THE TRAILBLAZER

John Arnold is forever entrenched in watchmaking history as one of the great pioneers of his time. His incredible legacy is very much present in Arnold & Son's latest collections.

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The name behind Arnold & Son is one that draws admiration and respect to this day. Known as one of the greatest watchmakers in history, John Arnold patented many inventions including the Detent escapement, a bimetallic balance and a helical balance spring. His most famous timepiece, meanwhile, would be the lauded pocket watch No.1/36 that was sent to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich.

More significantly, his inventions paralleled the drive for exploration Britain was fervently embracing at the time. The marine chronometers developed by Arnold accompanied well-known maritime explorers such as Admiral Sir Robert Harland, Captain James Cook and naval officer Constantine John Phipps who took the opportunity to test out new inventions including the pocket chronometer (No.8) for the latter.

Arnold's son, John Roger Arnold, carried on the legacy, patenting a U-shaped balance. Timepieces bearing the Arnold name would also follow legends such as Sir William Parry to the North Pole and Dr David Livingston to Africa.

It is inevitable that the pioneering spirit of Arnold & Son, now a Swiss-made entity, continues in its contemporary timepieces, drawing from the Maison's roots in maritime exploration, charting courses by way of celestial navigation.

ULTRATHIN TOURBILLON GOLD

As one of the slimmest tourbillons in the world, the Arnold & Son Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold is powered by the thinnest ever movement, the 2.97mm A&S8300 calibre. The timepiece's redesigned triangular-shaped tourbillon carriage reminds one of a sextant while its doublearrow counterpoise represents an anchor.