One of the more neglected watch styles right now is the dress watch. While current trends lean into sportier designs, there is still a place for a more formal timepiece in your collection.
If you're looking for something dressy, but still with a little bit of intrigue, the Hamilton Jazzmaster Skeleton should be on your list. The Jazzmaster series is popular, offering everything from chronographs to simple, three-hand timepieces.
The Skeleton – as the name may suggest – features a cut out dial, which showcases the H-10-S movement inside. That's a skeletonised version of the H-10, which itself derives from the Powermatic 80 movement found in watches like the Certina DS Action. I used the Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman recently and was impressed with the accuracy of the H-10 movement.
It will also give you 80 hours of power reserve, though lets be honest, that's not why you're buying a watch like this. The real selling point here is that skeletonised dial, which enables you to see right through the movement. This style of watch is incredibly popular right now, with high-end models selling for eye-watering sums.
New finish options are available for both the 36mm and 40mm options. On the smaller variant, you'll find a gorgeous plum dial. That pairs with either a five-link steel bracelet, or a two-tone plum and rose leather strap. It's beautifully matched to the dial.
If you opt for the larger size, there are a couple of variants on offer. A deep blue dial is paired with either a five-link steel bracelet or a chocolate brown leather strap. Or, take on the white dial, which is paired with an emerald green leather strap. That's my favourite combo of the bunch, offering a formal solution that still shows its fun side.
One other plus point for the Hamilton is the price. As mentioned, skeletonised watches tend to carry a hefty premium, owing to the added work that goes into producing them.
That's not the case here though. If you're looking at the 36mm option, you'll spend £1,070 / $1,245 on a leather strap, or £1,140 / $1,295 on the steel bracelet. If you opt for the 40mm version, you'll be looking at £1,180 / $1,295 on leather, or £1,245 / $1,345 on the steel bracelet.
That's remarkably good value. A watch with these specs and no skeletisation would be decent value at this price point, but getting the fancier dial work makes it a really great offering.
