Arnold & Son has debuted two new editions of the Nebula – in 41.5 Gold and 38 Gold. Built like radiant stars, the Nebula are bursting with light. Created in two case dimensions, they introduce a new colour combination, alternating between grey NAC and 5N red gold, serving to further highlight the striking structure of their skeletonised calibre
The symmetrical elegance of the Nebula collection is entering a new orbit. Arnold & Son shines for its watchmaking skill, its attention to detail and its powerful designs. Since its creation, Nebula has been a star. Its stellar mechanism, the A&S5201 calibre, is the gravitational force of this collection, giving it its appearance, identity, and strength. Redesigned with a movement whose finishes are more advanced than ever, the Nebula collection continues its expansion.
The Nebula case is available in two diameters – 41.5 mm or 38 mm – and is remarkably slim, measuring just 8.73 mm thick. It is crafted from a block of 5N red gold for a limited edition of 88 pieces each.
Arranged in a star around the edge of the calibre, the openworked, chamfered and satin-finished bridges create the impression of a watchmaking explosion, as well as a sense of rhythm and control. Positioned at regular intervals, these bridges are identical in shape but different in size and reflect the aesthetic heritage of John Arnold’s chronometers. They also illustrate Arnold & Son’s ‘Manufacture’ expertise.
In space, light never exists alone, but coexists with darkness. A watch inspired by the stars, Nebula thus naturally plays with chiaroscuro. It combines contrasting shades of gold and anthracite grey. The grey is created by a NAC treatment – a galvanic bath fed with metals close to platinum. When applied to the skeletonised main plate, the barrels and the flange, Nebula highlights the relief of its A&S5201 movement. Its construction is clearly legible on various levels, with the bridges in the foreground, the gear train, and barrels on the second level, and the main plate behind them.
Viewed from the back, the A&S5201 calibre takes on another dimension. Two large arcs, also treated with NAC, intersect to reveal a second graphic structure, that of the main plate. Highly openworked, it, too, is chamfered and its surface is covered with a signature Arnold & Son pattern known as ‘Rayons de la Gloire’.
Like all the movements used by Arnold & Son, the A&S5201 calibre has been entirely developed, manufactured, decorated, assembled, adjusted and cased-up at the Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This calibre draws on a pair of large barrels and an oscillating frequency of 3 Hz, which delivers a 90-hour power reserve. In addition, its depth of 4.18 mm is exceptional for a skeletonised movement, as these types of calibres usually retain a certain thickness in order to compensate for their openworked designs, which typically weaken their structures. Despite this, Arnold & Son’s long Manufacture experience has made it possible to imbue the Nebula’s mechanical latticework with extraordinary finesse.
