There are a handful of watch complications or styles that continue to mesmerise onlookers. The tourbillon is one, however, the focus here is on skeletonised watches. Whether you are a seasoned collector or a novice embarking on a watch-buying journey, skeleton watches present intricacies and a visual language that can always be relied on to start conversations.

Hublot and Zenith recognise this appeal and have a consistent pipeline of skeletonised watches within their portfolios. Zenith, in particular, adopts a peculiar product strategy of releasing a skeletonised version after launching the core novelties, as seen in a few previous DEFY collections. This year at LVMH Watch Week, Hublot presents a revival no one expected, while Zenith, as mentioned, releases an open-worked iteration of a past winner.

It has been a decade since Hublot launched the Big Bang MECA-10 in 2016, and the Nyon-based manufacture is revisiting that archival record for 2025. A lot has changed within Hublot in the past 10 years, from CEOs to product strategies, yet the latest Big Bang MECA-10 does not seem out of place when lined up among its contemporaries. It retains the Big Bang signature look, though its manual winding calibre is perhaps the only outlier among its automatic peers.

That has not stopped Hublot from reengineering the Big Bang MECA-10 as it blends traditional and modern elements as decreed by Hublot’s “Art of Fusion” ethos. Three linear bridges form the foundation of the HUB1205 calibre, where 264 components are meticulously assembled to provide an unobstructed view of the watch’s inner works.

Among them are the 10-day power reserve indicator fashioned from the “crémaillère” rack system and the paramagnetic silicon escape wheel in the regulating organ, positioned on the dial side of the movement. The former stands out for several reasons, one being its massive power reserve and the other being its engineering ingenuity ensuring perfect synchronisation between the power reserve display and the optimal winding level of the barrel springs. Another challenging feat was fitting the MECA-10 concept into a smaller 42mm case, down from 2016’s 45mm in either King Gold, titanium or Frosted Carbon.

When Zenith debuted the DEFY Skyline in 2022, it checked many boxes with its integrated bracelet sports watch demeanour, stylised four pointed starry dial and the uncommon foudroyante seconds indicator. Given Zenith’s affinity with the complication, a chronograph version naturally came after.

This year, the Le Locle manufacture invites you to peer into the cavernous El Primero movement with the DEFY Skyline Chronograph Skeleton. The release follows in the footsteps of the DEFY Skyline Skeleton, where the four-pointed starry dial is reimagined into the oversized, Zenith 1960s “double Z” logo that spans the dial. Hollowed-out plates, bridges, and other components allow a glimpse of the high frequency El Primero calibre 3600 performing like a well-oiled machine.

Thanks to the higher operating frequency, the watch is more precise, though the true party trick lies in the chronograph. Its central chronograph seconds hand whizzes ahead when activated, completing a full rotation every 10 seconds instead of the standard 60 seconds and recording 1/10th of a second. The DEFY Skyline stainless steel case measures 42mm and is complemented by an interchangeable strap system for the three-link integrated bracelet or rubber strap. Two references of the DEFY Skyline Chronograph Skeleton are launched in a black- or blue-toned skeletonised dial for either a sleek or elegant sporty vibe.

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