he Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight rises in a colourful yet just as poetic version featuring hints of mint green. After placing the moon and space at the heart of its imagery, Arnold & Son is shifting its perspective. This new women’s complication timepiece presents a view from Earth. Diamonds, mother-of-pearl and ruthenium crystals comprise this latest instalment in a graceful line.

‘Mintnight’ showcases the night in shades of mint green, turquoise, teal and sky blue. A gentle graduation of coloured mother-of-pearl adorns this limited edition of 18 timepieces. The mother-of-pearl’s opalescent sheen is complemented by the shimmer of the ruthenium moon and dial foreground, together with the diamonds that sparkle on the bezel, horns and hour-markers of this poetic creation.

From its very first appearance, the Perpetual Moon 38 was destined to rise. This range is distinct from the larger, more deliberately masculine Perpetual Moon 41.5 collection. Behind both lies the unwaveringly high quality with which Arnold & Son designs its movements and the elements that adorn them.

Measuring 38 mm in diameter and 10.44 mm thick, the case of the Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight is fashioned from a block of white gold. Its bezel, four horns and crown host a total of 80 brilliant-cut diamonds. When added to the 22 diamonds adorning its buckle, they amount to a total weight of 2.57 carats. These gemstones pave the way for the ornamental riches that have been lavished on this delicate complication by Arnold & Son.

Behind a wave of ruthenium crystals, a maze of blue, mint-green and turquoise hills emerge one after the other before receding towards the horizon. The sky above this scene, scattered with hand-painted stars, is filled with an immense moon. Its surface, also made from ruthenium crystals, illuminates the sky. The use of this rare material has become a special signature of Arnold & Son, adding preciousness, light and texture. Five marquise-cut diamonds indicating the hours provide the finishing touch on this work of art.

The Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight transposes the high watchmaking standards that have always guided Arnold & Son into the world of ladies’ timepieces. The Swiss manufacture thus created a specific calibre, the smallest in its collection, especially for the Perpetual Moon 38.

The proportions of the A&S1612 calibre, which measures 29.4 mm, were designed with the case in mind. This manually wound movement with an autonomy of 90 hours perpetuates the range of Arnold & Son calibres with impressive power reserves.

The emblematic complication of the A&S1612 calibre is its moon phase. The Perpetual Moon 38 Mintnight houses a large moon disc with its various crescents occupying the wide window situated between 10 and 2 o’clock, cut out to faithfully depict the appearance of the Earth’s natural satellite.

Staying true to its tradition as a precision watchmaker and its legacy of high-sea navigation, Arnold & Son has ensured that this moon-phase timepiece will remain accurate for 122 years. This means that, if kept constantly wound, it would take more than a century for the moon on the timepiece to experience a one-day time lag with its real-life counterpart in the sky.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Functions

Hours, minutes, astronomical moon phases

Movement

Calibre A&S1612, mechanical with manual winding
Jewels 24
Diameter 29.4 mm
Thickness 4.95 mm
Power reserve 90 hours
Frequency 3 Hz/21,600 vph
Finishes
- mainplate: rhodium-plated, Côtes de Genève stripes radiating from the centre
- bridges: polished and chamfered
- wheels: circular satin-finished
- screws: blued and chamfered, polished heads

Dial

Ruthenium crystals and mother-of-pearl marquetry tinted in graduated shades of green and blue hour-markers set with 5 marquise-cut diamonds

Moon phases

Sky: mother-of-pearl tinted with graduated shades of blue
Moons: ruthenium crystals
Big Dipper and Cassiopeia constellations: hand-painted

Case

Material 18-carat white gold, set with 80 brilliant-cut diamonds
Diameter 38 mm
Thickness 10.44 mm
Crystal domed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating on both sides
Case back sapphire with an anti-reflective coating
Water resistance 3 bar (30 metres/100 feet)

Strap

Material teal-blue satin-feel alligator leather, raspberry-pink alligator-leather lining, hand-stitched
Buckle pin buckle, 18-carat white gold, set with 22 brilliant-cut diamonds

Diamonds

Total weight: 2.62 carats
colour: D-E-F
clarity: IF-VVS