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For horological researchers fascinated by mechanical transparency, the Half‑Skelly exemplifies our dialogue between precision engineering and artisanal expression. The watch begins with a Swiss Unitas 6498 movement that is expertly skeletonized and hand‑guilloché‑engraved by master craftsman Jochen Benzinger in Pforzheim, exposing the gear train and plate work as an intricate relief. Final assembly, casing, and regulation occur in our Maryland workshop, where we adapt this open‑worked calibre into a robust wristwatch that reflects American resilience and understated elegance. The partially open dial and bridges invite contemplation of the movement’s rhythm while preserving enough of the baseplate for structural integrity. Each piece is produced in very limited numbers, making the Half‑Skelly a mechanical sculpture that bridges old‑world craftsmanship with Towson Watch Company’s regional heritage.
For horological researchers fascinated by mechanical transparency, the Half‑Skelly exemplifies our dialogue between precision engineering and artisanal expression. The watch begins with a Swiss Unitas 6498 movement that is expertly skeletonized and hand‑guilloché‑engraved by master craftsman Jochen Benzinger in Pforzheim, exposing the gear train and plate work as an intricate relief. Final assembly, casing, and regulation occur in our Maryland workshop, where we adapt this open‑worked calibre into a robust wristwatch that reflects American resilience and understated elegance. The partially open dial and bridges invite contemplation of the movement’s rhythm while preserving enough of the baseplate for structural integrity. Each piece is produced in very limited numbers, making the Half‑Skelly a mechanical sculpture that bridges old‑world craftsmanship with Towson Watch Company’s regional heritage.
Black Gold & Guilloché
The HALF-SKELLY’s base plate is electroplated in ruthenium—creating a dark, mirror-like finish that deepens the guilloché. Each cut from Benzinger’s rose engine catches light beneath the blackened surface, revealing craft through contrast.
Ruthenium is a rare, platinum-group metal used in high-end watchmaking and jewelry, especially for electroplating. When applied to gold via electroplating, it creates a dark, metallic finish—what’s often called black gold. This finish isn’t painted or oxidized; it’s a bonded surface layer achieved by submerging the gold part in a ruthenium solution and running an electric current through it.
Black Gold & Guilloché
The HALF-SKELLY’s base plate is electroplated in ruthenium—creating a dark, mirror-like finish that deepens the guilloché. Each cut from Benzinger’s rose engine catches light beneath the blackened surface, revealing craft through contrast.
Ruthenium is a rare, platinum-group metal used in high-end watchmaking and jewelry, especially for electroplating. When applied to gold via electroplating, it creates a dark, metallic finish—what’s often called black gold. This finish isn’t painted or oxidized; it’s a bonded surface layer achieved by submerging the gold part in a ruthenium solution and running an electric current through it.
In 2014, while restoring Abraham Lincoln’s gold pocket watch for the Smithsonian, Towson Watch Company co-founder George Thomas uncovered something no one expected: a secret message. Etched into the inside of the case-back by watchmaker Jonathan Dillon in 1861, the inscription had gone unnoticed for over a century—hidden in plain sight, waiting for the right hands to find it.
That philosophy—that watches are living pieces of craft, hiding meaning in their construction—defines the HALF-SKELLY.
Unlike Lincoln’s hidden inscription, the HALF-SKELLY’s mark is intentional. At four o’clock, Towson Watch Company’s initials are woven into the black guilloché dial itself—subtle, skeletonized, and placed on the reverse side of the 6498 movement. Crafted in collaboration with Jochen Benzinger, one of Germany’s finest masters of guilloché and skeletonization, this detail isn’t decoration—it’s a signature. A whisper from the watchmaker to the collector. Not for the crowd. For those who know where to look.
Edition: Limited Production since 2020
Explore the Collection: Towson Watch Company × Jochen Benzinger "Skeleton Series"
In 2014, while restoring Abraham Lincoln’s gold pocket watch for the Smithsonian, Towson Watch Company co-founder George Thomas uncovered something no one expected: a secret message. Etched into the inside of the case-back by watchmaker Jonathan Dillon in 1861, the inscription had gone unnoticed for over a century—hidden in plain sight, waiting for the right hands to find it.
That philosophy—that watches are living pieces of craft, hiding meaning in their construction—defines the HALF-SKELLY.
Unlike Lincoln’s hidden inscription, the HALF-SKELLY’s mark is intentional. At four o’clock, Towson Watch Company’s initials are woven into the black guilloché dial itself—subtle, skeletonized, and placed on the reverse side of the 6498 movement. Crafted in collaboration with Jochen Benzinger, one of Germany’s finest masters of guilloché and skeletonization, this detail isn’t decoration—it’s a signature. A whisper from the watchmaker to the collector. Not for the crowd. For those who know where to look.
Edition: Limited Production since 2020
Explore the Collection: Towson Watch Company × Jochen Benzinger "Skeleton Series"
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