Pre-Baselworld 2015: Arnold & Son Royal TEC1 Tourbillon Chronograph ref. 1CTAG.U02A.C113G Watch Replica Guide Trusted Dealers


By John Galt

Arnold & Son has released a new reference of the TECH1 with palladium case and a black guilloche dial that will join the sophisticated Royal collection. The collection is inspired by timepieces created by John Arnold for King George III and other members of the British Royal family.

This new reference is the first time Arnold & Son exceptional watch makers have combined a tourbillon, large column wheel chronograph and automatic winding mechanism into such an elegant and classic timepiece.

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The 45mm case is both avant-garde and classically elegant even with the size, looking at the dial your eyes are immediately drawn to the cut away aperture between 10 O’Clock and 2 O’Clock housing the tourbillon escapement showing the incredible view as the tourbillon cage rotates. Coupled with a sapphire case back the tourbillon seems to float majestically in thin air. At first glance you expect the sub-dial at 6 O’Clock to house the small seconds but this is no ordinary piece, the sub dial houses the chronograph minutes with seconds counter via a centrally mounted second hand. The black guilloche dial with silver hands and hour markers are a perfect contrast to the palladium case. However gorgeous and alluring the dial and tourbillon are the real beauty and technical prowess of the TECH1 is apparent when you turn the piece over, peering through the exhibition case back you notice the large column wheel with an integrated automatic winding system. There it sits, showing just what a challenge the Arnold & Son research and development team had in creating a piece with high frequency tourbillon, chronograph and an automatic winding system in way that was technically advanced and yet in keeping with the elegant look, which they did by designing a new calibre and totally disregarded the traditional layout.

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In keeping with Arnold & Son tradition and heritage the new Calibre 8305 is meticulously finished with each palladium treated part featuring manually chamfered bridges with polished edges, fine circular graining and exquisite Côte de Genève rayonnantes. The chronograph levers are satin finished and again hand-chamfered with polished edges, each screw is lovingly blued with mirror polished heads. All of that in my opinion pales in contrast to the totally stunning 22-carat red gold rotor which has been skeletonised with its hand-engraved brushed surfaces and polished edges which truly takes your breath away.

Finishing of the piece is a hand stitched either black or brown alligator strap.

Technical Specifications

  • Calibre: A&S8305
  • Exclusive Arnold & Son mechanical movement, self-winding, column-wheel, ceramic ball bearing, 30 jewels, diameter 35.00 mm, thickness 8.15 mm, power reserve 55 h, 28,800 vibrations/h
  • Functions: hours, minutes, tourbillon, chronograph
  • Movement decoration: palladium treated with Haute Horlogerie finishing: hand-chamfered bridges with polished edges, fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève rayonnantes, all chronograph levers are satin-finished with hand-chamfered and polished edges, circular satin-finished wheels, blued screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads.
    Tourbillon: stainless steel tourbillon-barrette, satin-finished with hand-chamfered and polished edges. Hand-chamfered tourbillon cage with mirror-polished top bridge.
    Oscillating weight: hand-engraved 22-carat red gold, skeletonized with brushed surfaces and chamfered polished edges.
  • Dial: black guilloché
  • Case: palladium 950, diameter 45 mm, cambered sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides, see-through sapphire case back, water-resistant to 30 m
  • Strap: hand-stitched black or brown alligator leather
  • Limited edition: 125 timepieces
  • Reference: 1CTAG.U02A.C113G

Conclusion

This is truly beautiful with the seemingly floating tourbillon appearing like a full moon shining brightly in the sky lighting up the dark of the night, Arnold & Son have produced a piece of true haute horology with breath-taking engraved movement this is pure horology at its finest an I for one take my hat off to them. For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com

The Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton is the most recent addition to the DBG (Double-Balance GMT) set that we reviewed the first, non-skeletonized version of in greater detail back in 2013. For those unfamiliar with this particular piece, it’s basically two motions which share a winding platform, housed in one watch. Skeletonized, this watch looks incredible and is the best example of Arnold & Son’s relentless progress.First, a tiny bit more about Arnold & Son’s DBG system. Every time display is powered by its own barrel, with its gear train, escapement, and equilibrium, while sharing a single winding system. Even though this isn’t always unprecedented, because of the offsets of the shared components compared to the individual components, it isn’t always pretty, and rarely skeletonized. But with the DBG Skeleton, we see almost perfect symmetry about the dial and caseback.The unusual nature of the in-house A&S1309 movement allows for a few added mechanical and functional benefits. For instance, because of the separate socket, gear train, and escapement/balance, the GMT function includes a “minutes” hand rather than the conventional 24-hour counter just. Every time zone display from the Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton can be set to incremental quarters of this hour. So for a few Indian, Australian, and Canadian time zones that are off by half-hours, for example, the watch can account for that. Additionally, the Equation of Time screen at 12 o’clock decides the gap between each display, as well as whether it is night or day in the next time zone. The A&S1309 defeats at 21,600bph and features a 40-hour power book.

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John Galt – Contributing Editor

John Galt caught the horology bug back in 2010 on his first visit to a London watch show and has snowballed since; John has become an avid writer and blogger of timepieces of all kinds, from everyday timepieces to modern Luxury Haute Horology, his favorite brands being HYT and Greubel Forsey that push the bounders of modern watch-making. John keeps a keen interest in the UK watch scene with their many emerging brands and timepiece’s. John Galt currently contributes watch related articles for online publications in the UK and USA. You can follow John on Twitter @johng73 Read his articles here.

Introducing The New Arnold & Son HMS1 Guilloché Watch Replica Clearance


By Jovan Krstevski

Classical watches have never been as royal as the Royal Collection from Arnold & Son who references its timepieces from John Arnold, the watchmaker of the monarch’s court including King George III. With this in mind, nothing stops Arnold & Son to build strongly on their heritage of classical timepieces that has always been associated with the prominent figures of the prestigious elite such as kings.

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Without farther ado, let me introduce you to the newest addition to the HMS1 line; Ref. 1LCAP.S10A.C110A, 18-carat rose gold and Ref. 1LCAW.S09A.C111W, 18-carat white gold, beaming with features that goes far beyond classical timepieces, after all what do you expect from a watch built solely for the kings?

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Genuinely faithful to its traditions, the new collector watches are worth having given its remarkable elegance wearable in both casual and formal occasions. It may be subtly inclined to look like classic at all times, but the splendid clean lines and curves of the watches are perfect for all occasions.

