Art of Skeletonizing Watches

Skeleton watches, the epitome of horological craftsmanship, seamlessly blend the artistry of design with the precision of hand work. These timepieces offer a captivating glimpse into the intricate mechanics that power our daily lives while standing as pieces of wearable art.

Skeleton watches, true to their name, expose the inner workings of a timepiece by removing excess material from the dial, bridges, gears, and escapements. This meticulous hollowing and carving transform the movement into a captivating visual spectacle, reminiscent of the delicate framework of the human body. The exposed mechanisms, meticulously finished and intricately designed, create a mesmerizing dance of light and shadow that draws the eye.

The origins of skeleton watches can be traced back to the 18th century when watchmakers sought to reveal the internal mechanisms for both aesthetic appreciation and weight reduction. Early examples involved the manual engraving and cutting away of excess metal from movement components. Over time, the art of skeletonization evolved, resulting in ever more intricate and visually stunning designs.

Creating a skeleton watch requires exceptional artistry and skill. Master artisans meticulously chisel, engrave, and decorate each component, often by hand. The interplay of light and shadow against the finely finished surfaces creates a captivating visual experience. While traditional techniques like hand engraving remain integral to the art of skeletonization, modern methods such as laser cutting, and CNC machining have allowed for greater precision and efficiency.

There is an easy way to distinguish between hand versus machine skeletonization. A machine-skeletonized movement displays smooth, rounded edges due to the use of a milling cutter with a round shape. Conversely, sharp and straight edges indicate the involvement of a skilled watchmaker or specialist who manually refined the corners after the initial machine cutout. Expensive watches that are made by haute horology brands and cost north of €30,000, utilize machine skeletonizing for maintaining uniformity in all the produced series.

I had a chance to visit with two well-known German independent watchmakers who specialize in the art of skeletonizing and engraving. Both are gifted craftsmen, and both excel in applying traditional tools for hand skeletonizing.

Jochen Benzinger has established a reputable identity in the realm of horology through his exceptional work in engraving and skeletonized timepieces. His creations are a testament to the almost forgotten practices of yesteryears. Operating from the quaint Black Forest town of Pforzheim, Germany, Benzinger employs tools that are nearly a hundred years old. This adds an unmistakable sense of historical authenticity to his work. He is known for his bespoke, one-of-a-kind pieces that are individually crafted for each client.

Benzinger states, “All our watches are one-of-a-kind watches. It is the traditional way of handcraft that makes them unique – no design can be copied exactly even when we make more than one watch of the same type.” That in essence is hand skeletonizing – no two watches are the same.

Benzinger specializes in watches that are ¾ skeletonized, where parts of the dial are cut out to allow a view to the movement below. His fully skeletonized watches have no dial at all, and the entire main plate is cut out to expose the movement.

The process of skeletonizing involves sketching design on the dial or on a part of the movement. By using a miniature watchmaker’s saw, the sketched pattern is then cut out meticulously. Benzinger elaborates that what distinguishes his work from others is, “Our intention is to give a new design, a new face, to the parts of the watch, whereas others only cut out the “interior” of these parts like bars or spring barrel but keeping the outer shape as it is.” Transforming small parts with skeletonizing and then engraving is tedious work and requires several man hours at the bench. You can truly appreciate the traditional hand crafting technique to skeletonize using watchmaker’s saw and engrave using engine turning machine.

The second master watchmaker I visited was Stefan Kudoke, who has distinguished himself as an accomplished watchmaker by becoming the first independent watchmaker from Germany to be awarded the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in 2019. Through his unwavering passion and diligent efforts, he has earned a commendable reputation, particularly for his exceptional work in skeletonization. Beginning his career with Glashütte Original, Stefan further refined his mechanical expertise by servicing esteemed brands such as Breguet, Blancpain, and Omega at a service center in New York. Stefan and his wife, Ev Kudoke, reside in the tranquil town of Weifa, situated near the Czech border and approximately two hour's drive from Prague.

Kudoke showcased his hand-skeletonizing process by first drilling holes in the sketched pattern on the movement plate. After sawing out the movement plate and bridges traces of the sawing blade are noticeable. To remove these traces, the whole movement is filed. Filing also aids in straightening the shape of the bridges and movement plate. Next, he uses various types of files for beveling, a technique that effectively eliminates any remaining edges or ridges that may have been generated during the machining process, thereby ensuring the optimal technical performance of a mechanical watch. Finally, he hand-engraves the skeletonized plate and then applies polishing as the last step.

When I asked Stefan how long the whole process takes on average, he explains, “For our KudOktopus watch, my watchmakers take 4-5 days without engraving. Engraving takes additional 3-4 days, and polishing (electroplating) takes another day.” That’s an average of almost two weeks of effort on a single watch just for skeletonizing and engraving. For a hand skeletonized and engraved watch that is just shy of €8,850, it appears to offer more authentic craftmanship than a machine skeletonized watch two or three times its value.

In the world of horology, skeleton watches represent the pinnacle of both artistic expression and technical expertise. The movements glimpsed behind the artwork add to the complexity and beauty of the finished pieces. Watchmakers must carefully balance the revelation of the movement's complexity with the maintenance of its functionality.