Hands-on with the New Arnold & Son HMS1 with Guilloché Dial – LIVE Photos, Price and Specs

We have praised the Arnold & Son HMS1 before. Its ultra-thin in-house calibre A&S1001, manages to store 90 hours of power reserve in two main spring barrels and yet the HMS1 remains a subtle low profile (in more than one way.) Now they introduce two new HMS1 models with absolutely gorgeous guilloché dials and we had some hands-on time with the white gold version!

Earlier we already showed you the special edition UTTE (Ultra-Thin Tourbillon Escapement) for Asprey that also features a similar stunning guilloché dial. Such an engine-turned (English for guilloché) dial can only be made on an old rose-engine lathe and by a skilled artisan. This is no work for computer-automated machinery and still a sign of fine hand-work.

Monochrome had the good chance to get some hands-on time, when we visited the Arnold & Son manufacture last month. There are actually two new models, one in white gold (we’ll show you more of that one) and a version in 18-carat rose gold. Each of the versions has its own distinct guilloché pattern. Indices, in the same colour and material as the case, are applied on the guilloché dials, and the hands are also matching.

Inside the 18-carat rose or white gold case ticks the ultra-thin in-house calibre A&S1001. The movement’s main plate and bridges are crafted in nickel silver (often referred to as German silver) and are beautifully decorated by hand. The main plate features pèrlage (circular graining) and the bridges are decorated with Côtes de Genève rayonnantes. The manually chamfered bridges with polished edges are rhodium treated, which give the bridges a spectacular shine. It’s also good to note that the curves of the bridge, can only be chamfered and polished by hand; no machine can do this.

The Arnold & Son HMS1 comes in a 40mm round case, with nicely shaped lugs. These two new models are in 18-carat red gold or white gold, however there are also two models (with other dials) in stainless steel. Price for the HMS1 in rose gold is CHF16,092 and CHF17,550 for the HMS1 white gold (prices are including Swiss VAT).

• Case: diameter 40 mm, 18-carat rose gold or 18-carat white gold, cambered sapphire with anti-reflective coating on both sides, see-through sapphire case back, water-resistant to 30 m
• Movement: Calibre A&S1001 (exclusive Arnold & Son movement), hand-wound, 21 jewels, diameter 30 mm, thickness 2.7 mm, power reserve 90 h, double barrel, 21,600 vph,
• Movement decoration: nickel-silver movement, rhodium treated with Haute Horlogerie finishing: hand-chamfered bridges with polished edges, fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève rayonnantes, blued screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads
• Strap: hand-stitched brown or black alligator leather

More info: www.arnoldandson.com