There is not much difference on each model except the overall design of the dials and the choice of colors matching each intended ambiance. Truth be told, Arnold & Son really knows how classical watches should look like.

The diameter of the case is a traditional 40 mm ultra-thin design and made of 18-carat rose gold, 18-carat white gold and some stainless steel. The royal touch is undeniable exhibited by the smooth finish of the case design and the really clean lugs and simple design of the crown. Each case precisely matches the overall appeal of each model.

The dials are somewhat exuberance both in attitude and presentation. Not only does it command authority, but also its choice of patterns is superbly well thought about. With an ultra slim case, the dials seem to have been emboldened with a certain depth. The silvery-white guilloche dials with unique patterns really emboldens its wearer with a royalty pride. The hands and the seconds are subtle in their authoritative appearances and do they do deliver precision timing at its best. At the 12 o’clock is the branding that obviously defies each of the dial’s patterns and at the 6 o’clock is the small seconds subdial with a different yet matching pattern to that of the main dial.

For Baselworld 2017, Arnold & Son unveiled yet another masterfully skeletonized watch which conveys the brand’s conceptual DNA forward. The Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton is the most recent addition to the DBG (Double-Balance GMT) set which we reviewed the first, non-skeletonized variant of in larger detail here back in 2013. For those unfamiliar with this piece, it has basically two motions which share a winding platform, housed in one watch. Skeletonized, this view looks incredible and is the best example of Arnold & Son’s relentless progress.First, a little bit more about Arnold & Son’s DBG system. Every time screen is powered by its own barrel, with its gear train, escapement, and balance, while sharing a single winding system. While this isn’t necessarily unprecedented, due to the offsets of these shared elements compared to the independent components, it’s not always pretty, and rarely skeletonized. But with the DBG Skeleton, we see almost perfect symmetry about the dial and caseback.The unusual nature of the in-house A&S1309 movement permits for some additional mechanical and practical advantages. For instance, due to the distinct barrel, gear train, and escapement/balance, the GMT function comprises a “moments” hand instead of the conventional 24-hour counter just. Each time zone display in the Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton could be set to incremental quarters of this hour. So for some Indian, Australian, and Canadian time zones that are off by half-hours, for example, the watch may account for that. Additionally, the Equation of Time screen at 12 o’clock determines the gap between each display, in addition to whether it is night or day in the next time zone. The A&S1309 defeats at 21,600bph and comes with a 40-hour power book.

The caseback is transparent to showcase the splendid movement powering the watches. The hand wound movements of the exclusive calibre A&S1001 have double barrels boasting of more than 90 hours of power reserve delivering more than enough energy to provide accurate time readings without worrying too much about the watch’s power cycle.

The straps are made of hand-stitched brown or black alligator leather conforming to the particular models.

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In all, there are 21 jewels and the lavish decorations of the movements have the signature touches of Arnold & Son all throughout. Perhaps, the major element of note in the totality of the watch is its main engine; since the rhodium treated calibre has been carefully designed and constructed with the incredible finishing of Haute Horlogerie including the awesome chamfered bridges and beautifully grained polished edges. Oh, and the watch is water resistance to 30 metres, but diving is not really advised. Price for the HMS1 in rose gold is CHF16,092 and CHF17,550 for the HMS1 white gold (prices are including Swiss VAT). For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com

Jovan

Jovan Krstevski – Founder, Proprietor & Executive Editor

Watch collector, aficionado and a Event profile in the Swedish nightlife. He launched Watchgeek back in 2011, which is now known as WristReview and is one of the most widely read watch blogs on the Web. He quotes ’WristReview is a site to help people find, explore, discover and enjoy wristwatches.’  His passion jump started in his early teens, when he was given his first mid-range wristwatch which was an Omega Seamaster. Since then he has always been in love with wristwatches! Besides WristReview, he also writes for a number of publications. P.S: He is also a huge fan of The Man of Steel/Superman. Read his articles here.

Pre-BaselWorld 2016: Arnold & Son HM Double Hemisphere Perpetual Moon Watch Replica Watches Essentials


By Harlan Chapman-Green

I’ll go ahead and be the first to say it but we absolutely love the moon phase here at WristReview and we love it in all its forms. From the super simple yet deadly accurate moon phase in the H.Moser & Cie Endeavour Moon to the beautifully complex A.Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar Terraluna to the downright bonkers Bovet Recital 18 Shooting Star. So you can imagine we were especially delighted when we found out about the Arnold & Son HM Double Hemisphere Perpetual Moon Watch, this is due to the fact that almost the entire dial is a moon phase, and what a pretty one it is, too!

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Other companies wouldn’t dare be this inventive with a moon phase watch. They’d simply prefer to bung the moon phase in some place that’s not immediately obvious but clearly still counts and would be missed if it weren’t there, just like a bass player in some ways. However in the ArnieSon & The Perpetuals band you can be assured that bass has taken full pride of place on this timepiece. The 29mm moon phase has two 11.2mm photorealistic rose gold moons on it, that means they’re going to look as accurate and gorgeous as possible. The gold contrasts excellently with the deep blue lacquered guilloché wave dial. The moon phase is supremely accurate as well, over the course of 122 years it will only have deviated by one day and you can easily adjust it back to the correct indication. To help appeal to those in both hemispheres the HM Double Hemisphere, as the name suggests, indicates the phase of the moon in both the north and south, easily done due to the fact that the phases of the moon are opposite, there’s also a handy reminder of the countries of the world and the equator.

For Baselworld 2017, Arnold & Son unveiled another masterfully skeletonized watch which carries the brand’s conceptual DNA forward. The Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton is the newest addition to the DBG (Double-Balance GMT) collection which we analyzed the original, non-skeletonized variant of in greater detail here back in 2013. For all those unfamiliar with this particular piece, it’s basically two motions which share a winding system, housed in 1 watch. Skeletonized, this watch looks incredible and is the perfect illustration of Arnold & Son’s relentless progress.First, a little bit more about Arnold & Son’s DBG system. Each time display is powered by its own barrel, with its gear train, escapement, and balance, while sharing one winding system. While this isn’t necessarily unprecedented, due to the offsets of these shared elements compared to the independent components, it’s not always pretty, and rarely skeletonized. But with all the DBG Skeleton, we see virtually perfect symmetry on the dial and caseback.The unusual nature of the in-house A&S1309 movement allows for a few additional mechanical and practical advantages. For instance, due to the distinct barrel, gear train, and escapement/balance, the GMT purpose comprises a “minutes” hand instead of the conventional 24-hour counter only. Every time zone screen in the Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton could be set to incremental quarters of the hour. So for a few Indian, Australian, and Canadian time zones which are off by half-hours, for example, the watch can account for that. Additionally, the Equation of Time display at 12 o’clock decides the difference between each display, in addition to whether it is night or day in the next time zone. The A&S1309 defeats at 21,600bph and features a 40-hour power book.

