Arnold & Son debuts Charoite edition of Double Tourbillon
Arnold & Son continues its exploration of rare and unprecedented materials in watchmaking, with the Charoite adorning the Double Tourbillon grand complication
Set off by the white gold case, skeletonised bridges and pure white opal subdials, charoite gives this one-off piece a unique elegance. In the watchmaking language of Arnold & Son, the double tourbillon is a rare construction, making the eponymous collection a vehicle for unique pieces. After imperial jade, malachite and Baltic amber, Arnold & Son presents charoite.
Parma violet, mauve, lavender, and lilac are some of the words to describe the shifting colour of charoite. Like lapis lazuli, it is the product of a rich and textured coalition of different minerals. It is one of the most complex stones ever formed by the Earth’s crust since its chemical formula is a silicate containing traces of aluminium, iron, manganese, barium, and strontium.
Charoite is made up of an interweaving of complex textures. It was in these strata that Arnold & Son sought the surface for the dial of Double Tourbillon White Gold, finely cutting the stone without breaking it, opening up two large spaces for the subdials and tourbillon carriages, and polishing it to reveal a mauve peppered with white.
Double Tourbillon White Gold displays local time on the subdial at 12 o’clock, punctuated by Roman numerals. It is complemented by a display of the time in another location at 6 o’clock, using Arabic numerals. These two dials display hours and minutes that are completely independent, and accurate to the minute.
In terms of pure watchmaking, Double Tourbillon draws on the Manufacture’s design, production, finishing and adjustment capabilities. Its sapphire crystal is convex to accommodate the depth of its two tourbillons, which are in turn each secured to a three-dimensional, skeletonised, cantilevered bridge in white gold. They are also at the end of a double gear train. The A&S8513 calibre is thus equipped with two barrels, two crowns, and two time zones.
They can display the same time, two different times, or one can tell the time while the other is timing a long event. Unlike the majority of so-called travel watches, Double Tourbillon can thus adapt to time zones that are offset by 15, 30, or 45 minutes.
From the radiating Côtes de Genève stripes to the circular-grained mainplate, the double-snailed barrels, the sunray-brushed crown wheels and the polished gold chatons, everything about the A&S8513 calibre exudes elevation, craftsmanship and excellence. The bevelled, satin-finished and mirror-polished tourbillon bridges in white gold are the highlight of an exceptionally elegant display in relief.
