Loading...Arnold & Son belongs to one of the “Newcomers” with really old history in the Background, their history Stretches back hundreds of years. Not only that, their history is based in England, british horology had for a long time a highly respected Position in watchmaking, up to today. George Daniels and other geniusses contributed their share to british watchmaking.
Arnold & Son derives most of their design and ideas from past british pocketwatches or desk and wall clocks. One example for that was is the Pyramid timepiece. But they are relentless, and are coming up with many new ideas which I like to share with you.
Two new versions of Arnold & Son’s exceptional ultra-thin tourbillon
Arnold & Son extends its Instrument Collection by presenting two new versions of its UTTE tourbillon. With the &S8200 movement measuring just 2.97 mm thick and the final cased watch a mere 8.34 mm, the UTTE is one of the thinnest tourbillon wristwatch ever produced. The calibre A&S8200 was developed designed and manufactured entirely in house at the brand’s La Chaux-de-Fonds workshops.
UTTE Exclusive Arnold & Son ultra-thin tourbillon movement A&S8200, one-minute flying tourbillon, hand-wound,silvery-white and silvery opaline dial, 18-carat red gold case, diameter 42 mm
© Arnold & Son
The UTTE is part of Arnold & Son’s Instrument Collection, wherein timepieces are easily identified by their dial design, with off-center position of the hours and minutes to allow for the display of other complications without one overlapping the other. The UTTE follows this design aesthetic, with the spherical tourbillon occupying the lower portion of the dial. The alluring, timeless lines of the stepped 42 mm case, which tapers from the top to the bottom, imbue this watch with an austere elegance.
The dial of the UTTE has a complex multilevel structure with three different finishes that offer breathtaking depth and dimension. The two new models share the same dial design but with a different finish in order to complement the respective case material. The palladium version has a light-grey and silvery opaline dial while the 18-carat red gold version has a silvery-white and silvery opaline dial.
As can be seen above, there are two new Versions:
UTTE Exclusive Arnold & Son ultra-thin tourbillon movement A&S8200, one-minute flying tourbillon, hand-wound,silvery-white and silvery opaline dial, 18-carat red gold case, diameter 42 mm
UTTE Exclusive Arnold & Son ultra-thin tourbillon movement A&S8200, one-minute flying tourbillon, hand-wound,light-grey and silvery opaline, palladium case, diameter 42 mm
© Arnold & Son
The UTTE is a masterful demonstration of elegant design and superb technical prowess. The ultra-thin A&S8200 movement – and the ultimate UTTE watch – is the result of several years of research and development, and boasts important features and functions. In fact, when the brand embarked on the creation of an additional tourbillon, Arnold & Son’s team of watchmakers and engineers determined that the end result should possess unique features that would set it apart in the watch world: It had to be at the same time thin, boast a big and three-dimensional tourbillon cage and have a long power reserve.
A&S8200
Exclusive Arnold & Son ultra-thin tourbillon movement A&S8200, one-minute flying tourbillon,
Haute Horlogerie finishing, tourbillon cage diameter 14 mm, tourbillon cage finishing: satin-finish
with hand-chamfered and polished edges
© Arnold & Son
Utilizing the most cutting-edge technology, Arnold & Son pushed the creative envelope to achieve this goal – thus developing an exceptional timepiece. The UTTE has a movement that is just 2.97 mm thick and a case thickness of only 8.34 mm, making the UTTE one of the thinnest tourbillon watches on the market.
Additionally, while the movement diameter is 32 mm, the tourbillon cage is a massive 14 mm in diameter – thus occupying almost half of the movement space for impressive visual appeal. To add further dramatic beauty to this already impressive watch, Arnold & Son created a totally spherical tourbillon cage – one devoid of any flat surfaces – for a magnificent three-dimensional aesthetic effect. In fact, the flying tourbillon cage is not inset into the calibre, but instead rises out of the movement, through the dial, and achieves the same height as the hour and minute hands. With an eye toward every detail, and the desire for harmonious appeal, the watchmakers removed all visible screws so the spherical tourbillon cage appears beautifully balanced. The only visible screws are on the regulator.
Finally, to ensure a long power reserve of at least 90 hours, the brand implemented two barrels to offer more constant force and unprecedented power reserve for an ultra-thin tourbillon.
A&S8200
© Arnold & Son
UTTE is created in either 18-carat red gold or palladium (a rare alloy in the watch world). Each movement is finished in a colour to complement the case colour, and each features a different Côtes de Genève pattern. The 18-carat red gold case watch houses the movement treated in rhodium and decorated with Côtes de Genève rayonnantes. The tourbillon bridge of the 18-carat red gold UTTE is entirely hand-engraved by Arnold & Son’s master engraver. The palladium UTTE version houses a NAC grey treated movement decorated with a straight Côtes de Genève pattern for a bold, contemporary appeal.
Historical Context
John Arnold and A.-L. Breguet, silver cased chronometer with tourbillon and spring-detent escapement,
London, England, 1774 and Paris, France, 1808
© The Trustees of the British Museum
The visionary UTTE is the perfect embodiment of a tourbillon escapement – a Haute Horlogerie complication that played a crucial role in Arnold & Son’s History. An exceptional watchmaker, John Arnold was an active participant in one of the most extraordinary partnerships in the world of innovative horology. Indeed, both he and Abraham-Louis Breguet worked closely together, sharing both their knowledge and passion. Evidence of their partnership is A.-L. Breguet’s first-ever tourbillon escapement mounted in John Arnold’s No.11 movement – a watch that can be found today in London’s British Museum.