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The 42mm rose gold case has slightly curved and straight lugs, no crown guards and a large diameter crown that appears to me like that of a squashed onion crown. The sword hands on the dial have a double finish, meaning that they have a polished look on one side and a brushed finish on the other. Powering the timepiece is an Arnold & Son calibre A&S1512 has two barrels and a power reserve of 90 hours, given that I’ve looked at quite a few watches recently with relatively short power reserves it’s good to see that it hasn’t been overlooked this time. The mechanically wound movement has been put on display on the reverse of the watch and has been decorated with circular graining and Côtes de Genève as well as blued screws. There’s also another indicator that’s been snuck in here and shows the different phases of the moon in a different way. We’ll get to see this watch full at BaselWorld and if you’re thinking of picking one up then he price is $30,500. For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com

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HARLAN CHAPMAN-GREEN – MANAGING EDITOR

A keen bass guitar player, Harlan enjoys all the perks modern watchmaking technologies the industry has to offer. Although you might catch him sampling Omegas or the “odd” Rolex, Harlan loves all things Haute Horology, with his three favourite brands being Breguet, A.Lange & Söhne and Vacheron Constantin. He hopes to study timekeeping more in depth someday and will never be able to thank his father enough for introducing him to the industry. You can follow him on Instagram Read his articles here

Pre-Baselworld 2015: Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon Watch – A Symmetry Of Beauty With Dead-Beat Seconds Japanese Movement Replica


By Meor Amri Meor Ayob

What else can you do, mechanically of course, in the space available for a typical modern wristwatch that would still impress watch connoisseurs? It seems that Arnold & Son have done just that with their latest creation, the Constant Force Tourbillon with Dead-Beat Seconds watch. Only 28 of this watch will be produced.

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A major problem of any mechanical clock is the non-linear weakening of the mainspring’s power as it releases energy. Trying to measure time at an extremely steady rate despite the power volatility of the mainspring has been a bane for watchmakers for centuries. Maintaining a ‘constant force’ from the mainspring has been a holy grail for watch makers. Arnold & Son is able to do it by generate this constant force of energy via to two mainspring barrels located at 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock. The first mainspring powers the gear train while the second mainspring compensates for the first mainspring’s loss of torque via a newly patented constant force regulator.

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Arnold & Son’s newly patented constant force regulator.

As is normally the case with constant force mechanisms, power from the mainspring first flows through the regulator before reaching the escapement. However, where the Arnold & Son’s mechanism differs from that of others is that this mechanism drives the running seconds in a jumping fashion. The sub-dial at 7 o’clock ticks while the tourbillon at 5 o’clock sweeps on its axis. Meanwhile, the tourbillion averages out gravitational errors by constantly rotating the escapement through 360 degrees of motion. These three complications, constant force, tourbillon and dead-beat seconds in this watch is why Arnold & Son is considered one of the best high-end watch brand manufacturers.

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The watch is rather large at 46 mm wide. Made from 18-carat red-gold, the case houses Arnold & Son’s in-house Calibre A&S5119. This 39-jewel, hand-wound mechanical movement has a 90 hour power reserve. The dial is made out of anthracite and totally transparent, allowing the mechanism to be viewed from multiple angles. Protecting the dial is sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides. The rear of the watch is also made out of sapphire crystal.

This watch has a water rating of 3 bars or 30 meters. To complete the style, this timepiece is fitted with a hand-stitched brown alligator strap.

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Though the contemporary Arnold & Son is currently owned by the Citizen Group and has been revived in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, the legacy of precision timekeeping, advancements in escapement engineering, and Breguet’s influence can still be felt with this timepiece. The Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton basically combines two motions, each using their particular barrel, gear train, escapement, and balance, united with one winding system and a single centralized second hand. The two dials for home time and GMT are powered with their own dedicated movements, allowing each to be placed independently via a dual crown system at 3 and 9 o’clock. Coolness factor apart, this also has a practical advantage in having the ability to set GMT time to the minute, which is very beneficial when dealing with time zones cancel by half an hour such as portions of India, Australia, and Canada.In contrast to the non-skeletonized variant of this Arnold & Son DBG we reviewed previously, this incarnation supposes some legibility in order to better show that beautifully symmetrical movement. A ring of smoked sapphire crystal is employed for every dial to help bring the numerals more into focus against the busy backdrop without completely obscuring it, which is a clever move. GMT time can also be differentiated via the dial’s use of skeletonized hands and Roman numerals, versus the Arabic numerals and solid hands featured on the home time dial. Unlike the last edition, the palms on the Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton are gilded rather than blued, which can be visually a nice complement to the vulnerable balance wheels but also makes them difficult to view at a glance.

My personal preference when it comes to style is symmetry. This watch has it. The placement of the main springs and the two sub-dials sits perfectly balanced to one another. Despite the transparent nature of the dial, the bulk of the gears are not visible. Only the mechanisms that matters most i.e. the tourbillon and the dead-beat seconds can be seen. Without a doubt, this watch is a brilliant and beautiful design.

For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com

Technical Specifications

Calibre: A&S5119
Exclusive Arnold & Son mechanical movement, hand-wound, 39 jewels, diameter 36.8 mm, thickness 6 mm, power reserve 90 h, double barrel, 21,600 vibrations/h
Functions: hours, minutes, true beat seconds, tourbillon, constant force
Movement decoration: nickel-silver and steel movement, palladium treated bridges and NAC grey treated main plate with Haute Horlogerie finishing: hand-chamfered bridges with polished edges and brushed surfaces, screwed gold chatons, screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads
Tourbillon cage: mirror-polished with hand-chamfered polished edges and circular satin-finished surfaces
Dial: anthracite open dial
Case: 18-carat red gold, diameter 46 mm, cambered sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides, see-through sapphire case back, water-resistant to 30 m
Strap: hand-stitched brown bottier alligator leather with patina
Limited edition: 28 timepieces
Reference: 1FCAR.B01A.C112C

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Meor Amri Meor Ayob – Contributing Editor

Meor Amri is a passionate watch collector from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Having bitten by the horology bug in 2010, he has written extensively about the watch scene and has assembled a large collection of watches (excessively!!) on his own free time. His blogs on the same subject are: Eastern Watch & Western Watch Read his articles here.

