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Paying tribute to the scientific friendship and legacy of two legends of horology—John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet—Arnold & Son has unveiled the Constant Force Tourbillon 11, a limited edition of just 11 timepieces crafted in 18K yellow gold. The novelty marks the conclusion of the maison’s 260th-anniversary celebrations.
The 41.5 mm case, forged in 18K yellow gold, recalls the metal often chosen by John Arnold for his most prestigious pocket watches. It features a curved case middle, capped by a domed sapphire crystal. The timepiece’s white Grand Feu enamel dial, fired multiple times above 800°C on a gold base, mirrors the chronometers Arnold produced for British naval officers. A white opal subdial for the time display, with blued hour and minute hands, complements the aesthetic. The dial also features an aperture showcasing the constant force mechanism, housed beneath an openworked 18K yellow gold bridge, while the reverse reveals the one-minute tourbillon—a nod to Breguet’s original 1808 creation based on Arnold’s chronometer No. 11, now preserved in the British Museum.
To maintain chronometric precision, a patented constant force mechanism regulates torque to the tourbillon, compensating for energy loss over time. This system enables a true-beat seconds display (also known as "dead-beat seconds"), mimicking the precise one-second jumps of historical marine chronometers. The seconds are indicated not by a traditional hand but by the tip of a flame-blued anchor, which also serves as a structural element of the mechanism. The tourbillon carriage, rotating once per minute, echoes Breguet’s historic design and features a T-shaped retaining spring inspired by his "pare-chute" shock protection system.
Powering the timepiece is the in-house hand-wound A&S5219 calibre, equipped with two barrels mounted in series, delivering a substantial 100-hour power reserve and ensuring constant energy delivery. The mainplate and bridges of the movement are crafted in 3N yellow gold, with grained surfaces, polished angles, and stretched edges. The tourbillon bridge is made of satin-finished Durnico steel. A tribute plaque reads: “To the revered memory of John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet. Friends in their time, legendary watchmakers always.” All of this is visible through the sapphire caseback.
Completing the timepiece is an alligator leather strap, secured by an 18K yellow gold buckle. A limited edition of just 11 pieces, the Constant Force Tourbillon 11 is priced at CHF 129,800.
Paying tribute to the scientific friendship and legacy of two legends of horology—John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet—Arnold & Son has unveiled the Constant Force Tourbillon 11, a limited edition of just 11 timepieces crafted in 18K yellow gold. The novelty marks the conclusion of the maison’s 260th-anniversary celebrations.
The 41.5 mm case, forged in 18K yellow gold, recalls the metal often chosen by John Arnold for his most prestigious pocket watches. It features a curved case middle, capped by a domed sapphire crystal. The timepiece’s white Grand Feu enamel dial, fired multiple times above 800°C on a gold base, mirrors the chronometers Arnold produced for British naval officers. A white opal subdial for the time display, with blued hour and minute hands, complements the aesthetic. The dial also features an aperture showcasing the constant force mechanism, housed beneath an openworked 18K yellow gold bridge, while the reverse reveals the one-minute tourbillon—a nod to Breguet’s original 1808 creation based on Arnold’s chronometer No. 11, now preserved in the British Museum.
To maintain chronometric precision, a patented constant force mechanism regulates torque to the tourbillon, compensating for energy loss over time. This system enables a true-beat seconds display (also known as "dead-beat seconds"), mimicking the precise one-second jumps of historical marine chronometers. The seconds are indicated not by a traditional hand but by the tip of a flame-blued anchor, which also serves as a structural element of the mechanism. The tourbillon carriage, rotating once per minute, echoes Breguet’s historic design and features a T-shaped retaining spring inspired by his "pare-chute" shock protection system.
Powering the timepiece is the in-house hand-wound A&S5219 calibre, equipped with two barrels mounted in series, delivering a substantial 100-hour power reserve and ensuring constant energy delivery. The mainplate and bridges of the movement are crafted in 3N yellow gold, with grained surfaces, polished angles, and stretched edges. The tourbillon bridge is made of satin-finished Durnico steel. A tribute plaque reads: “To the revered memory of John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet. Friends in their time, legendary watchmakers always.” All of this is visible through the sapphire caseback.
Completing the timepiece is an alligator leather strap, secured by an 18K yellow gold buckle. A limited edition of just 11 pieces, the Constant Force Tourbillon 11 is priced at CHF 129,800.
