New York (August 29, 2023) – At the 2023 edition of Geneva Watch Days, Arnold & Son reinterpreted one of its most personal collections. DSTB 42, which stands for ‘Dial-Side True Beat’, reveals its true-beat seconds mechanism on the dial side. Under its openwork and finely chamfered gold bridges, its characteristic anchor powers a seconds hand at a broad rhythm. The case and movement of this essential timepiece have been entirely revised, refined, and improved. With two inaugural limited series – one in red gold, the other in platinum – Arnold & Son reaffirms its historic attachment to marine chronometers.
GREAT LEAP
All true-beat seconds require a dedicated mechanism. No escapement in a compact watch, especially one worn on the wrist, functions at a native frequency of one oscillation per second. Here, the sweep-seconds hand on the DSTB 42 jumps from second to second, powered by a mechanism similar to an escapement, developed by Arnold & Son’s watchmakers.
GREAT BRIDGES
This true-beat seconds needed to be displayed in a way that reflects its historic importance for Arnold & Son. The choice to place it on the dial side creates an additional level in the calibre. This, in turn, required three dedicated bridges, fashioned in line with the Arnold & Son aesthetic, whose graphic design and finishes give the dial its truly unique appearance. They are open-worked, three-dimensional, and carefully crafted from red or white gold, depending on the DSTB 42 version. This true-beat seconds mechanism fills the space with its presence, balanced out by the off-centred hours dial in white opal.
GREAT ANCHOR
The even, slow, and aesthetic functioning of the true-beat seconds mechanism catches the eye. It symbolises both Arnold & Son’s watchmaking expertise and its roots, down to the anchor-shaped counterpoise reminiscent of its historic marine chronometers. It goes up and down as the underlying caliber does its work, controlling the large seconds hand.
NEW SIZE
The DSTB collection was one of the founding pieces in the Arnold & Son catalogue. Its first version measured 44 mm in diameter and featured a caliber that was 7.40 mm thick, allowing for a 45-hour power reserve. The DSTB 42 improves on each of these points. The exclusive Manufacture caliber A&S6203 is 5.54 mm thick and offers 55 hours of autonomy. The case drops to 42 mm in diameter and settles for a total thickness of 12.95 mm.
NEW DETAILS
The DSTB 42 Red Gold comes in a 5N gold case, whose copper content gives it the name red gold. This warm color is paired with a blue PVD-treated dial for a soothing overall effect. The DSTB 42 Platinum offers the opposite contrast, with its combination of 950 platinum and a dial featuring a rose-gold PVD treatment known as ‘salmon’. In both versions, the dial is sunray-brushed before being tinted, with the starting point of the finish coinciding with the center of the true-beat seconds.
NEW CALIBRE
The DSTB 42 Red Gold and the DSTB 42 Platinum are powered by the caliber A&S6203, which has been entirely developed, machined, assembled, and adjusted in the Arnold & Son Manufacture. Designed to work in harmony with the true-beat seconds mechanism, this caliber is self-winding thanks to an oscillating weight in 22-karat gold. It features a 55-hour power reserve and a regulating organ oscillating at 28,800 vibrations per hour.
For more information, contact Ana Martins Communications.
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