Only Watch 2017: Arnold & Son Time Pyramid Replica Wholesale

I’m aware that I’m assuming a lot. After all, you are on a website dedicated to wristwatches, but most watch geeks might struggle with the name. “Arnold… Arnold… isn’t he an ambassador for Baume & Mercier? No, is he the new watchmaker at Mont Blanc?”, or something like that. This is a crying shame as John Arnold was as influential as A.L. Breguet to the world of watchmaking. His achievements are not touted by the majority of Swiss watch historians who prefer to focus on their own countrymen’s achievements, at the expense of foreign watchmakers like Arnold (and Graham, Tompion,  etc). So here’s a quick list of Arnold’s accomplishments: He was the first watchmaker to use the term chronometer as we know it today and he invented the overcoil balance spring and the detached escapement. When one of his chronometers was tested at The Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, it had an error of just 2 minutes and 32.2 seconds over 13 months. That’s almost what modern COSC rated chronometers have to be accurate to over a month.

Arnold died in 1799 but his legacy of watchmaking was revived in 1995 by The British Masters brand. This was a Swiss company who breathed life into old watchmakers names, including Graham 1695 and the modern Arnold & Son. Arnold & Son focus on haute horlogerie whose watch movements have been entirely in-house since 2010. These are no ordinary in-house movements either. These are true-beat retrogrades, ultra-thin tourbillons and, in the case the Time Pyramid, double barrel skeleton movements. For a brand that is so young (and old at the same time), this is a huge achievement that rivals anything from older (but also younger ) brands.

The Time Pyramid is Arnold & Son’s entry into the Only Watch Charity Auction and is one of the most interesting pieces available.

The 44.6mm, stainless steel case has been DLC treated to have a black finish. This large case circles a domed sapphire crystal that showcases the skeleton movement. Skeleton movements and dials have fascinated and perplexed me in equal measure for many years now. Technically speaking, they are an amazing achievement. The amount of work needed to make a functional caliber that also is aesthetically pleasing is vast and not lost on me, but I’ve yet to find a skeleton watch I truly love. Most seem to fail at the intended purpose of a watch, to tell time, as the hands and hour markers get lost amidst the movement and crystal. It’s the anti-thesis of the purpose-built tool watches of the 1950s and 1960s that I love so much. But like many other Only Watch watches, the Time Pyramid shows that functionality doesn’t always have to be at the forefront of a watchmakers mind. Rather than use the entire space, Arnold & Son have placed the dial in a small subsection of the watch and have used a high contrast red for the hands and hour markers. This red not only is eye-catching, but it is the color of the Principality of Monaco, whose Prince is a Patron of Only Watch.

The Caliber A&S1615 has hand-chamfered bridges, that have also been black DLC coated, with two power reserve gauges visible on the dial. These two gauges are linked to the two barrels that power the watch. The first barrel transfers energy into the second barrel as needed, so throughout the day, you’ll see the power reserve of the first gauge go down whilst the second goes up. This arrangement of barrels allows for a more constant torque to the gear train to be delivered, allowing for a more accurate watch. The Time Pyramid has its gear train arranged linearly, running from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock where the two barrels sit on either side to create the titular pyramid shape. This is an excellent skeleton design as the empty space at the top left and right are used for the power reserve and are uncluttered by the movement beneath.

Once set, the precision should hold for 122 years, and an easy adjustment will ensure it to get another 122 years. The hand-wound movement is an Arnold & Son manufacture A&S1512 that defeats at 21,600 bph using a 90-hour power reserve. The movement itself is 5.35mm thick and features 27 stones, while the instance is rated for 30 meters of water resistance. As if the case back were not beautiful enough, the C?tes de Genève revealed during the movement is just lovely.The Arnold & Son HM Double Hemisphere Perpetual Moon includes a black or brownish hand-stitched alligator strap and is sure to grab the attention of many a watch buff. When trying to solve a problem, the start is always a fantastic place to start. That is precisely the process followed closely by Arnold & Son in their attempt to eliminate isochronal mistake from among the latest bits, the Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon. Arnold & Son’s heritage is present in the heritage of John Arnold and his son, two of the most important watchmakers to come from England. Having packed his son off to learn in the knee of the maestro, Arnold turned his attentions to the problem of the times: the quest for chronometric accuracy at sea.

It may be world’s (and several centuries) apart from the watches of the original John Arnold, but the Time Pyramid is a watch worthy of his legacy.

Arnold & Son Unveils the Golden Wheel: World’s First Wandering Hours and True Beat Seconds Watch Replica Buyers Guide

Rather than the power from the mainspring flowing directly into the escapement, it has to first pass through Arnold & Son’s constant force mechanism. The controlled power supply charges a little hairspring, which releases a constant quantity of power to the tourbillon once per second. With this mechanism, there’ll nevertheless come a stage once the power released by the double barrels and the continuous force mechanism drops below a point that’s enough to maintain a normal output. While this happens, the watch stops instead of allowing an isochronal error to creep into the timekeeping.In accession to this intriguing solution, the Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon comes with a deadbeat moments complication, which causes the seconds hand to “tick” instead of sweep as you might expect in a mechanical timepiece. Outstanding consistency is achieved thanks to the symmetry of this movement’s construction, as well as the fact that the constant force escapement remains stationary throughout operation, while the tourbillon cage moves once per minute. That is in an attempt to reduce the effect of gravity to the escapement’s operation. Assuming, though, that this watch is unlikely to be worn out in the presence of strong magnetic fields (it’s barely acceptable for use on a building site or while flying a helicopter, by way of example), the complication perfectly matches the intended application.The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon watch is a limited variant of which only 28 will be made. The A&S5119 movement has 39 jewels, a thickness of 6mm, a 90-hour power book, and works in 21,600vph. The NAC grey mainplate and also the palladium-coated bridges are produced from nickel-silver and hand-finished with polished edges and brushed surfaces, gold screw-down chatons, and bevelled and polished screw heads. The movement is almost perfectly symmetrical, and all the specialized elements are observable on the dial-side. The three-dimensional movement architecture is intended to echo the English tradition of marine chronometer structure. Price is available on request.

