Get The Chills With The Spookiest Watches For Halloween — Picks From Mr Jones, Hublot, Bell & Ross, And More

It’s getting close to that time again. The days are becoming shorter, and Halloween is looming in, now less than two weeks away. I know, watches are a serious business, but as my story on cartoon-inspired watches showed, the fun factor is real. And it can even include a touch of spookiness, perfect for this time of year. Let me inspire you to get the chills with the spookiest watches I could find. Just remember to keep the lights on.

I will confess, one of the watches in this article costs more than some houses. But then again, that particular example is peak horology with a spooky but thoughtful intent, so read on. And do you know what? All the watches in this chilly tale can be worn irreverently with a T-shirt in July or even with a suit in February. Just embrace the not-so-serious side of our watch world and enjoy the wide spectrum on offer from less than €300 to ten times that for the pinnacle of wrist-worn spookiness.

Mr Jones The Last Laugh

Yes, we love Mr Jones and the irreverent and cheeky angle on horology as art with a big sense of humor. The brand has such an array of tempting, low-budget fun that there might even be another one in this story. But the British watch company is no fluke or one-hit-wonder. Indeed, Mr Jones just had its 15th anniversary. This niche fun is for everyone, and the minimalist horror of The Last Laugh might be just what you need. It comes with an ST1721 mechanical movement and in a perfect his-and-hers 37mm case size with a 46mm lug-to-lug. The time is read on the skull’s teeth — hours on the top and minutes on the bottom. At £225, this is easily the coolest jump-hour watch you can get for the money, hands down.

Fiona Krüger Petit Celebration Skull Enigma

Without being highly publicized, the close-to-bespoke creations of Fiona Krüger are pretty spectacular. She is known for her love of skull imagery from the Mexican Día de Los Muertos holiday, and the Enigma is, sorry, an enigmatic example. Krüger makes intricate pieces of wrist-worn art with semi-skeletonized dials and layered imagery. The intricate designs of the Enigma are all hand-painted and protected by a sapphire crystal on the front and back. The custom-rotor movement is a Soprod caliber, but it is largely immaterial with that dial. It is a three-layered brass base with grained, shot-blasted, and polished finishes, making it well worth its CHF 22,500 price in my eyes. The case is matte PVD-coated with a 34.5mm diameter, 48mm length, and slim 9.8mm thickness. Find out more about this 18-piece limited edition here.

Hublot Classic Fusion Aerofusion Chronograph All Black Shepard Fairey

Yes, that’s the full name of this second collaboration timepiece that Hublot has introduced with American artist Shepard Fairey, and while not spooky per se, it is a dark and intricate vision. In this article, you can consider the new Hublot × Shepard Fairey (for short) a suave tuxedo in a party of brightly colored suits and leopard-patterned loafers. Wear it with a quietly spooky outfit, and it is the elegant final touch you need. With Shepard Fairey’s intricate engraved patterns, the Classic Fusion Aerofusion is transformed. The case and bezel are engraved and black brushed titanium, and the 45mm packs an intricate punch. The watch is powered by the HUB1155 self-winding chronograph movement which is aptly skeletonized (all puns intended). This US-market exclusive is available for $25,900.

Bell & Ross BR01 Laughing Skull Light Diamond

At €15,000, this ain’t no cheap Halloween trinket, man, but I like it for its cheeky concept. It would probably look better on the wrist of a metal guitarist, but the way Bell & Ross has created a now-famous skull-and-crossbones identity out of a square pilot’s tool is inspiring. With a sandblasted Clous de Paris guilloché case, the smattering of diamonds seems only right. They’re a glittering frame for the lifelike skull that seems to levitate inside. A total of 104 intricately set diamonds and a BR-CAL.206 hand-wound movement complete a spooky but cool picture.

Bamford Mayfair

This Bamford Mayfair might not be the spookiest, but the Halloween vibe is strong within the black titanium-coated steel case. The Mayfair is a Miyota 2035 quartz-powered beater with a short-lugged 40 × 15mm size. That thickness includes a charmingly tall double-domed sapphire crystal while the case itself is actually rather slim and satin black. The dial is a Halloween-popping orange party with great legibility in what is a solid, 100m-depth-rated sports watch. At about £354, it is also rather good value with a fresh look that will outlast Halloween. On its fat, soft rubber strap, it might even become a stealthy favorite.

The daddy of Halloween watches, the GPHG-award-winning Louis Vuitton Tambour Carpe Diem

Oh, how I sense many of you making a face when I dare mention a Louis Vuitton watch, but just look at it! Louis Vuitton might be a polarizing brand and unfairly bundled together with its omnipresent leather logo pattern. Still, at Le Fabrique Du Temps, its Haute Horology subsidiary, the emphasis on craftmanship is strong. The creations are equally as beguiling as the Holy Trinity’s offerings, though without a trace of vintage aesthetics, and that confuses the #watchfam. This is Vuitton’s handcrafted reminder to seize the day (Carpe Diem, you know) and resides in another budget stratosphere altogether at CHF 465,000. 

Consider it a be-strapped sculpture rather than a mere watch, and you’ll understand. You cannot tell the time with a quick wrist twist, either. The skull automaton will move to reveal its open-mouth mantra, while the snake’s head and tail will reveal the time (see it here). All this is set within a 46.8mm piece of rose gold jewelry with hand-engraved and enameled details. Yes, it is large and completely over the top, but it is worryingly charming nonetheless.

Mr Jones Number Cruncher

We will bookend this story with a non-skull-themed watch, and it’s another monster from Mr Jones. The Number Cruncher (£225) gets the same slender, modernist case as The Last Laugh, this time with a popping dial by artist Onorio D’Epiro. A monochrome background of London plays host to a rampaging blue monster ready to gobble up a circle showing you the hour. The amazing imagination of artist D’Epiro shows in both the brilliantly different take on the jump-hour concept and his pop-art aesthetic. Through a window into the tummy of the blue monster, we see a jumbled mess of numbers he has eaten while ravaging the city. This is, in fact, the minute indicator with a circle marking the right one/two-digit five-minute interval.

Are you dressing up for Halloween, Fratelli, or are you too scared and staying at home, hiding under a blanket? Let me know. Oh, and if you have your own take on spooky wristwear, drop it down in the comments, please.

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