Uhrinstinkt Magazine
Elegant, decorative or sporty: exclusive timepieces always have a presentable look. However, the real highlight usually remains hidden: the masterfully crafted automatic movement. Open-heart watches give the art of watchmaking a stage on the dial and provide insights into the inner workings – with subtle to open-hearted watch designs.
A self-confident bow to watchmaking tradition: Tissot T-Classic Le Locle Powermatic 80 Open Heart
The collection, whose name refers to the brand’s Swiss hometown, pays homage to the traditional craft of watchmaking. The automatic watch with a 39.3 mm case lives up to this idea. The horseshoe nail pattern on the dial, also known as Clous de Paris guilloché, is as classic as the bicolor look. The same applies to the open balance wheel at the 12 o’clock position – the most original form of open balance wheel design. It is hard to imagine an occasion for which the men’s watch with its shiny stainless steel finish and rose gold tone accents would not be suitable.
Anyone who still wants to take it off at the weekend will be pleased to know that the caliber of the open heart watches has earned its presentation. With its 80-hour power reserve and anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring, it is one of the more recent masterpieces of watchmaking. The icing on the cake: The manufacturer brings state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques into play to ensure that the timelessly elegant Tissot T-Classic Le Locle Powermatic 80 Open Heart with elaborately engraved glass back fits the budget of many watch enthusiasts.
Purist at heart – Rado True Secret
Absolutely minimalist and innovative on the outside, highly complex and tradition-conscious on the inside: the Open Heart watch sums up in its purest form what the brand is valued for. It revolutionized the watch scene in 1986 with its adept use of high-tech ceramic for the case and straps. The ultra-light, comfortable and hypoallergenic material is shown to its best advantage in the Rado True Secret because the dial matches its dark color and is presented without indices.
The consistent purism underlines another special feature of the 40 mm unisex watches: the open balance wheel. Circular at the 12 o’clock position, it makes it clear that innovative material design does not contradict a mechanical movement. On the contrary: just like the design of watches with an open balance wheel, the automatic caliber with 80 hours of autonomy, which can be admired through the glass case back, has evolved. On the wrist of women or men – the ceramic watches are an unconventional style statement that makes hearts beat faster.
Open balance wheel in modern style – Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart Auto
The open-heart design with circular recess has established itself, but is not set in stone. The luxury brand with a US history proves this: the smoky blue dial with dynamic color gradient magically attracts the eye so that no one misses the attractive movement presentation. Through the distinctively shaped cut-outs, you can see not only the open balance but also some parts of the movement without removing the time indicator and looking through the glass back.
The insights are more effective than with classic open-heart watches, while the reading is easier than with “genuine” skeleton watches. They would allow the automatic movement to shine through over the entire dial surface. This is an H-10 caliber with an 80-hour reserve, which is based on the ETA C07.111 and is known as the “Powermatic 80”. Hats off: The Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart Auto brings a breath of fresh air to watch design without detracting from the subtle grace of an automatic watch.
Brilliant performance in skeletonizing and polishing – Rado True Automatic Open Heart
Boundaries are fluid – even when it comes to watch genres. The unisex watch first catches the eye with its open balance wheel, as befits a concept with an open balance. Shortly afterwards, the gold-colored wheel around the center of the hand and the two circular recesses beneath it are revealed. Only at second glance does it become apparent that the matt black dial is not geometrically patterned, but is interspersed with loosely distributed “movement views”.
This aha effect is due to the unagitated color design as well as the clear indices. They tempt you to turn your attention to the essentials first and read the time. This reveals just how exciting the design of the Rado True Automatic Open Heart is, whose overall impression is pleasingly unagitated. It has another surprise in store: the shiny chrome strap suggests stainless steel, but like the watch case, it is made of plasma high-tech ceramic.
He who dares wins hearts: Open Heart watches from Zenith
Ever since Georges Favre-Jacot rethought watchmaking in 1865, Zenith has been one of the most lauded manufacturers. However, its reputation never led it to sit back and relax. Instead, the traditional brand developed into the epitome of innovation – both technically and aesthetically. This also applies to the art of open-heart and skeleton watches. The Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Open brilliantly demonstrates that a chronograph can also provide insights that go beyond an open balance. The Zenith Defy 21 collection is just as boldly designed, especially the limited edition Chroma II. The open-heart watch with a 44 mm ceramic case showcases the automatic movement in rainbow colors, which cheekily winks at the observer between the hands and indices.
The inner workings of the chronograph with transparent case back match the bold design: The El Primero caliber with 293 components completes 36,000 vibrations per hour and has a power reserve of more than two days. With independent regulating organs for the chronograph function and timekeeping, it impresses with a precision of 1/100th of a second. It would be a shame if milestones like the Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Open or the Defy 21 didn’t embrace the open heart concept, wouldn’t it?
Open Heart bonus tip for fans of the extravagant
When the Ventura from Hamilton made its debut in 1957, it was doubly eccentric. It was the first wristwatch to be battery-operated and to feature futuristic asymmetry. Wait a minute, isn’t there a balance wheel flashing out of the watch with an open balance? That’s right! The design icon has dared to return to the tried and tested field of mechanical automatic watches, making it look even more unusual. Anyone who completes their outfit with it is positioning themselves as a connoisseur of watch designs that really rock: The Ventura became famous on the wrist of Elvis Presley in the musical comedy Blue Hawaii.
