he name Arnold & Son resonates as a reminder of a foundational chapter in the history of British watchmaking. In the 18th century, John Arnold was one of the great figures in the quest to determine longitude at sea, a contemporary of John Harrison. His marine chronometers—compact and remarkably precise—helped secure ocean voyages of the time. Revived in Switzerland from La Chaux-de-Fonds, the brand that bears his name perpetuates this spirit of scientific exploration, but with the means and language of contemporary haute horlogerie.

Today, Arnold & Son structures its vision around three pillars: chronometry, astronomy, and world time. Each of these themes finds a direct expression in the collections. The emphasis is placed on technical and aesthetic coherence: movements designed and manufactured in-house by La Joux-Perret, an uncompromising attention to the symmetry of the architectures, and a constant pursuit of precision.

Designed to celebrate the friendship between John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet, the Constant Force Tourbillon 11 features a transparent, anti-reflective sapphire crystal case back that reveals the architecture of the A&S5219 calibre, inspired by the reverse side of the timekeeping instrument preserved at the British Museum.

The Nebula perfectly illustrates this philosophy. Redesigned with a case reduced from 41.5 to 40 millimeters and fitted with shorter lugs for improved ergonomics, it is also available in a 38-millimeter version. Its skeletonized movement, recognizable by its star-shaped, radiating architecture, reveals its seven functional bridges. The twin barrels provide nearly four days of power reserve, while the aesthetic balance is reinforced by the small seconds and the axial symmetry of the movement.

The skeletonized Nebula 40 Steel, with its seven star-shaped bridges. The two large barrels providing a 90-hour power reserve, the balance wheel, and the small seconds are arranged along four axes of symmetry. This balance is a signature of the collection.

Astronomical poetry finds expression in the Perpetual Moon, which multiplies creative interpretations of a classic theme. One of the latest variations, named Cliff Grey, pays tribute to the cliffs of Cornwall with a mother-of-pearl moon disc illuminated by Super-LumiNova. Its price falls within a collection average ranging between CHF 30,000 and CHF 40,000. The maison also has a fondness for small, exclusive series, such as limited editions of eighteen pieces that, over the years, have explored marquetry, ruthenium, or—this year—set aventurine.

A new iteration of the Perpetual Moon 41.5, the Cliff Grey Edition is dressed in a dial inspired by the colors of the cliffs of Cornwall. Conceived as a tribute to the homeland of its founder and to the sea from which His Majesty’s ships once set sail—equipped with marine chronometers signed by John Arnold—it celebrates a maritime heritage. A symbolic celestial body of deep-sea navigation, the oversized moon that defines the Perpetual Moon collection crosses a nocturnal sky where the constellations of Ursa Major and Cassiopeia shine.

Another embodiment of the brand’s founding theme, the Globetrotter is a world-time watch with a strong identity defined by its central arched bridge supporting the terrestrial globe. The latter has been reworked in a slimmer case, reduced from 45 to 42 millimeters. Beyond the aesthetic dimension, a technical innovation now clearly indicates day and night thanks to the bridge’s layout.

In its new 42 mm diameter, the Globetrotter 42 Steel comes in a steel case, available in two versions - named “Strand Blue” and “Greenwich Green” - each issued in a limited edition of 88 pieces.

Finally, the Longitude collection, launched last year, revisits the original link between John Arnold and the measurement of time at sea. This sport-chic model with an integrated bracelet evokes the spirit of marine chronometers while offering a contemporary aesthetic. With its restrained dimensions, reliability, and precision, it symbolizes Arnold & Son’s ambition: to create a dialogue between history and the present, without falling into nostalgia.

The Longitude 5°W watch in titanium, with its 5N red gold bezel ring, is inspired by the marine chronometers produced in small series by John Arnold from 1775 onward.

This strategy is built on thorough groundwork. Arnold & Son currently produces just under one thousand watches per year, and each new release is meticulously calibrated. The brand is investing in new territories such as Germany and Italy, while strengthening its presence in the United States—its leading market—where it is distributed by around a dozen of the most prominent retailers, from Watches of Switzerland in New York and Las Vegas to Oliver Smith in Arizona and Stephen Silver in California.

The grained dials of the DSTB 42 “Mint Green” (red gold) and “Ascot Blue” (platinum), with their dense texture alive with light, feature three openworked gold bridges supporting the true seconds (also known as deadbeat seconds), positioned opposite the off-centred white opal hour dial.

Arnold & Son seeks to establish a coherent offering over the long term, articulated around technical innovations, legitimate complications, and fidelity to the pioneering spirit of John Arnold. More than a tribute, it is a trajectory taking shape—one in which precision is not an end in itself, but a horizon.