Arnold & Son Globetrotter Night

Globetrotter Night

Night flight

At once graphic, cartographic and hemispherical, the Globetrotter Night gives its display of world times over to the night. Beneath a crystal dome, this timepiece plays on nocturnal nuances and city lights.

In the 1780s, John Arnold contributed to the great revolution in ocean navigation with his marine chronometers. The Globetrotter Night reflects this historical legacy with its cartographic features and world times. As night follows day, Arnold & Son cloaks its Globetrotter in darkness, spectacularly showcasing our northern hemisphere when shrouded in vesperal shadow.

Panoramic vision Beneath a large sapphire crystal dome, an arch supports a half-globe in shades of grey and blue. It depicts the continents, the seas and the lights of the large cities located north of the equator. On the edge of the planet, a sapphire ring breaks down the 24 hours of a day. Transparent between 6 am and 6 pm, a metal treatment has been used to darken it, indicating the night-time hours. Together, the hemisphere and ring display the time in one part of the world, represented in a highly original way. In the absence of a dedicated hand or city disc, the time is read geographically in accordance with the continents.

The Earth by night
The Globetrotter Night offers a realistic and meticulously rendered interpretation of a three-dimensional map enclosed in a 45 mm steel case. Chemical engraving has been used on the half-globe to outline the continents. The raised parts have undergone a deep-grey galvanic treatment before being hand-lacquered in a black-grey hue, while the oceans are lacquered in grey-blue. Finally, the city lights twinkling in the northern hemisphere are represented by hand-applied silver sparkles.

The decorative touches and finishes adorning the Globetrotter Night extend beyond the Earth itself. The chapter ring is circular satin-brushed and the hands, despite being mostly concealed beneath the half-globe, are polished and accentuated by red-lacquered tips. The large double-foot bridge supporting the half-globe is a spectacular feature in itself that lends structure to the overall appearance of this timepiece. It is circular satin-brushed and chamfered by hand and held in place by screws with polished heads and chamfered slots.

Watchmaking ergonomics
These finishes are echoed extensively on the A&S6022 self-winding calibre powering the Globetrotter Night. Entirely developed and produced by the Arnold & Son Manufacture, it has a nocturnal style thanks to the widespread use of NAC-type surface treatments. The bridges are polished and chamfered, finished with Côtes de Genève stripes and coloured grey. The skeletonised oscillating weight is engraved and treated chemically with ADLC black and NAC grey to obtain a two-tone appearance using a matt straight-grained finish.

Beyond these aesthetic details, what makes the A&S6022 calibre special is its easy setting, thanks to a three position crown. The first winds the movement. The second adjusts the local time hand by one-hour jumps either clockwise or anti-clockwise. The third regulates the hours and minutes in addition to the planet’s rotation. When travelling to a different time zone, the second position enables the wearer to change local time while keeping world time synchronised.

In the interests of fairness, Arnold & Son can also provide a “southern hemisphere” version of its Globetrotter Night on request at the same price.

Arnold & Son DSTB Only Watch 2019 - Because every second counts!

DSTB Only Watch 2019

Because every second counts

 

The DSTB – Dial Side True Beat showcases what is normally concealed. With the Only Watch edition of this extraordinary timepiece, Arnold & Son offers the opportunity to personalise the seconds, which – more than any other component – defines the DSTB.

In 2019, for the second consecutive year, Arnold & Son is supporting the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy by participating in the Only Watch auction. For the occasion, the brand based in La Chaux-de-Fonds has created a unique edition of its Dial Side True Beat model, better known by the acronym DSTB. Arnold & Son chose this piece in particular to highlight the infinite treasures of every second and to celebrate life. Each short second also serves to underscore the long periods of time devoted to scientific and medical research into muscular dystrophy.  

The DSTB will be auctioned in Geneva on Saturday 9 November 2019.

True rhythm

Arnold & Son’s DSTB model calls on the watchmaking science of John Arnold, a British watchmaking genius active in the late 18th century. Throughout his career, he focused his efforts on the quest for extreme chronometric accuracy.

John Arnold garnered renown in part for his marine chronometers, which naturally featured a “dead-beat second” mechanism – more favourably known as a “true second” hand. This complication involves the second hand making 60 jumps per minute. It makes pronounced jumps from marker to marker instead of following the rhythm set by the oscillator frequency, which moves the hand several times per second and results in a continuous second.

