Arnold & Son has made some truly incredible watches, like its recent Globetrotter, covered by Zach here, and my personal favorite, the Nebula, covered here. Arnold & Son cleverly blends high-end Swiss watch manufacturing with a design aesthetic that’s unique. This year at Baselworld 2019, it unveiled a new iteration of the Arnold & Son Time Pyramid Watch, now with a new caliber. The Time Pyramid Tourbillon is the next level of the Pyramid collection, featuring two different power reserves sandwiched along with the tourbillon between the sapphire dial and display back. The skeletonized caliber is an homage to Arnold and Son’s regulators, which feature hours and seconds on different axes. This movement is built vertically, with the two mainspring barrels sitting at 6 o’clock and the tourbillon escapement at noon. The whole movement is visible from both sides of the watch. The Arnold & Son Pyramid Watch will be available in both 18k 5N red gold or stainless steel.
Specifications
Brand: Arnold & Son
Model: Pyramid Watch
Dimensions: 44.6mm
Water Resistance: 30m
Case Material: 18k 5n red gold or stainless steel
Crystal/Lens: Cambered sapphire crystal with AR coating on either side
Movement: A&S8615 in-house tourbillon
Frequency: 21,600 vph
Power Reserve: 90 hours
Strap/Bracelet: Hand-stitched brown or black alligator leather with either stainless steel or 18k red gold pin buckle
Price & Availability: Watch in red gold is CHF 46,800; stainless steel is CHF 37,150
Analysis
The Arnold & Son Pyramid Tourbillon Watch seems like a natural progression in the Pyramid line. The original version lacked the tourbillon seen here, so it only seems natural that this is where we would end up. It’s nice that they would offer it out of the gate in both stainless steel and the more expensive gold option. There is little to critique here; the movement is decorated to a degree that isn’t seen outside of the haute horlogerie realms, as you would expect from a brand like this, and the sapphire sandwich style construction will work well to showcase that.
Conclusion
It’s interesting to see Arnold & Son reference the antique British skeleton clocks with this collection. The addition of the tourbillon just pushes this watch to another level. The dual power-reserve indicators at 9 and 3 are really interesting, as is the crown at 6 o’clock. If you’re someone who’s looking for a watch that takes finishing to almost the same degree as it does exclusivity, this will absolutely be a piece for you to consider. Make no mistake here, though: Even in stainless steel, we’re talking about a watch that costs roughly the same as a Tesla Model 3. That said, if scarcity is something you’re into, you’ll be pleased to hear that you’re not likely to run into another Arnold & Son Pyramid Tourbillon in your day-to-day life. Each case material will be offered in limited editions of 28 pieces. The stainless steel is priced at CHF 37,150 and the red gold at CHF 46,800. For more information, visit arnoldandson.com.
