How about skeleton watches? Are they good?

　　Skeletonisation is a decorative technique on the movement mainplate of a mechanical watch. In fact, it is not unique to watches; it is also found in some antique clocks or pocket watches, making the skeleton movement a traditional type of horology. It has three characteristics: first, there is no dial or only a partial dial, allowing a direct view of the movement; second, the surface of the movement mainplate is plated with precious metals, and the plates are deliberately made into a frame-like structure to provide maximum space to expose the gears and other components of the timepiece; third, the surface of the movement mainplate is decorated, polished, or engraved with exquisite patterns and motifs.

　　Among mechanical clocks, there are also skeleton clocks, sometimes referred to as "skull clocks" or "skeleton clocks", because these timepieces are usually covered with a large glass dome, allowing a full view of the clock movement, and the movement mainplates are also gold-plated and frame-like.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Series 26347TI.GG.D004CA.01 Rose Gold Skeleton Quartz Watch, the new quartz skeleton watch

　　As a timepiece or watch, the precise structure and exquisite mechanical processing are an art and possess an aesthetic beauty, so they must be exposed for people to appreciate; furthermore, a timepiece is also an unimaginably tiny, wonderful mechanical device, with the gear train in constant motion and all parts cooperating meticulously, as if it has a soul and life of its own. The movement frame and plates of a skeleton watch are unobstructed, and even the mainspring barrel has no cover, so every single moment of the mechanical watch's movement and every working state can be clearly observed. Even if a layman is just watching for fun, it is very interesting, which is the advantage of a skeleton watch.

　　Skeleton watchare relatively expensive, especially those with decorative engraving on the plates, many of which are completed by hand by master watchmakers. In antique pocket watches, there is a style known as "Da Ba Jian" (Chinese duplex pocket watch), where the movement plates are engraved with cloud-like patterns, commonly known as "cloud plates". Although it is not strictly skeletonised, its price in the collector's market is very high.

　　Among Swiss luxury watches, many are skeleton watches, which are considered a style of high-end watchmaking. Most of them have very simple functions, being manual-winding without complex complications. In addition to simple functions, skeleton watches are also frequently made into ultra-thin models, with the entire movement thickness generally not exceeding 2 mm. However, from the perspective of watch performance, larger and thicker movements usually make it easier to guarantee timekeeping accuracy; therefore, skeleton watches do not win on accuracy or timekeeping performance. It is not that there are no Swiss skeleton watches with complex functions, even those with chronograph functions exist, but the price is much more expensive, and they will also feature an exhibition caseback to facilitate viewing and appreciation from both sides.

　　Whether using a Swiss ETA movement or a Japanese mechanical watch movement, automatic movements are chosen. For a skeletonised watch movement, it is very difficult to control the oscillating weight, which is very heavy and rotates constantly during wear, exerting forces in all directions. This also includes the automatic mainspring, which exerts great pressure on the plates when fully wound, especially since it also generates slipping torque.

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