By Jovan Krstevski
Classical watches have never been as royal as the Royal Collection from Arnold & Son who references its timepieces from John Arnold, the watchmaker of the monarch’s court including King George III. With this in mind, nothing stops Arnold & Son to build strongly on their heritage of classical timepieces that has always been associated with the prominent figures of the prestigious elite such as kings.
Without farther ado, let me introduce you to the newest addition to the HMS1 line; Ref. 1LCAP.S10A.C110A, 18-carat rose gold and Ref. 1LCAW.S09A.C111W, 18-carat white gold, beaming with features that goes far beyond classical timepieces, after all what do you expect from a watch built solely for the kings?
Genuinely faithful to its traditions, the new collector watches are worth having given its remarkable elegance wearable in both casual and formal occasions. It may be subtly inclined to look like classic at all times, but the splendid clean lines and curves of the watches are perfect for all occasions.
There is not much difference on each model except the overall design of the dials and the choice of colors matching each intended ambiance. Truth be told, Arnold & Son really knows how classical watches should look like.
The diameter of the case is a traditional 40 mm ultra-thin design and made of 18-carat rose gold, 18-carat white gold and some stainless steel. The royal touch is undeniable exhibited by the smooth finish of the case design and the really clean lugs and simple design of the crown. Each case precisely matches the overall appeal of each model.
The dials are somewhat exuberance both in attitude and presentation. Not only does it command authority, but also its choice of patterns is superbly well thought about. With an ultra slim case, the dials seem to have been emboldened with a certain depth. The silvery-white guilloche dials with unique patterns really emboldens its wearer with a royalty pride. The hands and the seconds are subtle in their authoritative appearances and do they do deliver precision timing at its best. At the 12 o’clock is the branding that obviously defies each of the dial’s patterns and at the 6 o’clock is the small seconds subdial with a different yet matching pattern to that of the main dial.
The caseback is transparent to showcase the splendid movement powering the watches. The hand wound movements of the exclusive calibre A&S1001 have double barrels boasting of more than 90 hours of power reserve delivering more than enough energy to provide accurate time readings without worrying too much about the watch’s power cycle.
The straps are made of hand-stitched brown or black alligator leather conforming to the particular models.
In all, there are 21 jewels and the lavish decorations of the movements have the signature touches of Arnold & Son all throughout. Perhaps, the major element of note in the totality of the watch is its main engine; since the rhodium treated calibre has been carefully designed and constructed with the incredible finishing of Haute Horlogerie including the awesome chamfered bridges and beautifully grained polished edges. Oh, and the watch is water resistance to 30 metres, but diving is not really advised. Price for the HMS1 in rose gold is CHF16,092 and CHF17,550 for the HMS1 white gold (prices are including Swiss VAT). For more info, please visit arnoldandson.com
Jovan Krstevski – Founder, Proprietor & Executive Editor
Watch collector, aficionado and a Event profile in the Swedish nightlife. He launched Watchgeek back in 2011, which is now known as WristReview and is one of the most widely read watch blogs on the Web. He quotes ’WristReview is a site to help people find, explore, discover and enjoy wristwatches.’ His passion jump started in his early teens, when he was given his first mid-range wristwatch which was an Omega Seamaster. Since then he has always been in love with wristwatches! Besides WristReview, he also writes for a number of publications. P.S: He is also a huge fan of The Man of Steel/Superman. Read his articles here.
