This Baselworld 2015 was a big year for Arnold & Son with five novelties being presented. The Arnold & Son DSTB ref. 1ATAS.S02A.C121S in stainless steel, is part of the Instrument Collection and like every other model from Arnold & Son, features an in-house mechanical movement. The true beat seconds is a traditional complication of Arnold & Son, and this watch pays tribute to the watches produced by John Arnold during the second half of his career. Those technically superior, widely distributed chronometers reflected Arnold & Son’s commitment to exceptional precision and solved the problem of determining longitude at sea. Upholding that legacy, Arnold & Son’s master watchmakers thrive on creating complicated movements for exquisite timepieces. Such is the case with the DSTB watch, a truly innovative technical and architectural achievement. The newly developed automatic movement showcases the true beat seconds' mechanism entirely on the dial side. Not just the hands, but also the lever, wheels and three palladium treated true beat seconds bridges are located in all their beauty on the dial side. Making the watch even more alluring is the fact that the true beat seconds lever is shaped like an anchor —paying homage to Arnold’s maritime achievements.
The true beat seconds are superbly indicated via a large sapphire dial that occupies the top left portion of the dial at 11 o’clock. The true beat seconds bridges are palladium treated and satin-finished with hand-chamfered and polished edges.
At the 4 o’clock position, a silvery opaline subdial indicates the hours and the minutes via blued hands. These generously proportioned, overlapping indications translate into a stunning three-dimensional dial. The visible dial plate is black ADLC treated with large circular finishing, and screws with bevelled and mirror-polished heads.
This restructuring of the intricate mechanism yields a concept not achieved in the watch industry heretofore. The self-winding calibre A&S6003 fully visible via the display case back has 229 components and 32 jewels and is exquisitely finished. In true Arnold & Son style, the NAC grey treated movement features Haute Horlogerie finishing with hand-chamfered and satin-finished lever and bridges, polished edges and fine circular graining and Côtes de Genève rayonnantes. This automatic calibre provides a power reserve of 50 hours when fully wound. The movement features a beautiful skeletonized oscillating weight with Arnold & Son engraving in white.
The magnificent timepiece is housed inside a 43.5 mm stainless steel case with anti-reflective sapphire crystals for the front and back and equipped with an elegant hand-stitched black or brown alligator leather. This edition of the DSTB will be limited to 250 timepieces and is water resistant to 30 meters.
On the wrist the watch wears slightly bigger than its actual size and more like a 44 or 45 mm watch. Its wrist presence is captivating and its dead beat seconds complication just mesmerizing.
Sticker Price $32,555 USD. For more info on Arnold & Son click here.