By Osheen Arakelian

With a rich British watchmaking heritage that dates back to the 18th century, Arnold & Son masterfully reinterprets history with a visionary eye to the future. Underscoring its watchmaking prowess, Arnold & Son regularly unveils complicated watches with a unique twist. The patented Golden Wheel deftly reflects the brands ingenuity and commitment to Haute Horlogerie. 

The Golden Wheel presented by Arnold & Son at Baselworld 2015 is a beautiful interpretation of the ancient wandering hours complication in a three dimensional format. It has roots dating back to the mid 17th century with the first implementation being produced for pocket watches around the 18th century. Many have argued on its original birthplace with some believing it to have originated in England. So it was only right that Arnold & Son to take up the mantle and reinterpret this beautiful complication. The Golden Wheel is the first ever watch to feature both wandering hours and a true beat seconds function together in the one timepiece. It is part of the Instrument Collection, which pays tribute to the timepieces focused on chronometry, which were developed in the second half of John Arnold’s life (The founder of Arnold & Son). It has been three long gruelling years in the making, from concept to development and the challenge was met during multiple stages of both design and development.

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Centred around a 44mm 18-carat red gold case, the Arnold & Son Golden Wheel features a cambered sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides and also has a see-through sapphire case back for full view of the movement. The dial has a silver sheen with white mother of pearl. The wandering hours function takes up the upper portion of the dial between 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock.

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Just underneath, beats the beautiful time-carrousel of the Golden Wheel, the standout feature of the piece. It is both a complicated and absolutely stunning motion that performs a ballet from the center axis. The true beat seconds, or as it is also referred to, the dead beat seconds, is a very precise function that enables the seconds to beat incrementally as opposed to the sweeping motion seen in most mechanical watches. This function allows for more accuracy when reading the time during the course of the day and is a speciality of Arnold & Son.

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Breakdown of the A&S6018 movement.

The Golden Wheel houses the A&S6018 mechanical self-winding movement with 29 jewels and has a total of 232 component parts all working together and beating at a steady 28,800 vibrations per hour. In true Arnold & Son fashion, the movement has been detailed in great detail and beauty. The movement has been treated in palladium and is decorated with hand-chamfered bridges with polished edges, fine circular graining, Côtes de Genève rayonnantes, circular satin-finished wheels and blued screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads. The oscillating weight has also been skeletonised with brushed surfaces and also treated with palladium.

Finished off with a hand-stitched brown or black alligator strap, the Arnold & Son Golden Wheel is limited to just 125 pieces. For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com

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OSHEEN ARAKELIAN – CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Drawing on a lifelong love of horology and a more recent introduction to appreciation of fine whisky, Osheen brought the two together with watch & whisky. He is proprietor of the site, which covers everything related to watches and whisky. In between completing a degree in commercial law and supporting a rich social life, he is out and about attending all the latest watch and whisky events Sydney has to offer. His passion has also taken him around Australia attending a number of events and he hopes to continue his career in the watch industry on a more serious level after he graduates. Read his articles here.

WristReview’s Top 5 Watches of SIHH 2018 Replica Watches Young Professional


By Jovan Krstevski

The Arnold & Son UTTE Skeleton comes at a 42mm 5N red gold case, which can be as beautifully crafted as the movement. It is stepped, tapering from top to bottom. The dial area, that’s the broadest section, additionally offers an extra-large sapphire glass to showcase the caliber A&S8220 in all its glory. The bottom of the case is made narrower to fit snugly on the wrist.The Arnold & Son UTTE Skeleton watch will be restricted to only 50 pieces, and every watch will come with a hand-stitched brown or black alligator leather strap with a fitting 5N red gold buckle with the Arnold & Son emblem. Arnold & Son creates some beautiful moon phase watches, and there’s a new piece from the group with a fresh spin. Construction on the HM Hemisphere Perpetual Moon model, the Arnold & Son HM Double Hemisphere Perpetual Moon watch joins the brand’s Royal Collection. With a second three-dimensional moon, the Arnold & Son HM Double Hemisphere Perpetual Moon watch preserves the visual allure of previous versions but affords the wearer a view of the moon from both the southern and northern hemispheres. The tasteful gold constellations together with the stunning blue guilloché dial make certain this bit fits in just perfectly with the rest of the line along with the brand as a whole.Measuring in at 42mm, the Arnold & Son HM Dual Hemisphere Perpetual Moon instance is offered at 18 karat red gold, though perhaps in the long run a stainless steel variant will be provided. In any case, the gold with the deep blue guilloché dial is just simply beautiful. The three dimensional moons themselves are 11.2mm, and are linked with the gold stars resulting in a totally mesmerizing look. Regal is the word to describe this particular dial, and Arnold & Son have produced a bit that can make fans completely salivate.

The year 2017 has been a great year and we’ve enjoyed squeezing our top 5s in one list and we even included a bonus of 5 honorable mentions. So why not do it again with the best watches we’ve covered so far from SIHH 2018? Without further ado, here are our top 5 picks for the honorable mentions.

The Honourable Mentions

5. Ferdinand Berthoud Chronomètre FB 1R-6.1

The 1R–6.1 is a COSC certified chronometer that’s truly unique and features Ferdinand Berthoud’s signature octagonal 44mm case. Its dial is very informative with the hours presented in rolling digits in a window at 2. It’s powered by a tourbillon that comes with a fusee and chain mechanism that delivers smooth power curve and increases accuracy over the course of the wind in the barrel. This watch is limited to only 20 examples worldwide. Read more here

4. Ressence E-crown Concept

The Ressence E-crown Concept marries electronics and pure mechanics in an elegant way. Like a modular design, a rotating disc display is connected on top of a mechanical display by the e-crown that smartly manages timekeeping. Basically you only need to set time once by a mechanical lever at the caseback, then electronics take full control. This is accuracy governed by chips which we all know works precisely. This is under development so we may yet to see the evolution of this product. Read more here

3. Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph 42MM

This is one of our favorite chronographs and as such, we won’t sugar coat it, the octagonal case is the deal breaker with this watch. Perhaps it’s GP’s Royal Oak equivalent or something but the rest is just fine. The dial is exquisite adorned with Clous de Paris guilloché and traditional presentation. This chronograph features a automatic winding with 4Hz escapement and about 46 hours of power reserve. Read more here

