Arnold & Son celebrates its 250th anniversary
with innovative and exquisite timepieces that uphold its founding family’s
traditions.
Both sides of the DSTB, a limited edition of 50 pieces. |
The company started in 1764, the year that English
horologist John Arnold presented a repeater watch — the smallest of its day — to
King George III as a gift for the monarch’s birthday. After making watches for the
aristocracy, Arnold expanded his legacy a few years later by revolutionizing maritime
navigation and creating highly accurate chronometers that allowed sailors to determine
longitude while at sea.
Anchors Aweigh
That nautical heritage can be seen clearly in the form of an
anchor-shaped lever on the front of the limited edition DSTB. The acronym
stands for Dial Side True Beat, which describes the watch’s namesake
complication.
With most mechanical watches, the seconds hand rotates
smoothly around the dial, making it difficult to read the exact second. In
contrast, a true beat mechanism is easier to read because it forces the seconds
hand to pause for every increment. For the DSTB, the true beat mechanism is exposed
and given pride of place atop the movement plate. To better spotlight the
mechanical show, a transparent seconds register frames the wheels, gold bridges
and anchor-shaped lever as they work.
The stainless steel version of the Time Pyramid. |
Turn the watch over and the DSTB’s self-winding movement is visible through the clear caseback attached to the 43.5mm red gold case. To maintain the exclusivity of this special anniversary timepiece, production will be limited to only 50 watches.
The DSTB is part of the Instrument Collection, a group
inspired by the precise and durable timekeepers John Arnold and his son Roger
made for the British Royal Navy and other marine explorers. Another member of
that collection is the Time Pyramid. The stainless steel version introduced
this year at Baselworld is garnering a great deal of attention. One look and
you’ll understand why. Shaped like a pyramid, Arnold & Son’s skeleton
movement is a vision of symmetric beauty from the balance wheel up top, to the
crown at the bottom of the 44.6mm case.
From left: the HM Perpetual Moon and TEC1. |
Noble Pedigree
The firm also offers the Royal Collection, a showcase for
watches that combines technical complexity with fine craftsmanship. The HM
Perpetual Moon captures the spirit of the collection with a dramatic moon phase
display that rises from the cream-colored dial. The level of detail is
remarkable, from the crater-pocked gold moon to the waves of guilloché covered
with translucent blue lacquer that make up the background.
A similar shade of blue takes over the dial of the red gold
version of the TEC1. Its dagger-shaped hour markers echo the pointed tips found
on the bridge that secures the tourbillon in place. Lines engraved on the main
plate radiate behind the whirling mechanism and draw the eye deeper into the
design. In addition to the tourbillon, the automatic movement also
features a column-wheel chronograph that’s activated by the pushers on the side
of the 45mm case. Extremely rare, the TEC1 is a limited edition of just 28
pieces.
As Arnold & Son observes its 250-year milestone, Cellini
Jewelers joins the celebration by adding the historic brand to its collection. Cellini
President Leon Adams explains why he’s a fan. “We only share brands that we
think are unique and innovative, and Arnold & Son is one of the most
exciting brands I’ve seen in a while.”
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