Arnold & Son is among the participating brands of Geneva Watch Days. At the ‘Geneva Watch Days – 24 hours in Zurich’ we saw the new Perpetual Moon 38 Night Tide, a beautiful limited edition artisanal timepiece.
Arnold & Son dates back to 1764, with the story of the 18th century British watchmaker John Arnold (1736-1799). He produced some of the most accurate, award-winning marine chronometers of the era. One of his pieces, the No. 3 accompanied James Cook, the famous British naval captain, navigator and explorer on his second voyage. From 1796, his son, John Roger Arnold (1769-1843) continued his work and in 1830 went into business with Edward John Dent. After the death of John Roger Arnold, Arnold & Son is continued by Charles Frodsham, a renowned English watchmaker, until the middle of the 19th century.
The Arnold & Son brand was relaunched in La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1995, with the aim to carry on the tradition and craftsmanship of quality English watchmaking – as they say ‘Swiss watchmaking with English roots’.
In 2012, the Japanese Citizen Watch Group acquired Prothor, the holding company for Arnold & Son SA, Manufacture La Joux-Perret and Prototec SA.
This spring Pascal Béchu, former vice-president of sales of Arnold & Son and Angelus was appointed as general manager. He has been with Arnold & Son and Angelus since 2020 and has worked on increasing the operational efficiency and the turnover of the brands. Recently he oversaw the global sales strategy, and played an integral part in the brands’ successful transformation. ‘This transition presents a chance to pursue our long-term objectives, and we are committed to enhancing the solid foundation established over these past few years.’ – said Jean-Claude Eggen, CEO of Manufacture La Joux-Perret.
Inspired by the maritime heritage and embodying John Arnold’s legacy, Arnold & Son’s creations travel around three themes: Astronomy, Chronometry and World Time. The Astronomy line includes the Perpetual Moon and the Luna Magna models with the largest three-dimensional rotating moon ever built into a wristwatch. Both model families opt for special dials with amazing artistic techniques.
In the Chronometry collection you can find other complications, such as the Ultrathin Tourbillon, the Time Pyramid with a skeletonised movement in the shape of a pyramid, the ‘Dial-Side True Beat’ with true-beat seconds’ function, the fully skeletonised Nebula pieces in 38 and 41.5 mm and the latest, the Longitude Titanium. It is a COSC-certified chronometer with a power-reserve display, seconds counter at 6 o’clock and with an integrated titanium bracelet.
Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 38 Night Tide
Upon meeting with Pascal Béchu at the Zurich event I had the chance to see this novelty. The 38mm white gold case sits very nicely on the wrist. The bezel, the lungs and the crown are decorated with 80 diamonds. On the dial a large moon made of ruthenium crystals appears over the vast waves of the sea. The scenic waves are depicted with hand-painted ruthenium crystals and mother-of-pearl marquetry in different shades of blue. The sky above the sea is also mother-of-pearl, tinted with a blue gradation and adorned with luminescent hand-painted constellations.
The timepiece houses the A&S1612, hand-wound mechanical caliber, with the moon phase complication. At 29.4 mm this movement is designed to fit a 38 mm diameter case that is just 10.44 mm thick. The successive shapes of the moon’s crescent occupy the large aperture between 10 and 2 o’clock, while the form of its cut-out faithfully recreates the appearance of the moon.
The new Perpetual Moon 38 Night Tide is limited to 18 pieces.
Source: press release. Photo credits: Arnold & Son
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