Arnold & Son: The Birth of New Stars

The Nebula model Arnold & Son introduced at Baselworld in 2016 is named after the cosmic cloud of gas and dust where new stars are born. This year, the new Nebula 41.5 Steel has been added to the collection.

The geometric approach creates a very modern look but it's actually a direct reference to John Arnold's work, who created marine chronometers which were astonishingly accurate and received a patent for his chronometer detent escapement.

Arnold's timepieces — museum exhibits and models which turn up at auctions from time to time — can be identified by the characteristic shape of their bridges, which are somewhat trapezoidal with rounded crests.

The four main bridges underpinning Nebula's architecture have the same silhouette: bridges for the two barrels on the upper half of the dial which ensure 90 hours of power reserve, along with the ones for the balance and small seconds at the bottom of the dial.

Caliber A&S5101 has been given a new finishing for the 2022 edition: a blue coating for the plate with the upper details rhodium-plated. Moreover, it's been predetermined as a skeleton watch. This architecture was conceived from scratch to bring the watch to life — it's not just a movement with the excess metal removed.

Come to think of it, the flip side of the movement treated in blue PVD and engraved with the “Rayons de la Gloire” guilloché pattern looks no less impressive. The A&S5101 only measures 4.04 mm in height, which has managed to keep the watch extremely thin at 8.73 mm. The case still measures 41.5 mm in diameter. 

The thin bezel and blue inner flange for the minutes track with silver applied markers serve as a delicate frame for the openworked movement. The combination of the color blue with steel and a rubber strap has given the watch a sporty character.

This decision is a first for this collection which has been dominated by leather and metal. A second version of the Arnold & Son Nebula 41.5 Steel is also presented on a steel bracelet.