Arnold & Son takes its name from John Arnold, the eminent 18th-century English watchmaker and pioneer of marine chronometers, who played a key role in the golden age of maritime exploration. Born in Cornwall in 1736, John Arnold was one of the most prominent watchmakers of his time. His pursuit of precision, essential for determining longitude at sea, laid the foundations for three inseparable principles: astronomy, chronometry, and world time that define the pillars of Arnold & Son’s contemporary timepieces. John Arnold held patents for a detent escapement, a bimetallic balance and a helical balance spring. He also contributed significantly to the development of marine chronometry, participating in the quest to solve the problem of longitude at sea and receiving grants and awards from the British Board of Longitude.
Arnold maintained a friendship with Abraham-Louis Breguet, the celebrated watchmaker whose innovations profoundly influenced the development of horology. Their relationship extended to the next generation: their respective sons are associated with an exchange of professional training between the two watchmaking workshops, reflecting the historical ties between these pioneering figures.
Since its revival in 1995, Arnold & Son has continued to draw inspiration from its rich historical heritage. Today, as part of Manufacture La Joux-Perret, the brand produces limited quantities of timepieces featuring sophisticated complications, including tourbillons, double tourbillons, innovative moon-phase displays, world time, constant-force mechanisms and deadbeat seconds.
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