A new celestial masterpiece has emerged from the workshops of Arnold & Son, the Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold. This timepiece is a direct and profound homage to the brand's namesake, John Arnold, a pivotal figure in the history of marine chronometry. The watch does not merely tell time; it captures a sliver of the night sky, celebrating the ancient and essential relationship between celestial bodies and terrestrial exploration. It is a testament to a legacy built on precision, innovation, and an unwavering gaze directed towards the heavens. This particular model, with its evocative Cliff Grey dial, continues the narrative, drawing inspiration from the dramatic coastlines of Cornwall, the birthplace of John Arnold and a crucial departure point for the British Royal Navy.
The story of Arnold & Son is inextricably linked to the high seas and the formidable challenge of 18th-century navigation. John Arnold, an English watchmaker of prodigious talent, dedicated his life to solving the longitude problem – the critical and then-unsolved issue of determining a ship's east-west position at sea. His marine chronometers were instruments of unparalleled accuracy for their time, providing sailors with the reliable timekeeping necessary to calculate their longitude and safely traverse the globe. These were not mere timekeepers; they were vital tools of exploration, empire, and scientific advancement. This rich history forms the philosophical bedrock of the modern Arnold & Son manufacture, which, though now based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, proudly upholds its "English soul."
Courtesy of Arnold & Son
This heritage is not just a marketing footnote; it is woven into the very fabric of the Perpetual Moon collection. The choice of a prominent, astronomically precise moon phase complication is a direct nod to the celestial navigation techniques that John Arnold's chronometers supplemented and, in many ways, perfected. Before the advent of reliable chronometers, mariners relied heavily on the moon and stars to find their way. The new Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold, therefore, is a contemporary celebration of this historical synergy between horology and astronomy, a bridge between the mechanical genius of the 18th century and the refined watchmaking artistry of the 21st.
Visually, the timepiece makes an immediate and lasting impression. The case, crafted from 18K 5N red gold, possesses a warm, substantial glow that provides a perfect frame for the cool tones of the dial. Measuring 41.5 mm in diameter, the case strikes a contemporary balance, offering significant presence on the wrist without feeling overwhelming. Its thickness is a considered 11.30 mm, a dimension that allows for the complexity of the movement and the depth of the dial while maintaining a profile that can sit comfortably for daily wear. The design of the case itself is one of pared-back refinement; the lugs are taut and gracefully curved, plunging downwards to ensure a snug fit on the wrist. Their beveled edges catch the light, adding a subtle, dynamic detail that complements the overall architecture.
A thin, polished bezel maximizes the visual real estate of the dial, creating a wide, unobstructed aperture through which to view the main event. This design choice is crucial, as it provides the necessary canvas for the expansive moon disc display, one of the largest and most captivating in modern watchmaking. The case is topped with a domed sapphire crystal that has been treated with an anti-reflective coating on both sides, a high-quality detail that ensures clarity and legibility from any angle by minimizing glare. This allows the intricate details of the dial to be appreciated without distortion, drawing the observer deeper into the watch's miniature cosmos.
Courtesy of Arnold & Son
The dial of the Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold is where the narrative of the watch truly comes to life. The base color is a unique "Cliff Grey," achieved through a PVD treatment. This specific shade is a deliberate and poetic reference to the cliffs of Cornwall, evoking the hazy, atmospheric light that bathes the British coast. It’s a color that feels both natural and sophisticated, a muted, stony grey that provides a dramatic backdrop for the other elements. This choice of color anchors the watch in its English heritage, connecting the Swiss craftsmanship directly to the source of its historical inspiration.
Across this grey canvas radiates the "Stellar Rays" decoration, an exclusive Arnold & Son signature finish. This is not a simple sunray pattern. Instead, it is an intricate engraving of rays with varying depths and widths, creating a complex, rhythmic texture that emanates from the center of the dial. The effect is mesmerizing; as light plays across the surface, the dial appears to shift and change, creating a sense of depth and movement. This dynamic quality is further enhanced by the application of successive layers of transparent lacquer, which adds a lustrous, almost liquid depth to the engraved pattern, making the rays appear to float beneath the crystal.
Dominating the upper half of the dial is the astronomical moon phase display. This is the heart of the timepiece, and its execution is nothing short of spectacular. The moon itself is an immense disc, rendered from shimmering mother-of-pearl. Its surface is not uniform but has been realistically detailed with hand-painted shadows that perfectly mimic the textured craters and seas of the actual lunar surface. To enhance its nocturnal character, the mother-of-pearl is coated with Super-LumiNova, allowing it to emit a gentle, ethereal glow in low-light conditions, truly bringing the complication to life after dark.
The moon journeys across a sky that has been given a grained texture and a deep blue PVD treatment. This textured finish gives the sky a tangible depth and realism, contrasting beautifully with the smooth radiance of the golden case and the sharp lines of the hands and indices. Within this celestial theater, Arnold & Son has included another signature detail: the constellations of Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) and Cassiopeia. These star patterns are meticulously hand-painted and also treated with Super-LumiNova, ensuring they glitter alongside the moon when the lights dim.
