Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Arnold & Son Constant Force 11 Platinum Edition
A continued celebration of the bond between two of biggest names in watchmaking history.
Friendships matter in life, and what better way to celebrate the bond between two of watchmaking’s greatest individuals than with a tribute watch? Bringing together Abraham-Louis Breguet’s renowned tourbillon escapement and John Arnold’s beloved fusée-and-chain system, lovingly replaced with a constant force mechanism, the Constant Force Tourbillon 11 made a deep impression when launched earlier this year. Following the yellow gold and white Grand Feu enamel debut, Arnold & Son now returns to the stage with a platinum version, fitted with a very special and captivating hand-engraved dial!
As you might have guessed, the fully polished case is now executed in platinum, which still measures 41.5mm in width and 13.7mm in height. That means it’s a fairly sizeable watch, which is acceptable given the space needed for the tourbillon and constant force mechanism. Naturally, it’s finished with a sapphire crystal on both sides, and on the right, there is a nicely proportioned crown with a fluted edge for grip, and the Arnold & Son anchor logo in relief.
Similar to its predecessor, time is read on a concave white ppal subdial in the top left corner, with black Roman numerals and flame-blued hands for the hours and minutes. But it’s what surrounds this subdial, and the constant force mechanism as well, which matters most. Stepping away from the serenity of the white Grand Feu enamel dial of the original, this Platinum Edition has a solid yellow gold base dial with a hand-engraved Arnold & Son “fern” pattern. It’s inspired by the fern-covered moors around Tintagel, Cornwall, the birthplace of John Arnold. The result is quite spectacular, as the irregular zig-zags of the craftsman throw around reflections in all sorts of ways.
The AS5219 manually wound movement remains virtually untouched, apart from the finishing of some of the components visible dial-side. The constant force mechanism, evening out the energy delivered to the tourbillon escapement, is again presented in full view. The large, blued anchor-shaped deadbeat seconds hand is a classical styling cue found in many Arnold & Son watches, as well as the maker’s marine chronometry legacy, so it makes a fitting appearance. Around the back, you will see the same engraved plaque honouring the special friendship between John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet at the top, with a large frosted and hand-bevelled bridge for the tourbillon escapement beneath it. It runs at a rate of 21,600vph and delivers a power reserve of 100 hours thanks to a twin-barrel system hidden by the three-quarter plate. The rest of the backside of the movement remains fairly restrained in design, although it is finished to Haute Horlogerie standards, of course.
This new version of the wonderful Constant Force Tourbillon 11 by Arnold & Son comes in a run of just 11 pieces, all paired with a navy blue alligator leather strap with a black alligator leather lining and a platinum folding clasp. The price is set at CHF 140,600 excluding VAT.
For more information, please visit ArnoldandSon.com.
