SpotlightGolden Hour: Presenting Arnold & Son’s Double Tourbillon And Ultrathin Tourbillon Timepieces At Watches And Wonders 2023

Known for their complex watches with an understated elegance, Arnold & Son’s focus this year is all about celebrating the tourbillon mechanism. This is best represented in the new launches from their Grandes Complication (Double Tourbillon) and Ultrathin Tourbillon collections. While the Swiss company stands out for upholding traditional fine watchmaking values, they have achieved a fine balance of integrating technical innovation with elegant designs that brilliantly highlight their haute horlogerie skills. Here’s a look at their highlights from Watches and Wonders 2023.

Double Tourbillon White Gold

While this complication was earlier available in jade, the brand have launched two new versions—in options of aventurine or malachite dials. These gorgeous timepieces harness the beauty of glass and stone, which form the perfect backdrop for highlighting the double tourbillon mechanism. Their spirit is entirely in keeping with the brand’s legacy of marine chronometers developed by John Arnold, which could tell the local time by observing the stars and the time in a distant location as a universal reference point.

The stunning dial of the malachite version (featured here) displays off-centre hour dials in white opal, with Roman numerals at 12 o’clock (for local time) and Arabic numerals at six o’clock (for remote time)

The new models come in 18-karat white gold cases, measuring 43.5mm and are water-resistant to 30m

The new models come in 18-karat white gold cases, measuring 43.5mm and are water-resistant to 30m. The dials look stunning as they display the double tourbillon in its full glory. Besides this, there are also off-centre hour dials, crafted in white opal, showcasing the digits in Roman numerals at 12 o’clock (for local time) and Arabic numerals at the six o’clock position (for remote time). The hours and minutes displays of these two dials are entirely independent. The double tourbillon is a rare construction in fine watchmaking and this mechanism can follow two distinct time zones to the minute. It is based on the two fundamental principles of John Arnold’s work—chronometry and world time. His aim in producing marine chronometers was to simplify and reproduce a perfectly reliable means of time measurement, especially while undertaking arduous journeys on the turbulent seas.

Here, the twin tourbillons are attached to a three-dimensional bridge, boast a cantilevered skeleton configuration, and are crafted in white gold. They are also hand-chamfered, satin-finished, and mirror-polished

It is driven by the in-house hand-wound calibre A&S8513, with a click spring that prevents the barrels from unwinding uncontrollably, and beats at 21,600vph to supply a power reserve of at least 90 hours

This has been achieved by the in-house hand-wound calibre A&S8513, replete with high-end finishings such as the Côtes de Genève stripes on the bridges, a pearlised main plate, circular graining on the wheels, and polished gold chatons. Here, the twin tourbillons are attached to a three-dimensional bridge, boast a cantilevered skeleton configuration, and are crafted in white gold. They are also hand-chamfered, satin-finished, and mirror-polished and are also the end of a double gear train. So, this movement features two barrels and two crowns (at two and eight o’clock) for two time zones. It also has a click spring that prevents the barrels from unwinding uncontrollably and beats at a frequency of 21,600vph to supply a power reserve of at least 90 hours. Unlike other dual timers, this watch can display the time in zones offset by 15, 30 or 45 minutes.

Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold

This new launch combines the finesse of gold and silver and is one of the slimmest tourbillons from Arnold & Son. While in the past, the brand have presented this in a skeletonised version and also one with blue and green dials; this new model—limited to 88 pieces only—comes in an elegant, silver-toned opaline finish, with an off-centre dial at 12 o’clock made of genuine white opal. This is housed in a round, 18-karat red gold case, measuring 41.5mm in diameter, 8.3mm in thickness (or thinness), and is water-resistant to 30m. It features a bassiné (basin) design highlighted by a round case shape and a deep dish style, where the dial seems to be fitted deep inside this red-gold framework. A fine metal band of the same golden hue surrounds the hours dial and the tourbillon aperture as well. Overall, the watch cuts a fine figure with its impeccable structural symmetry and balance in terms of design. This allows for the tourbillon at six o’clock to stand out as the star attraction of this timepiece, as visually, there are no other distractions on the dial.

The new Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold is housed in a round, 18-karat red gold case, measuring 41.5mm in diameter, 8.3mm in thickness (or thinness), and is water-resistant to 30m

At the heart of the Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold beats the A&S8300 calibre, which—at only 2.97mm—is one of the slimmest ever designed, with a power reserve of 100 hours

At the heart of the Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold beats the A&S8300 calibre, which—at only 2.97mm—is one of the slimmest movements ever designed by the brand. The highest point of the calibre is at the top of its tourbillon carriage. The variable-inertia balance ensures more stable calibration over time. The redesigned tourbillon carriage with a triangular shape evokes a sextant, while its double-arrow counterpoise represents an anchor. The point in the middle serves as a seconds marker, as the carriage completes a full rotation in one minute.

The bridges of the tourbillon appear on the mainplate’s aperture—hand-engraved with a design inspired by the engravings found on John Arnold’s pocket watches. Crafted in yellow gold, they blend with the gear train while creating an aesthetic contrast with the rest of the calibre. Modifications to the tourbillon carriage and regulating organ have increased the power reserve of this manual-winding mechanism to a generous 100 hours.