10 Great Affordable Skeleton Watches Under $500

There are plenty of great watches available under $500, including from some amazing microbrands and legacy brands. However, if you are looking for something with a skeletonized dial, displaying the watch’s beating heart, the movement, it gets a little tougher. The higher in price you go, the more openworked options there are. But there are some interesting skeleton watches available in the under $500 price-range. In this guide I take a look at 10 of my favorites.

CIGA Design Series Z Edge

CIGA Design is probably best known for their GPHG Award winning Blue Planet. But the brand also has a stable of well-priced, affordable watches, many with skeletonized dials. I am a fan of the Series Z Edge in particular. Giving off a Richard Mille vibe with its tonneau case and openworked dial (indeed, we included it in our affordable alternatives to luxury watch guide), you are getting a lot of bang for your buck with this watch. Available in steel, titanium, DLC, gold-plated and DLC/gold-plated two tone, this affordable piece starts at just $279 USD.

Bulova Sutton

If you are looking for a solid watch brand that offers an affordable skeleton dial, look no further than Bulova. And the Sutton has a classic openworked design with some small flourishes, like the dial’s purely aesthetic small circles (they are not subdials), and the perlage pattern on the outer dial near the indexes. And, when you flip the Sutton over you are also greeted with a display caseback. Overall, Bulova is a really solid brand, and the Sutton is a solid and attractive skeleton dial watch. It is currently on sale for $476 USD.

Swatch Sistem Through Again

The Swatch X Omega Speedmaster MoonSwatch might be the most popular Swatch collection on the market, but the MoonSwatch only makes up a small part of the Swatch catalog. And I would say that it is the Sistem51 watches that are the most innovative from the brand. The Sistem51 is Swatch’s automatic movement, featuring just 51 pieces anchored to a single central screw. On top of that, the Sistem51 movement’s production is completely automated, another impressive feat. The one downsized is the movement is completely sealed and unable to be serviced. So when it malfunctions, the whole watch needs to be trashed. But at least its inexpensive. And of the Sistem51 watches, one of my favorites is the Sistem Through Again. On the dial-side you can see the gears of the Sistem51 movement set against a black baseplate (so the watch is actually pretty legible). And at just $250 USD, it’s a pretty good deal.

Swatch Clearly Striped Black

A quartz movement with a skeletonized dial?! That’s a combination you don’t see very often. But Swatch pulls it off nicely with the Clearly Striped Black. Normally, you don’t see a skeletonized quartz watch. Not because it can’t be done, but because quartz movements are not very attractive. Well, the Clearly Striped Black’s movement does have a more utilitarian look, but it still works. With the transparent plastic case, silicon strap and red, blue and yellow hands, this watch isn’t serious. But it’s still plenty of fun. It retails for just $95 USD.

Seiko 5 SKX Series SRPJ45K1

I went back and forth for a while about whether the Seiko 5 SKX Series SRPJ45 was a skeleton dial watch and, thus, whether I should include it in this guide. It is not a skeleton dial in the conventional sense. You can’t actually see the gears of the movement. Instead, the translucent turquoise dial displays the entirety of the day-date disk (beyond the aperture). Additionally, the watch features a dive bezel, 100 meters of water resistance and an automatic movement with 41 hours of power reserve. It’s a lot of watch for $335 USD.

Orient Classic RA-AR0009L10B

Like the Seiko 5 I just featured, the Orient Classic Ref. RA-AR0009L10B isn’t your typical skeleton dial watch. Instead of entire opened dial, displaying the watch’s movement, the Classic has an open “heart”, with only the balance wheel on display. But that doesn’t bother me. The rest of the dial on the Orient Classic is very nice. And while it is offered in multiple different colorways, the blue dial is my favorite. It almost has a Tiffany Blue look. The Orient Classic is priced at $405 USD.

Stührling Special Reserve 3921

An openworked dial with a dual time and moonphase complication, all for just under $500? Well, that’s what you get with the Stürhling Special Reserve 3921. The Special Reserve has a very classic and traditional look. But the second time zone is definitely useful, especially those frequent travelers. At 44mm, it’s a little on the larger size. But there are quite a few complications that need to be accounted for. Pick up the Stuhrling Special Reserve 3921 for $485 USD.

Fossil Everett

Do you like the look of an openworked Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, but not the price (upwards of $100,000)? The Fossil Everett is a very affordable alternative. The case and tapered bracelet give off Royal Oak vibes without the watch looking like an exact copy (something brands are prone to do nowawadays). At 42mm in diameter, the watch is nicely sized. And with a smoked stainless steel bracelet, the color is unique, almost looking like titanium. If the Fossil Everett is your vibe, you can find it for $270 USD.

Seagull Honor of Kings Master V

If you are looking for something with a little bit more of a modern aesthetic, the Seagull Honor of Kings Master V is a great option. It actually reminds me a lot of the much more expensive Roger Dubuis Excalibur and I have to admit, it probably got its inspiration from the watch (just look at the name). Inspiration aside, it’s just a nice looking watch. The watch has a black case with rose gold detailing. And the black and gold colorway continues on the skeletonized dial, making the watch very cohesive. The watch also comes on a integrated rubber strap, which makes the watch sporty but also look more expensive than it’s $389 USD price.

Islander Baiting Hollow Steel Skeleton

Islander Watches is best known for selling affordable watches (from many different brands) and their popular YouTube channel. But the brand also has its own house brand that offers quality timepieces at accessible prices. One of the pieces I like is the Islander Baiting Hollow Steel Skeleton. This dive watch has a very monochromatic look. The bracelet, case, diving bezel and even movement also share the same steel color. However, the skeletonized hands and the hour markers are white, making the watch very legible against the steel mechanical components of the openworked dial. And for just a little bit of flash, the watch comes on a jubilee-style bracelet, something you don’t often see on a diver. Overall, its a solid skeletonized diver priced at $329 USD.

If you would like to see more, check out our 46 favorite skeleton dial watches or our 50 favorite automatic watches under $500 USD.