New York (February 15, 2023) – For the first time ever, Arnold & Son has clad its emblematic Globetrotter Platinum timepiece in 950 Platinum, the most prestigious metal used in watchmaking. The Swiss manufacturer reveals this novelty ahead of Watches and Wonders, taking place in Geneva from March 27 through April 2, 2023.
Aboard the ships of the British Navy, John Arnold’s chronometers were essential tools for exploring the world, traveling, and discovering new horizons. Today, cartography and navigation remain the defining inspirations of the Globetrotter. With this model, the brand pays tribute to the explorers of the 18th century with a richly engraved, luminous world map encased in precious platinum.
The Globetrotter Platinum features a central globe depicting the northern hemisphere, spanned by an immense 18-karat gold bridge. The detail of its open-worked design is taken to the extreme. Its various elements are either chamfered, polished, or satin-finished. This taut-lined arc is the Globetrotter’s visual signature and holds a functional jewel at its center to mark the axis of universal time.
A Blue World
Continuing to explore streamlined design, Arnold & Son emphasizes the precious, elegant, and modern character of its Globetrotter timepiece. The applied indexes on two planes are faceted and crafted from 18-karat gold with a touch of Super-LumiNova. The lower part of the dial encompassing the world map has been crafted of mother-of-pearl tinted in graduated shades of blue.
The universal hours ring is in transparent sapphire crystal. Local times are indicated by red arrows pointing to the markers, while world times can be read off by visualizing imaginary longitudes from the jewel in the central bridge to the 24-hour ring.
Under a Wide Bridge
The Globetrotter Platinum’s architecturally structured transverse bridge is cut from 18-karat gold. Slender and elegant, it is made from a single piece of metal with an open-worked design that has been pushed to the extreme. Its flat parts are polished, its sides satin-finished, and its long edges chamfered. Fine finishes and a superior level of quality are standard for all components of Arnold & Son movements, but particularly on display here with a component of this size.
Sculpted Hemisphere
At 45 mm, the Globetrotter Platinum’s case is impressive. The intensity of its 950 platinum shines out from the wrist in an effect that is luxurious and powerful, with a unique presence.
On the globe, America, Eurasia, and Africa above the equator are represented with a wealth of detail. This polished and rhodium-plated land mass has been sculpted from a single piece. The relief of the mountain ranges is highlighted by a matte finish. The oceans, hand-painted with several layers of lacquer, are given intense depth and radiance by blue pigments enriched with powdered mother-of-pearl. The coastlines, in a lighter shade of blue and enriched with Super-LumiNova, shine at night and further accentuate the relief of this small hand-crafted work of art.
An Array of Fine Watchmaking Finishes
The Globetrotter Platinum is equipped with the House’s automatic A&S6022 movement, which, like all those produced by Arnold & Son, was entirely developed, manufactured, decorated, assembled, adjusted, and finished at the brand’s Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Its 22-karat gold oscillating weight features a skeletonized ‘Clous de Paris’ guilloché motif. The A&S6022 movement is also decorated with traditional fine watchmaking motifs: a circular-grained main plate, Côtes de Genève stripes radiating from the center, satin-finished wheels, and polished and chamfered screws. It also features a specific NAC finish – a type of plating that uses precious metals similar to platinum. This creates a particularly high-quality anthracite finish that perfectly matches the Globetrotter Platinum’s 950 platinum case, both in terms of color and character.
About Arnold & Son
Named after John Arnold, English watchmaker of the 18th century renowned for his ingenuity and work on marine chronometers, Arnold & Son perpetuates today his legacy, exploring contemporary ways to interpret traditional watch craftsmanship. From its Manufacture based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, cradle of the Swiss watchmaking industry, Arnold & Son develops its timepieces in-house including its complicated calibers.
The House established iconic collections such as the Time Pyramid with its unique architecture, the Nebula featuring a fully skeletonized movement, the Perpetual Moon and the Luna Magna displaying among the most spectacular moon phases on the market or the Globetrotter, impressive three-dimensional worldtimer. The twenty plus calibers presented to date by Arnold & Son have all been conceived, designed, developed, machined, decorated, assembled, and adjusted by its sister Manufacture, La Joux-Perret. This independence and creativity demonstrate the House’s ability to perpetuate John Arnold’s exceptional inventions.
For more information, visit arnoldandson.com
