Best Skeleton Watches from Zenith

By Chanel Lim

Whether you are a watch cognoscente or a new collector, you can’t deny the appeal of a skeleton watch. Through an open and transparent case, the craftsmanship and ingenuity of the watch’s inner mechanisms are shown clearly to its wearers.

One brand that has mastered the art of creating skeleton watches is the Swiss luxury watch brand Zenith. Zenith has such a great reputation for its chronographs and mechanisms that, clearly, it would be a pity not to show it to the world. Luckily, they have their iconic skeleton watches that display the true prowess of their timekeeping crafts.

For those who love studying the intricacies of a watch’s inner workings or those who love the idea of a “bare” and fearless timepiece, Zenith has a skeleton watch that will suit your style or fancy.

Zenith Defy Black Carbon Automatic

Other than the splashes of red and blue in its visible moving parts, the Zenith Defy Black Carbon Automatic Skeleton watch is practically full black, from its chronographs to the strap. With a marbled silver-tone black bezel and a crocodile leather-coated strap, this robust timepiece exudes strength, power, and fluency all in one.

This skeleton watch is definitely not your typical mechanical timepiece. It features rhodium-plated hands and indexes as well as three unique sub-dials, displaying the 60 second, 30 minute, and small-second functions. Running on Zenith’s exceptional El Primero Calibre 9004, its automatic movement and 50-hour power reserve are the kind of quality most buyers covet for. If this does not sound impressive enough to you, this skeleton watch also boasts a water resistance of 100 metres, making it both an aesthetically appealing and practical timepiece to own.

Zenith El Primero Chronomaster

Many people are starting to appreciate the complexity of watch designs, including those that go out of their way to portray more intricate dials and epic combinations of mechanisms. The Zenith El Primero Chronomaster works on this exact same concept to deliver a profound composition of parts and mechanisms.

Technically speaking, one could never go wrong with a tri-colour combination of dark grey, light grey, and navy blue for its counters. Made of stainless steel for both the case and strap, this skeleton watch draws more attention to its chronograph. The chronograph has a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock, and a small second counter at 9 o’clock. A date window also peeks at 6 o’clock.

Seen through its open dial, this powerful timepiece also displays Zenith’s El Primero 400B automatic movement, calling upon a constantly working mechanism on your wrist. In this 42mm-diameter casing alone, 326 components in total work together to give this watch its 100% performance. Zenith’s breakthrough designs charm even those who prefer simpler timepieces.

Zenith Defy El Primero 21

The mechanical dexterity of the Zenith Defy El Primero 21 is probably one of the best out of all Zenith’s collections of skeleton watches. It skips all the distractions of fanciful designs and goes straight to the point — delivering a quality watch that satisfies.

With that being said, its style may not look fancy at first glance. But look closely and you’ll find out that the design is actually carefully planned and created. Its black hour markers are ruthenium-plated, faceted, and coated with SuperLuminova black SLN. This allows full visibility and visual aesthetics display in the dark. Its grey bezel and two-toned chronographs look clean and modernised, perfect for those with a refined taste for classic designs.

So, why exactly is it one of the more technically advanced timepieces from Zenith? The answer lies in its exclusive 1/100th of a second Chronograph movement. This movement has a dynamic signature of one rotation per second for the Chrono hand and one escapement for the watch is 360000VpH – 50Hz. Wearing such a powerful design on your wrist is definitely a confident booster and a constant reminder of the finer things to enjoy in life.

Zenith Defy Classic

In terms of material and design, this skeleton watch would be the go-to timepiece for those who like a cleaner and more streamlined style. With a white ceramic case, the Zenith Defy Classic Skeleton in 41mm case is powered by the new in-house, skeletonised Elite 670 SK automatic calibre movement with silicon escape-wheel. This ensures accurate timekeeping and precise clockwork at all times.

It also has a surprise element of 27 jewels, not bad at all for such a technically-inclined watch. It also lasts for a minimum of 50 hours and has a frequency of 28,800VpH. Partial to dark clothing and monochrome-themed fashion? This skeleton watch will surely provide a perfect contrast to your looks, especially with its sleek satin finishings and luminescent hour markers.

Zenith Defy Inventor

The Zenith Defy Inventor is a 10-piece limited-edition model that is a reinvention of the Huyguens sprung balance principle. With such prestige associated with it, it sure couldn’t let down its interested buyers. For one thing, it is the complete makeover of the previous model, Defy Lab, with improved mechanism, movement, and details. Its blue proper titanium case is a new feature that brings out its futuristic element from within.

Moreover, this timepiece runs at an even higher rate of 15Hz than the Defy Lab. Despite being an ultra-thin timepiece, it showcases 148 components and 18 jewels. Let’s not forget the movement itself, the calibre 9100, which already measures 32.80 mm x 8.13 mm. Curious to see how a watch manages to store so many components in an almost flat case? This exquisite timepiece will definitely show you how through its see-through dial.

This skeleton watch also boasts multiple functions, including the hours, minutes, and central seconds. The watchmakers have also made it a point to replace the original sprung balance used in mechanical watchmaking in the past. Furthermore, it is a highly resistant piece that is insensitive to temperature variations, because of its monocrystalline silicon material. For those seeking a high-demand and unrelenting piece, this one’s available for your consideration.

Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Full Open

At first glance, you can already tell this is an exquisite piece. With an 18K rose gold case and a brown leather strap, the Zenith El Primero Chronomaster Full Open is a classic luxury piece with a tinge of nostalgia in its vintage design choices.

Other than having luminescent hands and markers, this skeleton watch also features three sub-dials, displaying 12 hour, 30 minute, and 60-second functions. True to its collection’s promise, it offers a technological experience not only to its wearers but even its on-lookers. The watch features a tachymeter scale, adding an instant incentive to those who love a wide array of features. With a 400B automatic movement that caters to a 50-hour power reserve, this skeleton watch is a powerful timepiece.

Make this yours if you have an appreciation for a slightly more traditional piece wrapped in a modern design.

Insider’s Info

Of course, owning a skeleton watch is in itself a decision that may not come easy for most. It requires one to step out of the conventional comfort zone, even for the more daring watch lovers. However, given the growing trend for versatility, a skeleton watch allows you to express the bolder side of yourself.

If you love skeleton watches, you may also check out this selection from Hublot.