2. Cartier Santos De Cartier With New Bezel And “Quickswitch”

This updated collection features a variety of models: a full steel set, a two-tone steel and gold, a full gold, and a pink gold set. These are casual watches wearing on 39.8mm case with Santos de Cartier’s signature white dial with Roman indices and a date at 6. It also has a skeletonized dial for those looking for a bit of rigid fashion. What’s popular with the update is the new “SmartLink Self-Fitting” that allows adjustment of the bracelet without tools. Powering the traditional dial models is an in-house 1847 calibre while 9611-MC calibre powers the skeletonized version. Read more here

1. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra-thin 15202 IP

Our top pick for the honorable mention is the classic Royal Oak with a very thin profile which seems to be the trend these days. It features a fully titanium 39mm case with a solid 950 platinum bezel. It also maintains the same “Petite Tapisserie” guilloche dial with a smoked blue look. Powering this extra thin Royal Oak is calibre 2121 boasting 40 hours of power reserve. Read more here

Top 5 Watches from SIHH 2018

5. Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Day-Date

The Vacheron Constantin FIFTYSIX day-date showcases a traditional VC day-date layout with additional power reserve at 6. It also features a casual 40mm case available in steel or gold. The dials are available in two-tone grey and silver dials. The 3 hands for the hours, minutes, and seconds are centered while the day-date are at 3 and 9. Power indicator sits nicely at 6:30. Powering the watch is an automatic calibre 2475. This movement bears the Hallmark of Geneva and cranks 40h of power reserve. Read more here

4. Jaeger-Lecoultre Polaris Polaris Memovox 50th Anniversary Edition

Polaris was released in 1968 in very limited numbers succeeding the Deep Sea Alarm. The watch featured an innovative caseback that amplified the alarm underwater while still watertight. It’s a no brainer that Polaris is popular among collectors but the real collector’s model is the new Polaris Memovox 50th Anniversary Edition. The new watch features the original’s designs such as the triple-crown and the in-house vaunted Calibre 956. It also gets useful updates such as its use of beige Super-LumiNova on the indices and hands. It tries to remain true to the original by using the same applied hourly elements and long sword-shaped hands. Its 42mm case is new though. This model is limited to only 1000 pieces. Read more here

3. Greubel Forsey GMT Earth

Greubel Forsey introduces an updated model of the GMT Earth with a cool 3D design of the globe at 7 o’clock. The globe is highly visible and can be seen from the front, back and the side thanks to sapphire glass. It’s cool and very innovative but honestly it creates a perplexing symmetry for the whole design. It keeps all the other familiar features of the original from the hours, minutes, and the small seconds. The 72 hour power reserve indicator remains the same. We can also see the GMT time indicator and the 24-time zone universal time indicator through the caseback. Moreover, the GMT Earth is still powered by a 24 second tourbillon reclined at 25°. Read more here

2. Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept

The Altiplano Ultimate Concept is Piaget’s answer to a ultra-thin watch. They did it before with Altiplano 900P at 3.65mm but this time, they achieved a ridiculous 2mm thickness. This is made possible by many innovative techniques. For one, the caseback now serves as the baseplate of the movement. Piaget also replaced the balance cock with ball bearing system which means the hairspring is now below the balance. A stud also regulates the balance instead of traditional swan’s neck. At this thin profile, how do Piaget ensure it won’t bend? Well, they said it’s made of a new alloy. The 0.1mm thick alligator leather strap is also reinforced with Kevlar so they really mean business. Read more here

1. A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Triple Split

Topping our list is no other than A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Triple Split. To understand the triple split function let’s take a look at a split-second watch. Basically, there are two running seconds hands wherein 1 can be stopped while the other keeps running. Then there’s the double split function where the minutes are also recorded. Now, for the triple split, it also records the hours. Now in reality, we may only use the running seconds but we’re not complaining at all, we simply like it. It’s a complicated watch that’s also a flyback, and more, there are only 100 pieces that goes for a whopping $147,000 each. Read more here

Arnold & Son DSTB Ref. 1ATAW.L04A.C121W Watch – White Gold Case with Domed and White Lacquered Sapphire Dial Replica Wholesale Center


By Jovan Krstevski

Looks like we are going to have a white gold limited edition DTSB featuring the outstanding craftsmanship of Arnold & Son. To the uninitiated, the DTSB (Dial Side True Beat) features an exhibition movement that is solely used on chronometers. What I am excited for are the price points of these mechanical timepieces which are astonishingly low. Remember that John Arnold and his son were the pioneers of reasonably priced chronometers which are undoubtedly made with technical superiority which practically solves the problem of determining longitude at sea.

Meaning that by the front of the watch taking a look at the caseback you find a dark reflection and no opinion of your ailing arm hair. From the back of the watch, you can see right through to the other side. So compare this metal “Translucent Back” variant of this Arnold & Son Time Pyramid with the very first version with the totally clear sapphire crystal caseback that I went hands-on with here. And yes, this “updated” version costs a little more, of course. How much does this especially tinted sapphire crystal caseback cost you? About $2,000. It will look a little steep following the original version in steel has been released under a year before.The Arnold & Son Time Pyramid watch initially came out in 2013, also in 2014 I reviewed the 18k rose gold version of the Time Pyramid on aBlogtoWatch here. This remains one of my favorite watches made by Arnold & Son today because of its unique design, attractively symmetrical movement, and excellent wrist existence. The case is 44.6mm wide (water resistant to only 30 meters) and made with a crown o’clock as a result of the design of this movement. Additionally, it gives the event a more streamlined look as a result of the symmetry you get with the crown position.

Arnold & Son DSTB 2

Okay so let us go over the case design before anything else particularly the stunning true beat’s seconds mechanism on the very front face of the watch. The 43.5 mm 18 k white gold case looks pretty neat and rather subtle for a complicated watch. Although it does look larger at that size but then we are talking about a chronometer with an outstanding design. I just love the bezel and the crown, very well made and so clean. Plus the lugs hug the case as if you don’t notice it at all. That is perfect since you don’t want any excess attention to the eye candy which is central on the dial through the cambered sapphire with antireflective coating on both sides which also protects the exhibition caseback.