Courtesy of Arnold & Son
The inclusion of Ursa Major and Cassiopeia is another deliberate and meaningful historical reference. For centuries, these two constellations have been essential signposts for navigators in the Northern Hemisphere. They rotate around Polaris, the North Star, which lies almost directly between them. By locating these constellations, sailors could easily find Polaris and, in turn, determine their latitude—their north-south position. This was one of the most reliable methods of positioning before instruments for determining longitude became widespread. By placing these specific constellations on the dial, Arnold & Son pays direct tribute to the navigational arts that were so central to John Arnold's work.
Beneath this celestial display, the functions of hours and minutes are marked by faceted, lancine-style hands and applied trapezoidal indices, both crafted from red gold to match the case. Their polished surfaces provide excellent legibility against the textured grey dial. The overall aesthetic is one of balanced complexity, where the decorative and functional elements coexist in perfect harmony.
Turning the watch over reveals an equally compelling view through a second sapphire crystal exhibition case back. Here, the magnificent hand-wound Calibre A&S1512 is on full display. This movement is the engine that drives the watch, and like all Arnold & Son calibres, it has been entirely developed, manufactured, decorated, assembled, adjusted, and cased at the brand's manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This vertical integration is a hallmark of true high-end watchmaking and ensures complete control over the quality and integrity of the final product.
The architecture of the A&S1512 is as beautiful as it is functional. It measures 34.00 mm in diameter and 5.35 mm in thickness, proportions that allow for its robust construction and significant power reserve. The finishing is exemplary, with radiating Côtes de Genève stripes, blued screws, and circular graining on the mainplate. The bridges are chamfered and polished by hand, showcasing the meticulous attention to detail that defines the brand's approach to movement decoration.
Courtesy of Arnold & Son
Functionally, the Calibre A&S1512 is engineered for performance and precision. It operates at a frequency of 3 Hz (21,600 vibrations per hour), a steady beat that contributes to its long-term stability. A key feature is its double-barrel system, which provides a formidable power reserve of 90 hours. This extended autonomy means the watch can be set down for nearly four days without needing to be wound, a convenience that also improves timekeeping stability by ensuring a more consistent delivery of energy to the escapement as the mainsprings unwind.
The true genius of the A&S1512, however, lies in the accuracy of its astronomical moon phase complication. A standard moon phase display accumulates an error of one full day approximately every two and a half years. The Arnold & Son mechanism is vastly more precise. The duration of a true lunar cycle (a synodic month) is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.8 seconds. The engineers at the manufacture have translated this cycle into a gear train of such remarkable accuracy that, if the watch were kept continuously wound, it would take 122 years to accumulate a single day's deviation from the actual astronomical reality.
To complement this incredible precision, Arnold & Son has incorporated a practical and user-friendly feature. Visible on the case back is a secondary moon-phase indicator. This clever dial-side display, with its pointer hand and clear markings, allows the owner to set the astronomical moon phase quickly, easily, and with exacting precision, ensuring that the magnificent display on the front is a true and accurate reflection of the heavens. It is a thoughtful addition that underscores the brand’s commitment to both high complication and practical usability.
The watch is secured to the wrist by a strap that perfectly complements the overall aesthetic. Crafted from a warm grey alligator leather, its color harmonizes with the Cliff Grey dial, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look. The strap is hand-stitched, a detail that speaks to the level of craft involved in every component of the timepiece. It fastens with a pin buckle made from the same 18K 5N red gold as the case, ensuring a consistent material language throughout.
Courtesy of Arnold & Son
The Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold, with its Cliff Grey dial, is a highly exclusive offering. Production is strictly limited to just 28 pieces worldwide, a number that guarantees its rarity and desirability among collectors. This scarcity is a reflection of the immense amount of time, skill, and artistry required to produce each watch, from the intricate dial finishing to the meticulous hand-decoration of the in-house movement.
With a reference of 1GLBR.N01A.C0246A, this horological work of art is priced at $42,000. For this, the owner acquires not just an instrument for telling time, but a piece of mechanical poetry that captures the enduring romance of the night sky and pays faithful tribute to one of the most important figures in the history of precision watchmaking. It is a watch that tells a story—of exploration, of innovation, and of the timeless human fascination with the celestial ballet above.
Case: 18K red gold (5N); 41.5 mm diameter; 11.30 mm thickness; Domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides; Sapphire crystal case back with anti-reflecting coating; Water resistance 3 bar (30 metres/100 feet).
Movement: Hand-wound Calibre A&S1512; 90-hour power reserve from two barrels; 3 Hz / 21,600 vph frequency; 27 jewels; Functions include hours, minutes, astronomical moon phases, and a second moon-phase indicator on the back.
Dial: 'Cliff Grey' PVD treatment with Stellar Rays decoration; Large moon phase display featuring a mother-of-pearl moon with Super-LumiNova and a grained, blue PVD sky; Hand-painted constellations of Ursa Major and Cassiopeia with Super-LumiNova.
Strap: Hand-stitched warm grey alligator leather; 18K red gold (5N) pin buckle.
Price: $42,000
Reference Number: 1GLBR.N01A.C0246A
Notes: Limited edition of 28 pieces. The astronomical moon phase is accurate to one day's deviation every 122 years. The dial color is a homage to the cliffs of Cornwall, the birthplace of John Arnold.