Worn & Wound
Remember You Must Die: 12 Skull Watches to Keep Your Mortality in Check
While the idea of a skull watch might sound like a kitschy Halloween-themed novelty, they actually run deep in horological history, dating back to pocket watches of the 17th century in the memento mori tradition of reminding you of your own mortality. However, these were not the skull dial timepieces we think of today but instead “form” watches that, like the name states, take a shape beyond a traditional round timekeeper. In the case of the skull form, they typically shared a similar blueprint with the jaw unhinged, exposing the dial on the underside or roof of the mouth. Today, we see many watchmakers continuing in this tradition, shifting away from form watches and extending the imagery to dial designs, some of which are achieved by simple painting while others more closely echo the form watches with sculptural elements – here are a dozen of them. Bell & Ross Laughing Skull Bell & Ross steps out of its aviation roots with a series of skull watches adopting the skull and crossbones motif also known as the Jolly Roger. Here, the brand takes its signature square watch case to lay the foundation for the design, which extends across the dial and bezel. The piece comes to life thanks to a mechanical jaw automaton that moves up and down to mimic laughter when you wind the watch. Bomberg Edge Skulls Mosaic For Bomberg, the skull motif is not just a one off for a special edition collection – its core imagery featured prominently across several of the brand’s major line...
