The latest addition to the Arnold & Son Instrument
Collection combines the marine precision of the true-beat (TB)
movement with aesthetic perfection. Featuring one of the instantly
recognizable design cues of the Instrument Collection, the
off-centre positioning of the time display at 9 o'clock leaves a
generous open area and creates a perfect setting for the exquisite
engraved and hand-painted depiction of a tiger. To underline its
exclusivity, this fabulous example of high-precision technology and
aesthetic perfection is available in a limited edition of just
twenty-eight pieces.
The dominant feature of this fine-quality wristwatch is a
hand-engraved appliqué of a tiger executed by Arnold & Son's
master engraver, which is then duplicated for the series. Hand
engraving is a traditional art form that makes use of hardened
steel tools called burins and other special implements. They create
cuts, lines and texturing that build up entire images or, as in the
case of the TB Tiger, a perfectly sculpted figure of a tiger in
solid 22-carat rose gold. The breathtaking richness of detail is
then duplicated in rose gold for the rest of the series. Once the
appliqué is in place on the dial, the tiger's black stripes are
painted by hand, a process that accentuates its three-dimensional
nature. Hand engraving and miniature painting both call for
infinite patience and expertise and take many years of concentrated
practice to fully master.
With its pure, timeless design, the Instrument Collection takes
its inspiration from the chronometers produced by John Arnold's
son, John Roger, in the latter part of his career. "These were
specially designed to withstand the rigours of life on the high
seas," explains Philippe Boven of Arnold & Son, "and to deliver
the true-beat, down-to-the-second precision needed by marine
navigators to determine longitude. The true beat is a rare
complication these days, and combining it with an automatic winding
system calls for enormous technical expertise."
In the A&S6103, this was made possible by a patented system
comprising a sophisticated double wheel, an oscillating pinion and
a pallet mechanism. A solution of this complexity calls for
microscopic precision (to tolerances of a micron, or one thousandth
of a millimetre), and the key components are made using
state-of-the-art LIGA manufacturing technology. LIGA, a German
acronym, stands for Lithographie, Galvanoformung, Abformung -
lithography, electroplating and moulding - and describes the
sequence of processes used to produce metal parts made of nickel
and nickel-phosphorus.
The case houses the rhodium-treated A&S6103 movement
withHaute Horlogeriefinishing. All the plates and bridges in the
movement are hand-chamfered and decorated - a further indication of
the traditional craftsmanship upheld by Arnold & Son.
The TB Tiger special edition is limited to just twenty-eight
timepieces.