As the display always points to a readable marker on the minute circle, it allows for an extremely precise reading, recalling both regulator-style workshop clocks and marine chronometers. Both of these kinds of timepieces had to be extremely precise as well as clearly legible.

Before the eyes

Despite being a common feature in quartz watches, where it is used to save energy, it is exceptionally rare for a true second to be added to a mechanical calibre – making it an utter delight for lovers of traditional watchmaking. Arnold & Son offers this complication on several models, one of which in particular has made a name for itself. 

Instead of incorporating it into the movement, the DSTB places the entire true seconds mechanism on the dial side, making it easy to understand and, above all, spectacular.

A single jump

The components of this unusual display can be found under a large transparent sapphire circle punctuated with light sky-blue indexes. To produce these precise components, the brand had to call on LIGA production technology, where, instead of being machined, the parts are formed using a technique reminiscent of microprocessor production.

The system operates in a similar way to a detent escapement. The movement drives an indirect seconds’ wheel with a lever fitted with a counterweight. This is connected to a lever ending in a ruby pallet stone. Every second, the energy accumulated lifts up the pallet stone, which allows the true seconds wheel and hand to move forwards by one notch. A spring then returns the lever to its place.

At the heart of the system, an anchor plays the highly visible role of counterweight. A symbol of the House and featured in its logo, the anchor serves as a reminder of the watchmaking roots of John Arnold, who devoted years of work to marine chronometers.

Unique and personal

As only befits a watch donated to the Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy, the DSTB Only Watch edition is a unique piece. It is characterised by its brushed anthracite DLC-treated steel case, its calfskin strap whose turned-out stitched seam is aligned with the off-centered hour and minute dial, and of course by the light sky-blue details chosen as the theme of Only Watch 2019.

But Arnold & Son has gone further still in the pursuit of uniqueness. The winning bidder for the DSTB Only Watch will be invited to choose the shape of the true seconds counterweight to replace the anchor-shaped piece.

Arnold & Son will then produce the component in question – after carrying out the necessary specific development and production processes – and incorporate it into the timepiece. The piece will then be both unique and personal. 

Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon, a trifold approach to chronometry

Constant Force Tourbillon

A trifold approach to chronometry

Its historical roots, aesthetic construction and true-beat seconds ascribe the Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon to the tradition of ultra-accurate marine chronometers. It's practicality – in terms of both readability and accuracy – has been clearly proven.

When John Arnold developed marine chronometers that would mark the history of navigation in the 1780s, he had to create high-precision systems that had both a long lifespan and an appropriate display scale to ensure the utility of the chronometry they provided. He therefore decided on a constant force mechanism paired with true-beat seconds.

Constant force involves inserting an energy-storage sub-system into the gear train just before the escapement. Supplied at regular intervals, this secondary reservoir produces extremely regular torque as it is released in consistent, small doses. It therefore differs from the barrels’ energy flow, which is delivered over a long period of time and naturally fluctuates. The balance spring thus receives an invariable source of energy, hence the name “Constant Force”.

Constant Force Tourbillon
The true-beat seconds is a consequence of this mechanism. As the constant force system is reloaded 60 times per minute, it is possible to display a second that jumps forward from marker to marker by simply attaching a hand to the winding wheel. Despite being a common feature of quartz watches, it remains a rare feat in mechanical timepieces.

On maps

This precise reading proved extremely useful for maritime positioning in the 18th century. The difference between the local time (measured by the position of the sun) and the reference time (kept by a clock) gave the distance traveled along the east-west axis of the earth. Or in other words, a vessel's longitude. The creation of marine chronometers allowed captains to know their position and, more importantly, to know how far away they were from a deadly reef or shallow waters.

Given the scale of transoceanic navigation, every second counted, as each represented a potential error of hundreds of miles. There was no point in a timepiece being accurate if its information display was not equally as precise. Because a true-beat seconds hand stays immobile for an entire second, its readings were all the more accurate.

In its design 230 years later, Arnold & Son continues to use this device in a model that incorporates all existing solutions for supreme chronometric results: the Constant Force Tourbillon. Its A&S5119 calibre adopts the same characteristic layout as John Arnold's marine chronometers. It testifies to the mechanism's inner arrangement through technical prowess and symmetry, which go hand-in-hand with performance and precision.

