Introducing Arnold & Son Unveils the Constant Force Tourbillon 11

Arnold & Son presents the new Constant Force Tourbillon 11, designed to mark the conclusion of the 260th-anniversary celebrations of John Arnold’s legacy. This timepiece pays tribute to the watchmaker’s ingenuity and his close association with Abraham-Louis Breguet.

The architecture of this calibre is inspired by the timekeeping instrument driven by the first tourbillon created by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1808, based on a chronometer movement designed by John Arnold. This historic tourbillon regulator, now housed in the British Museum, was gifted to John Roger Arnold by the Paris-based watchmaker in honor of his scientific collaboration and friendship with his father.

During Abraham-Louis Breguet’s frequent trips to London between 1789 and 1791, the two watchmakers shared their views and knowledge on the principles of timekeeping, advancing the science of horology. For them, timekeeping had no boundaries.

While John Arnold admired the understated design of Breguet’s watches and his understanding of complex kinematics, Breguet was captivated by his English friend’s ability to invent simple mechanisms that could be mass-produced while achieving a chronometric precision unmatched by other watchmakers of the time. Their collaboration, which included sending their sons to train with each other, led to significant advancements in eliminating running errors in watch balances.

The Constant Force Tourbillon 11 features a 41.5 mm diameter case in 18-carat yellow gold. The yellow hue of this precious metal was chosen because it was frequently used by John Arnold for prestigious pocket watches. The timepiece’s curved case middle helps reduce its profile. The front is adorned with a thin bezel and a slightly domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides. The open case back, also in yellow gold, features an identical sapphire crystal. The watch is water-resistant up to 30 meters.

For this model, Arnold & Son selected a white Grand Feu enamel dial reminiscent of the dials on the ship’s chronometers that John Arnold offered to English naval officers. This dial was individually produced by a specialist artisan on an 18-carat yellow gold base.

The dial features two openings: the constant force mechanism at 4 o'clock and a white opal subdial at 11 o'clock. For the first time at Arnold & Son, this opal stone has been recessed to enhance its visual presence and improve the readability of the black transfer Roman numerals.

The hand-wound A&S5219 calibre was entirely developed and built at the manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. It is equipped with a constant force mechanism visible on the dial and is regulated by a tourbillon visible on the back. Two barrels provide a 100-hour power reserve, alternating to maintain optimum torque.

To ensure isochronism over 100 hours of operation, the movement designers incorporated a patented constant force mechanism between the going train and the tourbillon. Beyond delivering constant force, this system also enables a ‘dead-beat seconds’ indication, where the direct-drive hand advances in precise one-second jumps much like marine chronometers.

In the Constant Force Tourbillon 11, the seconds are indicated not by a conventional hand but by the tip of a flame-blued anchor that serves as a structural bridge for the constant force mechanism.

The watch is paired with a blue alligator leather strap fastened with a classic pin buckle in 18-carat yellow gold, bearing the Arnold & Son monogram. It is available as a limited edition of 11 pieces, priced at CHF 129,800, approximately AED 539,160.

For more information visit Arnold & Son’s official website.