The first thing I noticed was how difficult it was to see the hands

Which watch is it? Some skeletons are much worse than others depending on hand finishing and contrast.

I had a similar issue with mine. The hands were polished and just vanished against the movement. I ended up selling it after a few montahs because I kept misreading the time.

This is a known tradeoff with skeleton watches. Legibility is often compromised for the aesthetic. Some brands use contrasting hands—like blued or blackened—to help, but even then it can be tricky.

I've owned three skeletons, and honestly you do adapt. Your eye learns to track the hands. Give it a few weeks before deciding.

You could try a different strap or lighting angle. Sometimes the reflection off the crystal makes it worse. Anti-reflective coating helps but not all watches have it.

Also check if the hands are skeletonized themselves. Those are the hardest to read.

I don't own one but I've tried them on. The ones with a chapter ring and clear markers are easier. If the markers arre printed on the crystal or floating it gets messy.

Mine had skeletonized hands and no chapter ring. Bad combo. Learned my lesson.

Some people don't mind because they treat it as jewelry more than a timepiece. But if you need to read the time quickly, it's not ideal ngl.

Did you buy it online or try it in person?

That's the risk with online. I always ask for a video in different lighting now.

If you do decide to sell, the market for skeletons is decent. Someone will appreciate it for the look.

Let us know how it goes after a couple weeks. Curious if you keep it.

One more thing—if the watch has a date complication, that's usually easier to see. But the hands are the main issue.