Arnold & Son Unveils Heir to the Throne  

The Royal Collection of Arnold & Son welcomed a new timepiece this week. The latest addition pays tribute to the brand’s founder, John Arnold. The brand has made a habit of paying tribute to its English heritage, and the strategy continues to work well. Here’s our close-up look at the TES Tourbillon.  

The TES Tourbillion celebrates John Arnold’s role in the development of one of the most elegant complications in the world of horology: the tourbillon. The English watchmaker worked closely with A.-L. Breguet, and mounted the latter’s invention on his N. 11 movement, a watch safeguarded in London’s British Museum.

The new tourbillon is housed in a 44 mm 18-carat red gold case with a NAC grey main plate, a sapphire barrel bridge and rose gold treated bridges. The result is a dial with tremendous depth, and a sportier look than what we are used to from Arnold & Son. But this tourbillon isn’t like others. Instead it’s been inverted, so that the most visually interesting and complex features of the tourbillon are shown on the dial side, instead of through the case back.

According to the brand, this is a feature inspired by traditional British watchmaking, and there are others like it. The barrel bridge for instance has the traditional English wave-form. The decoration of the main plate is reminiscent of an old guilloché pattern found on the cases of antique Arnold & Son pocket watches. The attention to detail, and desire to pay tribute to its heritage are valuable details for Arnold & Son collectors, and they’ll be happy to see the brand is sticking to those principals this year.

In terms of size, the TES is consistent with other Arnold & Son novelties, and confirms the brand’s confidence in larger watches, although it’s thinner than the TEC1. The new timepiece features the hand-finished A&S8100 calibre with sapphire barrel bridge, a movement inspired by traditional “English” movements.

The TES Tourbillon comes with a hand-stitched black or brown alligator leather strap, and will be produced in a limited edition of 28 pieces. Pricing is unavailable. For more, please visit Arnold & Son.