Patek Philippe Skeleton and Openworked References: 5180, 5303 and 5304 Guide

Patek Philippe makes very few skeleton watches, and the ones it does make fall into two groups. The first is the 5180, a 39 mm Calatrava-style skeleton in white or rose gold whose ultra-thin micro-rotor calibre 240 SQU is cut away and hand-engraved until only the working metal remains. The second is the openworked Grand Complications: the 5303 minute repeater tourbillon, which puts the tourbillon and the repeater's hammers on the dial side, and the 5304 minute repeater perpetual calendar with a sapphire dial. This guide covers each reference, what "squelette" means at Patek, how the 5180 compares with the openworked Royal Oak, how the watches wear, dealer prices in 2026 and what to check before buying. Bizak & Co. sources every one of them to order; the Patek Philippe Complications collection and the Grand Complications collection list the configurations we can seek.

Last reviewed on September 21, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.

Which Patek Philippe skeleton and openworked references exist?

Sources: the Patek Philippe collection pages for current references and specifications, and the Patek Philippe Seal page, which sets the finishing standard that hand-engraved and openworked movements must meet.

What does "squelette" mean at Patek Philippe?

A skeleton movement is one whose plate and bridges have been cut away so that only the metal needed to hold the wheels remains, and Patek's tradition is to engrave every remaining surface by hand. On the calibre 240 SQU the base is the ultra-thin calibre 240, the same micro-rotor movement used in the Nautilus 5712 and the perpetual calendar 5327, but with the plate, bridges and even the 22 ct gold micro-rotor pierced and then chased with scrolling foliage. The engraving alone takes an engraver many dozens of hours per movement, which is why the 5180 costs more than the solid-dial Calatravas it resembles. "Openworked", the word Patek uses for the 5303 and 5304, describes something different: the movement is built so that its most spectacular parts, the tourbillon carriage or the repeater's hammers and gongs, are exposed on the dial side, while the rest of the calibre keeps conventional bridges.

What is the Patek Philippe 5180 skeleton?

The 5180/1G-001 arrived in 2008 as a white gold 39 mm watch on an integrated gold bracelet, with the engraved calibre 240 SQU visible from both sides through sapphire crystals and no dial at all, only a chapter ring for the hours. It is thin, about 7 mm, because the calibre 240 is thin, and it has no date, no seconds hand and no lume; it is a watch about the movement. Patek later added the 5180/1R-001 in rose gold and a second white gold execution, the 5180/1G-010, with a darker treatment to the movement that makes the engraving easier to read. Compared with the openworked Royal Oak, which uses a geometric, industrial style of skeletonisation with sharp angles and black-treated bridges, the 5180 is a classical piece: curling engraved motifs, a round case, a gold bracelet. It is the Patek for someone who wants to watch a micro-rotor spin.

5303 and 5304: the openworked Grand Complications

Both are minute repeaters first, and every Patek repeater is tested by the company's president before it leaves Geneva. The 5303 is the more radical object because Patek had kept its tourbillons hidden under the dial for decades on the grounds that light degrades lubricants; showing the cage on the front was a change of doctrine. The 5304 is the quieter piece, a full perpetual calendar whose sapphire dial lets you see the retrograde date lever and the calendar cams working.

How do Patek skeleton watches wear?

The 5180 is a small, thin watch: 39 mm across and about 7 mm thick, on a gold bracelet that adds weight without adding bulk, and it slides under any cuff. Legibility is the trade-off; with no dial and engraved bridges behind the hands, reading the time takes a second glance, and there is no lume. Wrists from about 15.5 cm (6.1 inches) carry it well. The 5303 at 42 mm and the 5304 at 43 mm are large by Patek standards, and both are hand-wound repeaters with a slide in the case band, so they are worn deliberately rather than daily; they sit best on wrists above about 17 cm (6.7 inches). None of the three is meant to get wet; water resistance is nominal, and a repeater case is not sealed in the way a Nautilus is.

