Arnold & Son DSTB 42 Platinum

Arnold & Son's watchmaking is remarkable for its ability to balance the creation of exceptional horological marvels while upholding the legacy of John Arnold. The beauty with which these two elements are combined has resulted in a litany of acclaimed Arnold & Son watch collections, like the 2014-released DSTB. An acronym for Dial Side True Beat, this collection spotlights a rare complication that few watchmakers have ever attempted. For Arnold & Son, the deadbeat or 'true beat' as they call it, is a mechanism that finds its roots in the early marine chronometers made by John Arnold for the Royal Navy. This feature, crucial for ensuring precise timekeeping down to the second, makes a mechanical watch tick like a quartz one. Therefore, unlike conventional mechanical watches, the second hand of a watch with the deadbeat second jumps once per second rather than sweeping smoothly.

Design

The DSTB collection forges impressive creative harmony by displaying this singular complication in a tasteful layout. For that much-favoured flair of Arnold & Son complexity, the complete dead second mechanism rests on the dial, occupying most of the available real estate. As a result, three open-worked bridges, one of which holds the large seconds hand, a minute tracker, finely-finished wheels, and an anchor-shaped counterpoise that moves with the calibre underneath, are all prominently visible on the dial. The primary timekeeping dial, featuring hours and minutes, is transposed at four o’clock, ensuring the deadbeat mechanism remains the watch’s fundamental cynosure.

Arnold & Son DSTB Range

The collection has remained mostly unchanged over the years, keeping all the key elements intact. The watch's elegant round case is offered in various materials, including precious metals and stainless steel. As the dial continues to serve as a canvas for showcasing the watch's technical and aesthetic excellence, it serves rightly as a platform for creative exploration. Therefore, elegant hues and intricate finishes are lavishly applied to the dial, creating a splendid haute horlogerie effect on the wrist.