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In February one of our senior watchmakers visited Switzerland for advanced training at Arnold & Son. This brand has a deep and rich heritage as well as the quality of build that we enjoy.
We are now the ONLY UK watch repair workshop accredited for the service and repair of all Arnold & Son timepieces. We thought you might like to learn a little bit more about this eclectic brand.
John Arnold was an 18th century English watchmaker renowned for his ingenuity and work on marine chronometers. He was one of the most innovative watchmakers of his day, holding patents for a Detent escapement, bimetallic balance and a helical balance spring.
John Arnold won commissions from King George III and from the Board of Longitude for some of the earliest marine chronometers ever made.
He was followed into the industry by his son, John Roger Arnold, who also became an accomplished watchmaker.
Arnold & Son, as we know it, was created in 1995 to perpetuate their legacy, exploring contemporary ways to interpret traditional watch craftsmanship of the highest levels.
Arnold & Son watches are now appreciated worldwide for their accuracy, reliability and ability to produce fine watchmaking complications. These include true seconds (or dead-beat seconds) – a function recalling the escapements of pendulum clocks marking out the seconds – and dual time zones driven by twin regulating organs, which hark back to the original method of maritime positioning.
The style of Arnold & Son timepieces is instantly recognisable. Consider the three-dimensional architecture of their movements, the late-18th-century-style cantilever balance-cocks and the George-V-style bridges. The constant quest for multiaxial symmetry and the artfully crafted guilloché dials go hand-in-hand with open worked components, from a single barrel to the full range of grande complication calibres.
Manufactured in La Chaux-de-Fonds, cradle of the Swiss watchmaking industry, Arnold & Son develops its timepieces in-house.
The House established iconic collections such as the Time Pyramid with its unique architecture, the Nebula featuring a fully skeletonized movement, the HM Perpetual Moon displaying one of the biggest moon phases on the market or the Globetrotter, impressive three-dimensional world timer.
Arnold & Son’s remarkably balanced collections are all produced in limited series and distributed around the world through carefully selected points of sale. You can find your nearest retailer here
As Swiss watches with English roots, they stand out without being ostentatious. Arnold & Son timepieces are a delight for the eyes and the mind and are aimed at customers who are looking for something unique.
Of course, owning a fine timepiece comes with responsibilities. You need the very finest watchmakers to service and repair any knocks or scrapes your watch might unfortunately succumb to.
But luckily you no longer need to send your watch back to Switzerland. Steven Hale is now the ONLY UK workshop accredited for the repair and servicing of Arnold & Son watches.