Arnold & Son Tourbillon GMT

Thursday, December 3, 2009

It is an established fact that the founder of the John Arnold Company enjoyed a friendly relationship with Abraham-Louis Breguet and frequently exchanged watchmaking secrets with him. And there was quite a bit to exchange: during the latter part of the 18th and the early part of the 19th centuries, England was the world centre of mechanics including watch mechanics. In 1808, the Swiss watchmaker installed a tourbillon into a watch made by Arnold and gave it to the latter’s son as a gift with the inscription: “In tribute to the memory of Arnold from Breguet”. Two hundred years later, those who continue the work of Arnold & Son have decided to pay back the debt of honour by creating an impressive looking model with a tourbillon that shows the time simultaneously in three time zones. The watch is in a solid British style ornamented with flowering Alpine edelweiss.

Fifty five models only of this watch have been made: twenty five in yellow gold; ten each in white gold and platinum; and five skeletons in pink gold and in platinum.