Arnold & Son DSTB 1

So that brings us to the domed dial with white lacquered accents for the hour readings which makes up 50 percent of the dial real estate. The rest goes to the true beat’s seconds mechanism presented entirely on the dial complete with the hands, the lever, the wheels and the three palladium-treated true beat seconds bridges. True to its heritage, the true beat seconds lever is shaped like an anchor bowing to Arnold’s maritime achievements. The watch practically demonstrated its rich British history and quality Swiss craftsmanship. Personally, I find the three-dimensional dial to be complicated enough yet remains practical. Remember that there is an interplay of intricate mechanisms playing along on the dial which is pretty much very exciting to say the least.

Arnold & Son DSTB 3

Nonetheless, power is provided by an in-house calibre A&S6003. The movement is self-winding and consists of 229 moving parts. The Arnold & Son DNA is everywhere on the movement such as the featured Haute Horlogerie finishing with hand-chamfered and satin-finished lever and bridges. It also boasts of polished edges and fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève rayonnantes. I am also amused of the visible blue PVD treated dial plate sporting screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads. And if it is not enough, turn the watch over and just look through the magnificent caseback and admire the solid 22-carat red gold guilloché oscillating weight sporting the company’s branding.

Perhaps what makes this timepiece really incredible is its numbers. There will be 125 pieces to be built and judging from that number, it is really limited. Besides you get to wear this on hand-stitched black or brown alligator leather. Also, if you are wondering if this chronometer is up to the test, well it is and pretty much it is water resistant up to 30 m.

For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com

Jovan

JOVAN KRSTEVSKI – FOUNDER, PROPRIETOR & EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Watch collector, aficionado and an Event profile in the Swedish nightlife. He launched Watchgeek back in 2011, which is now known as WristReview and is one of the most widely read watch blogs on the Web. He quotes ’WristReview is a site to help people find, explore, discover and enjoy wristwatches.’  His passion jump started in his early teens when he was given his first mid-range wristwatch which was an Omega Seamaster. Since then he has always been in love with wristwatches! Besides WristReview, he also writes for a number of publications. Read his articles here

Pre-Baselworld 2016: Arnold & Son Eight-Day Royal Navy Watch – Classic, Clean and Elegant Replica Watches Essentials


By Meor Amri Meor Ayob

During the 18th century, when nations in Europe were racing to conquer new territories, naval power was instrumental in that objective. Of all the nations involved in that game, the British were way ahead from any other nation due to cutting edge technologies which that country possesses. One small key technology that Britain had that allowed her ships to sail the seven seas were accurate marine chronometers which allowed mariners to determine the longitude on voyages. The maker of choice was Arnold & Son. The Royal Navy, which holds sway as the strongest navy in the world for two centuries became the brand’s most important customer. This endorsement sealed Arnold & Son’s reputation as a watchmaker of the highest order.

To celebrate this important heritage, the company has created the Arnold & Son Eight-Day Royal Navy.

Arnold-and-Son-Eight-Day-Royal-Navy

Made out of stainless steel, this new model is available with a choice of three different dials colours; silver grey 1EDAS.S01A.D135A, black anthracite 1EDAS.B01A.D134A or royal blue 1EDAS.U01A.D136A. A calfskin strap with the corresponding colour to dial completes the package. All three dials have a wavy sub-burst effect that is mesmerizing.

The Eight-Day Royal Navy has a number of complications; the power reserve display at 12 o’clock; the seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock; and a digital date display within the seconds sub-dial. Also, note that the background of the digital date display also corresponds to the colour of the dial for consistency.

Each watch measures 43 mm in diameter with a height of 10.7 mm. Viewed from the side, the casing has a slight cone-shaped that is stepped and tapers from top to bottom. Protecting the dial is an anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The case back is also covered by a sapphire crystal.

Arnold-and-Son-Eight-Day-Royal-Navy-Baselworld-2016-3

The engine that powers the Eight-Day Royal Navy is a newly developed and manufactured by Arnold & Son in-house eight-day power reserve winding movement – the A&S1016. This Calibre has twin barrel main-springs mounted in parallel. Viewed from the displace case back, main plates have wide gaps that allow you see the escapement, barrels and wheels. The surfaces on the Calibre have Geneva stripes, rhodium plated and edges are chambered and polished. The screws are blued and the main jewels are set in solid 18-carat gold chatons. Although this movement is large at 33 mm in diameter, despite the twin barrel main-springs, it is thin at just 4.7 mm. This is truly an engineering feat.

As a collector, I can appreciate and understand why Arnold & Son designed the Eight-Day Royal Navy the way it is. Keeping every complication on a North/South alignment reflects the historical linkage to the maritime need to find longitude (it also makes the watch symmetrical which I like). The design of a winding movement is also keeping to the tradition of the old marine chronometers. The power reserve indicator provides the visual cue to users to keep track on the power available in the main springs. My only design input to enhance the watch further would be a special gimbaled balanced display watch box that allows the wristwatch to be displayed like a marine chronometer in a ship. Something similar to the 2012 limited edition Hamilton Khaki Navy Pioneer.

Overall, I like the symmetry and the clean dial. If given a choice I’ll go for the blue dial.

For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com

Once set, the accuracy should hold for 122 decades, and a simple adjustment will ensure it for another 122 decades. The hand-wound motion is an Arnold & Son manufacture A&S1512 which defeats at 21,600 bph with a 90-hour power reserve. As if the case back weren’t beautiful enough, the C?tes de Genève shown throughout the movement is just lovely.The Arnold & Son HM Dual Hemisphere Perpetual Moon includes a black or brownish hand-stitched alligator strap and is sure to grab the attention of many a watch buff. The Arnold & Son HM Double Hemisphere Perpetual Moon watch is priced at $30,500. When attempting to solve a problem, the start is always a good place to get started. That is precisely the process followed by Arnold & Son in their endeavor to get rid of isochronal mistake from among their newest pieces, the Arnold & Son Continuous Force Tourbillon. Arnold & Son’s heritage is present in the legacy of John Arnold and his son, two of the most important watchmakers to come out of England. Having packed his son off to learn in the back of the Swiss maestro, Arnold turned his attentions to the problem of these times: the quest for chronometric accuracy at sea.

