Collection: Skeleton and Open-Heart Watches

Skeleton and open-heart automatic watches

A skeleton watch lets you see the movement that runs it. On these Bulova automatics the dial is opened up, wholly or in part, so you can watch the wheels turn and the balance swing as the watch runs. Every one is self-winding, and many have a glass caseback as well.

Full skeleton or open heart

There are two styles here. A full skeleton opens up most of the dial so the movement shows across the face. Bulova uses it on the Maquina, Sutton, Prestige, Octava, Futuro and Series X2, with its 21-jewel calibres 8N24 and 8N26 and about 42 hours of reserve. An open heart, which Bulova calls Heartbeat, keeps most of the dial and cuts one opening over the balance, so you see the beat of the watch. That’s the approach on the Mil-Ships 98A324, a 41 mm automatic in CuSn8 bronze based on a 1957 prototype Bulova developed for the U.S. Navy, with a 60-hour reserve and 200 m of water resistance.

The lines

• Maquina: the largest group, in two shapes. The 40 mm tonneau versions come on rubber straps or steel; the 46 mm round ones, such as the Maquina 98A224, are only 8.45 mm thick, with an exhibition caseback and 100 m of water resistance.
• Sutton: round cases of 40 and 43 mm. The 43 mm models pair the skeleton dial with an exhibition caseback, so the movement shows from both sides. The whole line is on the Bulova Sutton page.
• Prestige: 42 mm, rated 100 m, in two-tone steel on a bracelet or gold tone on leather.
• Octava and Futuro: the Octava at 41.7 mm in gold or grey tone, and the Futuro at 42 mm and 9.8 mm thick in black.
• Series X2: a 41 mm square case on leather, with a blue or green dial.

Living with an automatic

An automatic winds itself as you wear it. Take it off and most of these run for about 42 hours, then stop; wind it, set the time and it’s going again. Keep it away from strong magnets in phones, speakers, laptop lids and bag clasps, which can make a mechanical watch run fast. Water resistance varies a lot: the Octava, Futuro and several Sutton models are rated 30 m, for splashes only; the 40 mm Maquina is 50 m; the 46 mm Maquina and the Prestige are 100 m; the Mil-Ships is 200 m. Our guide to automatic, quartz or Eco-Drive explains how a self-winding movement compares. We sell Bulova as an authorized dealer, so each watch carries the full manufacturer warranty. For other self-winding watches, see our men’s automatic watches.

Questions

Can I see the movement from the back too? On many of them, yes. The 46 mm Maquina, the 43 mm Sutton and the Futuro have exhibition casebacks.

Will it stop overnight? Not if you wore it that day. With about 42 hours of reserve it runs through the night; leave it off for two days and it will need winding.