How much is a Patek Philippe skeleton watch? Retail and dealer prices in 2026

• Retail. Patek's US list price for the 5180 has sat in the high US$80,000s to low US$100,000s in recent years depending on metal; the openworked Grand Complications are priced on application and, for the repeaters, on an allocation basis. Current figures are available from an authorised Patek retailer.
• Secondary market. Through 2025 and 2026 the 5180 has traded close to retail pre-owned, because it is a connoisseur's watch rather than a hyped one; unworn rose gold examples sit a little above retail and white gold a little below. The 5303 and 5304 trade rarely and on a case-by-case basis, usually through dealers or the auction houses.
• Bizak catalogue asks. On 21 September 2026 our sourced catalogue listed the 5180/1R-001 at US$100,940 and the 5180/1G-010 at US$92,053, a 40 mm white gold skeleton 7180/1G-001 at US$90,675, the 5303R-001 at US$1,220,549, the 5304R-001 at US$505,175 and the gem-set 5304/301R-001 at US$3,022,499. All are sourced to order.

Those figures describe what we saw and will move. Ask for a dated quote for the exact reference, metal and set; our Patek Philippe price guide explains how to compare quotes across references.

Is a Patek skeleton a good investment?

The 5180 is a watch to own rather than to trade. Its price is anchored to retail, so there is little premium to lose, and its supply is small because the engraving limits how many Patek can make in a year; full sets in unpolished condition hold value well but do not spike. The openworked Grand Complications behave like other Patek repeaters: prices are high, transactions are few, and the buyer pool is small enough that selling can take time. Buy any of them because the movement is the point; if resale matters, ask for a written cash-buy assessment before you commit.

Buying a used Patek skeleton: what to check

• Certificate of Origin. Movement and case numbers should match the certificate; for older watches Patek can issue an Extract from the Archives confirming the original configuration.
• Engraving. Under a loupe the engraved scrolls on a 240 SQU should be crisp and continuous with no flattened areas; a bridge that has been polished flat to remove a scratch is a permanent loss.
• Crystals. Both sapphires on a 5180 are on show; check for edge chips and for scratches on the case-back crystal, which is easy to mark on a desk.
• Repeater (5303, 5304). Operate the slide with the watch on a soft surface and listen for a clean strike with no double hits or muffled notes; a repeater that has not been serviced can strike unevenly.
• Tourbillon (5303). The cage should turn smoothly once a minute with no visible wobble.
• Case and bracelet. The 5180's polished bezel and satin case band should meet at a sharp edge, and the gold bracelet should show no stretch when held by the clasp. Rounded edges mean polishing.
• Price against the band. A full-set skeleton offered well under the market is the single most reliable warning sign.

Our authentication process describes what we inspect before dispatch, and our Patek Philippe authentication guide goes deeper on archive extracts and originality.

Quick answers

Does Patek Philippe make a skeleton watch?

Yes. The 5180 is a 39 mm skeleton Calatrava in white or rose gold with the hand-engraved calibre 240 SQU, and the 5303 and 5304 are openworked Grand Complications that expose the tourbillon or the perpetual calendar on the dial side.

How much is a Patek Philippe 5180?

Patek's US retail has sat in the high US$80,000s to low US$100,000s in recent years depending on metal. Bizak's sourced catalogue listed the 5180/1R-001 at US$100,940 and the 5180/1G-010 at US$92,053 on 21 September 2026, sourced to order.

What movement is in the Patek 5180?

Calibre 240 SQU, a skeletonised and hand-engraved version of the ultra-thin self-winding calibre 240 with a 22 ct gold micro-rotor and about 48 hours of power reserve.

What is the difference between skeleton and openworked?

A skeleton movement has its plate and bridges cut away and engraved so the whole calibre is see-through, as on the 5180. An openworked watch such as the 5303 exposes chosen mechanisms on the dial side while keeping conventional bridges elsewhere.

Is the Patek Philippe 5303 a tourbillon?

Yes. The 5303R-001 is a minute repeater with a one-minute tourbillon visible at 6 o'clock, the first Patek to show its tourbillon on the dial side.

Request a Patek Philippe skeleton sourcing quote

Tell us the reference, metal, condition and whether the full set is required, plus your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, certificate and final price before you commit. Catalogue entries: 5180/1R-001 rose gold skeleton, 5180/1G-010 white gold skeleton, 7180/1G-001 white gold skeleton, 5303R-001 minute repeater tourbillon, 5304R-001 minute repeater perpetual calendar; browse the Complications collection, the Grand Complications collection, or sell or trade your Patek Philippe.

Related reading: Patek Philippe price guide · Patek Philippe authentication guide · Royal Oak collecting guide · Richard Mille price guide.