Arnold & Son is really a brand you’ve been seeing increasingly more of previously year approximately without doubt, with valid reason. It’s not only among the only Swiss watch brands to attract inspiration in the wealthy tradition of English watchmaking, it is also a brand which has reinterpreted many classical designs and complications in totally unique programs. This obviously might have only been possible using the technical prowess which comes from as being a fully integrated haute horlogerie manufacture.
Among the pieces in the brand’s Instrument Collection, that are inspired through the more difficult pieces from John Arnold’s illustrious the watchmaking industry career deserving a closer inspection at may be the DBG, probably the most original dual-time/ GMT watches available on the market at this time.
Most of mid and high-end watch brands offer some kind of “travel” complication like a GMT, dual-time or world-time. But many of these include one major limitation, and that’s because you are only able to set the second time zone or home amount of time in one-hour batches. This may not seem just like a bid deal, however when you consider the truth that certain timezones for example Tehran and Mumbai are ahead or behind by fractions of the hour, it’s certainly a setback. So from the purely functional perspective, that’s precisely where Arnold & Son’s DBG includes an obvious edge on other watches having a similar complication.
Like a lot of Arnold & Son’s pieces, you instantly get a feeling of balance and symmetry upon the very first glance. That which you have this is a watch with two hearts and 2 dials, coexisting harmoniously. But don’t let looks fool you this isn’t a wrist watch with two entirely separate movements. Rather, you’ve two separate balances, escapements, gear trains and barrels running two independent dials from one movement, the in-house created and manufactured A&S1209 caliber.
The case, either in rose gold or stainless steel (having a different dial), measures 44mm-wide, that we be aware of more typically-inclined purchasers will most likely find too large, but keep in mind the case tapers lower substantially for the wrist, which makes it feel a lot more like a 42mm watch around the wrist. The case is entirely polished for any more classical look, and it is match a dual AR-covered and slightly domed sapphire crystal. The DBG is equipped with two crowns, with the proper crown employed for setting the best dial in addition to winding the 2 barrels (which generate a power reserve of 40 hrs) as the left crown is exclusively employed for setting time around the left dial.
The dial is unquestionably the highlight from the watch. Around the upper half you will find the primary dial completed in frosted silvery-whitened, with two recessed dials completed in a far more opaline tone. The 2 hrs and minutes dials are really multi-equalized, having a “stepped” look in the center towards the hour chapter and minutes chapter. It’s incredible how this type of small off-centered dial can provide a lot depth.
The best dial is colored with black Arabic numbers, the playing Roman. The polished gold hands will also be slightly different on every dial, with the proper side being full of a tone-on-tone fresh paint and also the left fitted with skeleton hands. The central seconds hand also offers a filled-in counterweight, which leaves me to believe that it is driven through the right dial’s gear train. Over the two dials sits the equation of your time, with miniature hands resembling individuals of these two dials along with a candy striped texture between 18 and 06 supplying a day/night indicator.
Around the lower half of the dial sits the 2 balance wheels with their corrected balanced cocks, permitting the individual to admire the dual beating hearts from the watch. There is also a peek at the gorgeous finishing around the movement with blued screws, beveled and polished edges and cote-de-Geneve stripes. Overall the whole dial provides a type of balance and symmetry you would not expect with the much happening. There’s a nearly hypnotic effect in watching the 2 balance wheels oscillate concurrently.
This harmonic symmetry follows right through to the exhibition case-back from the DBG, revealing the astounding in-house movement. It’s unique bridges shape and shown alignment and equipment trains further highlight this feeling of duality, and upon a closer inspection you’re able to understand the finer particulars that mark the DBG like a true haute horlogerie timekeeper with the accouterments you’d expect: hand-chamfered and polished edges, flame-blued screws, fine perlage around the plate (the side merely a watch manufacturing company is ever going to see) and thoroughly applied cote-de-Genève stripes.
Having a cost of $39,800 for that rose gold version. And $26,050 for that steel version, the Arnold & Son DBG is not affordable, though to become perfectly fair its design and movement along with its top-notch finish turn it into a relatively great deal especially considering the other brands would ask you for for this type of piece.