital at all.
I looked at a few and there’s some nice designs for <£100 (~110$), but then i realised I’m already too attached to reading the time on my digital watch so i’d never really use it.
I watched clean up for cash too
Okay neat but why? Does look practically to tell time. Reminds me the time the Fossil Watch store sold sundail watches.
The image I posted is of the back of one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_watch
Okay now that looks cool.
Why is for aesthetics. I have a pocket watch like this. I think the gear work is beautiful in its own way, and the front of it is like any normal watch face (just with a transparent face so you can see behind it).
My pocketwatch:
That’s a gorgeous one!
I think this does work better for pocket watches. I have a couple of wrist watches like this and I always have to take it off to show how cool the back is, which I feel defeats the purpose. The pocket watch I own that has this look is very easy flip around.
I had a fake Breitling that was like that. It was so beautiful just watching the mechanism tick away.
Skeletons are beautiful but expensive. Some of them even have open heart, which is more open inside.
