Depancel’s Serie-R has always leaned into the language of motorsport, but the new Chronograph Skeleton puts the mechanics much closer to the surface.
The rectangular case remains familiar, as do the dashboard-style hands and racing cues, yet the character changes as soon as the dial disappears. This is still a Serie-R, just with its automatic chronograph architecture turned into the main attraction.
At a glance
- Depancel has introduced the Serie-R Chronograph Skeleton as a limited, numbered edition of 100 pieces.
- The watch uses a fully skeletonised dial with orange chronograph indications and the automatic Peacock SL-4802 movement.
- Pre-orders open at 4PM Paris time on October 8, 2026, with pricing set at EUR 1,595 or USD 1,595.
A rectangular chronograph with more mechanical intent
The Serie-R Chronograph Skeleton keeps the same core case architecture as the earlier Serie-R Chronograph models.
That means a 40mm by 36mm stainless steel case with a 48.5mm lug-to-lug measurement, a compact footprint that gives the watch its distinctive stance rather than simply mimicking a round sports chronograph.
The thickness has increased slightly to 13.7mm overall, or 12.8mm without the sapphire crystal, which is a reasonable trade-off for a watch built around an automatic chronograph with an exposed construction.
Brushed and polished surfaces alternate across the case, helping the sharp geometry catch light without softening the rectangular profile.
The bevelled sapphire crystal follows the case lines and incorporates the Depancel logo into its upper surface, while water resistance is rated to 50 metres.
The skeleton dial turns the calibre into the design
The biggest shift is on the front, where Depancel has replaced a conventional dial treatment with a fully skeletonised layout.
Rather than treating the movement as something reserved for the caseback, the watch lets bridges, wheels and chronograph hardware shape the visual identity from the wrist side.
Depancel keeps the chronograph indications clear by giving them their own orange colour code.
Elapsed minutes sit at 3 o’clock, chronograph hours at 9 o’clock and the large central hand tracks chronograph seconds.
The brand’s dashboard-style hands and indices remain in place, now treated with white Super-LumiNova C1 for legibility and a connection to the automotive theme that defines the Serie-R line.
It’s a busier, more technical presentation than the closed-dial Chronograph Tangerine, but the use of colour helps separate timing functions from the underlying mechanical scenery.
The Peacock SL-4802 automatic chronograph
Inside is the Peacock SL-4802, a self-winding skeletonised chronograph movement with a 55-hour power reserve and a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.
It is the openworked version of the calibre family used in Depancel’s Serie-R Chronograph line.
The mechanical base is notable for this segment because it uses an integrated automatic chronograph construction with a column wheel, a vertical clutch and a transversal balance bridge.
Those features matter because they’re the kind of architecture enthusiasts usually look for when assessing how a chronograph has been engineered, not just how it looks.
With the SL-4802, more of that structure is visible from the front and through the sapphire caseback, giving the watch a stronger technical identity without changing the collection’s overall formula.
Limited production and racing-wrist presence
The Serie-R Chronograph Skeleton is fitted to a bull leather strap with a steel pin buckle, keeping the tone closer to driving watch than integrated-bracelet sports watch.
Depancel will produce 100 numbered pieces, which gives the release a tighter collector angle than a standard production model.
Pre-orders open at 4PM Paris time on October 8, 2026, with deliveries scheduled to begin in mid-December.
The price is set at EUR 1,595 or USD 1,595.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Depancel |
|---|---|
| Model | Serie-R Chronograph Skeleton |
| Case size | 40mm x 36mm |
| Thickness | 13.7mm overall, 12.8mm without crystal |
| Lug-to-lug | 48.5mm |
| Case material | Stainless steel with brushed and polished finishes |
| Crystal | Bevelled sapphire crystal with internal anti-reflective coating |
| Water resistance | 50 metres |
| Dial | Fully skeletonised with orange chronograph hands |
| Lume | White Super-LumiNova C1 on hands and indices |
| Movement | Peacock SL-4802 automatic chronograph |
| Frequency | 28,800 vibrations per hour |
| Power reserve | 55 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds and chronograph |
| Strap | Bull leather strap with steel pin buckle |
| Lug width | 22mm |
| Production | Limited, numbered edition of 100 pieces |
| Pre-order | October 8, 2026, from 4PM Paris time |
| Deliveries | From mid-December |
| Price | EUR 1,595 or USD 1,595 |
The appeal here is straightforward for collectors who like Depancel’s automotive design language but wanted the Serie-R Chronograph to show more of its working parts.
It’s not a reinvention of the collection, and that’s probably the point. The Skeleton gives the Serie-R a more mechanical personality while keeping the rectangular case, orange timing accents and motorsport mood that made the line recognisable in the first place.