The two series-coupled barrels are located at 11:30 and 1:30. When the force supplied by the first barrel falls below a predefined threshold, the second barrel reinforces it to smooth out the central – and longest – part of the torque. In addition, the A&S5119 calibre features a patented constant force wheel at 7:30, which is supplied with power every second. It can be seen under the truebeat seconds hand (a complication that is naturally also included) and can be identified by the anchor that acts as the winding mechanism's satellite carrier – a symbol that is precious to Arnold & Son in relation to its maritime heritage.

This constant force wheel supplies the regulating organ of the Constant Force Tourbillon, a one minute tourbillon that beats at a frequency of 3 Hz and is located at 4:30. By rotating and adopting every position in order to establish an average, the system reduces the detrimental effects of gravity on the parts in the regulating organ. As well as lending prestige to the watch, it also constitutes a source of chronometry with high added watchmaking value.

In history

The combination of the three approaches with the barrels and the escapement in the space results in almost zero variation in amplitude over the entire power reserve of 90 hours – an extremely rare achievement. And yet, such consistency is a major determining factor in rate precision.

Measurements made using the Constant Force Tourbillon show an average daily rate variation of around 3 seconds. This is an error rate of less than 4 in 100,000. Once again, this Arnold & Son timepiece illustrates the power that the cultural and historical heritage of chronometry continues to wield.

Arnold & Son Opens its First Flagship Boutique

Luxury watchmaker Arnold & Son has opened it's first flagship boutique, as part of the Citizen Flagship Store, in the newly launched GINZA SIX, Tokyo’s premier luxury shopping destination. 

The boutique will feature a large collection of timepieces, including some that are quite limited and hard to find.  Also included in the Citizen Watch Group are Frédérique Constant and Bulova, who will also have displays within the stores wide open luxury spaces. The layout of the store was designed purposefully to allow guests to view, touch and experience a full range of timepieces firsthand. The staff are multilingual and extremely knowledgeable, and will be able to assist customers from all over the world.

The new store is located at: GINZA SIX 1F, 6-10-1, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061.

New from Arnold & Son - the DBG Skeleton

Arnold & Son takes great pride in making sure that their movements are as exceptional as their exterior suggests, even if you cannot see them. In this piece, the DBG, which is an acronym for Double Balance GMT, the movement is now unveiled, so the wearer cannot enjoy its beauty, depth and fine finishing.  

The GMT function is perfect for travelers, and for those who just love to know the time in another zone of the world.  

Based on the original DBG that launched in 2012, the movement of the DBG Skeleton needed to be somewhat redesigned to allow for the dial to be removed and maintain its complete symmetry.

At this time, the watch is only available in a red gold case.  

Pre-Basel - Arnold & Son HM Falcon

Arnold & Son has just released a the HM Falcon Unique Piece as part of their Métiers d’Art collection. The hand painted falcon is set on a mother-of-pearl dial and the artist uses delicate nuances of colors and tones, using tiny brushstrokes and texturing gradually to build-up the entire image, which results in a stunning finished design, full of depth. 

Human love of falcons goes back many centuries. In ancient Egypt, the falcon was deified as Horus, the god of the sky and kingship. In other civilizations and cultures, the falcon symbolizes vision, agility and victory. Falconry can also be traced back to early China, where records indicate they were being used by humans to hunt. They were also used as royal gifts in the Heian dynasty in China, dating back to 2205 BC.

The unique piece comes with an ultra-thin A&S1001 manufacture movement with over 90 hours of power reserve; and is housed in an 18-karat rose gold case, with a brown alligator strap. The case can also be adorned with a diamond set bezel if desired.

Favorite Watches of 2016 - Arnold & Son

I absolutely loved this Arnold & Son UTTE Skeleton, even more so when I learned from Arnold & Son head of innovation that the movement was redesigned from scratch, it wasn’t just the movement from the previously releases UTTE. That piece was never intended to have the dial removed, and would not have held up to the high standards of Arnold & Son design, so the entire movement was rethought out. The result, a stunning piece of machinery that also happened to be the thinnest skeleton tourbillon on the market when it was released.