Clean, Affordable Skeleton?

[TicTocTach]

Well, after searching "skeleton" and getting 261 threads in this forum alone, I figured 262 wouldn't be a big deal, and besides, probably not many, if any, folks are looking for what I am. However, I figure a few hundred - or thousands - of eyes out there might be able to point me in the right direction.

My collection is small, and since funds are tight, I'm hoping to round out the collection with different looks/feels rather than one of each. I've decided that a skeleton would be a nice addition, and I'm drawn to the mechanical bits anyway. The "problem" is that all the ones I see (MZI, Stuhrling, etc) are too highly decorated for my tastes. I'm more of a CNC-machined-billet, form-follows-function kind of guy, and I'd really like to find a clean, undressed skeleton that shows off all it's mechanical goodness without a lot of frills. It's not that I don't appreciate the intricate tool work, it's just not my primary interest.

So, what have y'all seen out there that might fit this bill? Ideally, it would be in the 40-42mm range, can be round or square, and preferably hand-wind, but could be automatic. Hands that can be seen easily, but don't obscure the goods. Oh, and let's not forget affordable...

Any hints?

Thanks in advance,

Clair

[mjbernier]

Armitron and Folio (Fossil/Relic) both have automatic skeleton models available at Wal-Mart in the $75-$100 range. Not sure if they're too dressy for you or not.

Mike

[Gansan]

There is a Swatch skeleton in this link. Sells for INR 6000 (about USD 133) here in India. Not my cup of tea though:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~gumby1/...different.html

[TicTocTach]

Thanks, guys, that's what I'm looking for. My brother actually got an Armitron skeleton a few months ago, and that's kind of what started me thinking along those lines. I've always been a fan of Swatch as well, but I didn't realize they made a skeleton version. On googling, I found that they also make a totally clear skeleton automatic - about as skeleton as you can get. There's a good review of it on T-Zone, and for what it is, it looks like a pretty nice piece. At 37mm, it's slightly smaller than I was hoping, but a tad larger than my Mondaine Swissrail. Absolutely unadorned movement, too, but not as open internally as a hand-winder might be. Still, for less than $100US, it would be hard to beat, and Swatch carries more credence with my Swiss wife than my Alpha-in-the-mail does/will.

Thanks for the input, that's what extra eyes can do for you!

Any more?

Clair

[nhoJ]

How about Sea Gull. Chinese. www.usseagull.com

I don't have one, but frequently tempted.

[Loddonite]

You could look at Orion; Russian company, Chinese movements.
Ebay seller Zenitar usually has some and is well regarded on the Russian Watches Forum.

[zippofan]

I really like my Invicta skeleton hand-winder:



Sorry for the lousy pic, it really is a nice watch without too much adornment which is why I bought it.

Cheers,
Griff

[dualtime]

I have the same Invicta Skeleton and I love it.

Rich

[henxing]

I have the same Invicta Skeleton and I love it.

Rich

And my brother has one as well! Not the greatest accuracy, but for the ~100$ he paid for it, it's not a bad watch.

[TicTocTach]

Do the Orions use the same movement as the Invictas? I like how the Invicta movement is cleaner, and also a large movement - I just wish that the Invicta didn't have that large ring dial with the numbers on it. Some of the other similar watches I've seen have the numbers printed on the crystal, or have simple dots on a much smaller dial ring.

The Sea Gull m182sk is an amazing looking watch, and I may just pull the trigger on it before the end of the year, but it's still a bit on the ornate side. Just need to investigate all my options to make sure I'm not overlooking something that would be closer to what I really had in mind. In my experience, if I jump the gun on almost any purchase, I typically find what I really wanted about 2 weeks later...

Clair