Namnlös12

MEOR AMRI MEOR AYOB – CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Meor Amri is a passionate watch collector from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Having bitten by the horology bug in 2010, he has written extensively about the watch scene and has assembled a large collection of watches (excessively!!!) on his own free time. His blogs on the same subject are: Eastern Watch & Western Watch Read his articles here

Arnold & Son UTTE Watch Hands-On Swiss Movement Replica Watches


By Osheen Arakelian

Arnold & Son recently unveiled 2 new beautiful timepieces to compliment the already impressive Instrument Collection range. Aptly named the Arnold & Son UTTE that stands for ultra-thin tourbillon escapement, the new editions have become some of the world’s thinnest wristwatches measuring in at an incredibly thin 8.34mm in overall size (and that includes the movement and tourbillon escapement, simply breathtaking). We were lucky enough to get hands on with the 18ct red gold variant for you viewing pleasure but before any wristshots here’s some more in depth detail of what the new Arnold & Son UTTE offers to the world of horology.

The Instrument collection by Arnold & Son is identified by its unique features including the off centre dial design, with off-centre positioning of the hours and minutes allowing the display of any other complications to be shown off without having any overlap. What this does is enhance the various complications and show off their amazing engineering on the dial without massive amounts of clutter and overlap. The UTTE follows this aesthetic with the tourbillon escapement occupying the lower half of the dial with the hours and minutes display sitting comfortably above in the top half of the dial.

Another wonderful feature of the UTTE is the size of the Tourbillon cage, which measures in at a whopping 14mm in diameter. What houses the Tourbillon movement is the exclusive Arnold & Son A&S8200, one minute flying tourbillon hand wound movement. The movement itself is only 2.97mm thick and has 2 different finishes depending on what colour is chosen, 18ct red gold or palladium in order to compliment the case perfectly. Another ingenious design feature is how the Tourbillon cage is built and positioned sitting not in the movement itself but rather higher on the dial almost flush with the hours and minutes markets. With only one visible screw thanks to the great engineering of the white coats at Arnold & Son, the timepiece not only has a great 3D effect but also looks unbelievably clean and gentle on the eyes.

The caseback is also beautifully presented with this particular variant housing a rhodium finished movement with gold accents and decorated with Côtes de Genève rayonnants. The Tourbillon Bridge is also decorated with hand engraving by the master engraver at Arnold & Son (A real treat on the eyes).

On the wrist it feels amazingly light and definitely draws a lot of attention especially with the way the Tourbillon dances inside the cage and stands out thanks to the positioning. It’s very comfortable and also form fit on the wrist and even though the case is 42mm in diameter it doesn’t feel big and overstated. Everything is clearly legible and beautifully presented making it a real treat to wear.

Fun Fact

The visionary UTTE is the perfect embodiment of a tourbillon escapement – a Haute Horlogerie complication that played a crucial role in Arnold & Son’s History. An exceptional watchmaker, John Arnold was an active participant in one of the most extraordinary partnerships in the world of innovative horology. Indeed, both he and Abraham-Louis Breguet worked closely together, sharing both their knowledge and passion. Evidence of their partnership is A.-L. Breguet’s first-ever tourbillon escapement mounted in John Arnold’s No.11 movement – a watch that can be found today in London’s British Museum.

IMG_0870 cover-photo IMG_0883 IMG_0859 IMG_0881 arnold-article-6 arnold-article-4 arnold-article-3 arnold-article-1

For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com

Product Specifications

Caliber

  • A&S8200 – Exclusive Arnold & Son ultra-thin tourbillon movement, one-minute flying tourbillon, hand-wound, 29 jewels, diameter 32 mm, thickness 2.97 mm, tourbillon cage diameter 14mm, power reserve over 90 h,
  • 21,600 vibrations/h
  • hours, minutes, tourbillon

18-carat red gold case model

  • nickel-silver movement, rhodium treated with Haute Horlogerie finishing: unique hand-engraved tourbillon bridge, hand-chamfered bridges with polished edges, fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève rayonnantes, circular satin-finished wheels with hand-chamfered and polished edges, blued screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads. Tourbillon cage: satin-finish with chamfered and polished edges.

Palladium case model

  • nickel-silver movement, NAC grey treated with Haute Horlogerie
    finishing: hand-chamfered bridges with polished edges, fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève, circular satin-finished wheels with hand-chamfered and polished edges, screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads. Tourbillon cage: satin-finish with chamfered and polished edges.
  • In 12 o’clock is a day/night index for both GMT time and home time, using fitting skeletonized and filled palms to tell them apart. The bottom half of the indicator is striped, which assists the visual representation of this “night” portion of the disc. I do want the Arnold & Son emblem was located elsewhere however, as its position interrupting the moments track at 12 o’clock can make precise time-setting difficult. Another niggling issue I discovered was that the second hand counterweight closely emulates the appearance of the home time hands, which may occasionally cause a moment of confusion once you glance down and watch three palms pointing at that dial. In an ideal world, I would have loved to observe that the moment hands on each dial stretched just a bit further to properly reach the minute trail, and the hour palms shortened a tad to not overlap the hour mark, but that is a minor aesthetic qualm that doesn’t impact utility.On the reverse side of the Arnold & Son DBG Skeleton, the bottom plate of this manufacture bore A&S1309 is shown. The movement is made from nickel silver (also known as German silver or Maillechort, an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc) which was rhodium-plated and embellished using C?tes de Genève. The wheels are satin-finished and supply a contrasting three dimensional texture into the bottom plate, and involving the chamfered edges of these bridges, the golden gear train can be seen. The motion is hand wound obviously, which contributes to its thinness in a mere 3.9mm. It features 42 jewels and offers a 40 hour power reserve while the twin balances oscillate at 21,600vph, or 3Hz. This is undoubtedly a highly refined motion, but compared to the depth of detail given by the skeletonized dial, the opposite side of this movement almost feels like a letdown.

Dial

  • silvery-white and silvery opaline / light-grey and silvery opaline

Case

  • 18-carat red gold / palladium, diameter 42 mm, cambered sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides, case back see-through sapphire, water- resistant to 30 m

Strap

  • hand-stitched black or brown alligator leather
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Osheen Arakelian – Contributing Editor

Drawing on a lifelong love of horology and a more recent introduction to appreciation of fine whisky, Osheen brought the two together with watch & whisky. He is proprietor of the site, which covers everything related to watches and whisky. In between completing a degree in commercial law and supporting a rich social life, he is out and about attending all the latest watch and whisky events Sydney has to offer. His passion has also taken him around Australia attending a number of events and he hopes to continue his career in the watch industry on a more serious level after he graduates. Read his articles here.