Our Take

It’s that time of the year again with Watches and Wonders right around the corner. Brands are releasing their novelties and this year, Arnold & Son returns with its first ever timepiece on a bracelet. This is the all-new Longitude Titanium “Ocean Blue.”

As a natural consequence of the brand’s maritime identity, Longitude presents a titanium case whose curves and profile are directly inspired by the design of contemporary sailing boats. The case middle is taut like a ship’s waterline, while the case back is basin-shaped like a keel. The base of the bezel – the ship’s rail – is graduated with 60 notches, echoing the fluted ring of John Arnold’s marine chronometers. The finishes – polished on the flanks and satin-finished on the flat surfaces – continue this high-sea influence. The crown, protected by a shoulder, is screwed down to guarantee water-resistance to 100 meters. This is a finely crafted timepiece that can withstand everyday wear.

The dial of Longitude Titanium has been designed in a graphic and historical spirit. This graphic aspect can be seen in the satin-finished, polished and luminescent hour-markers that recall the shape of the bracelet links. It is also graphic in the display of its indications, which are aligned with the vertical axis of the dial: a mirror-polished power-reserve indicator shown by cut-outs in the dial at 12 o’clock, the hour and minute hands in the center, and the imposing small seconds at 6 o’clock. However, this layout was also chosen for its ties to John Arnold’s marine chronometers, as it was he who introduced this arrangement and established it as standard.

At the heart of Longitude Titanium beats the new A&S6302 caliber, certified by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC). It is wound by an oscillating weight with a design influenced by sailing. Its shape is reminiscent of the prow of an 18th-century English frigate cleaving through the water, and it is carved from a single block of 22-carat gold. The outer rim of the rotor is engraved with graduations similar to those on a sextant – another maritime element.

The caliber is lavished with the same high standard of finishes commonly seen at Arnold & Son, such as chamfered bridges with the house’s specialty ‘Rayons de la Gloire’ motif. Like all its movements, the A&S6302 was entirely developed, produced, decorated, assembled, adjusted and cased up at the Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This caliber features a large barrel and an oscillation frequency of 4 Hz, providing a 60-hour power reserve.

Coming with an interchangeable, blue rubber strap, this is a nicely priced, sport-chic timepiece with a high-level finish.

The Details

Brand: Arnold and Son 

Model: Longitude Titanium I

Functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, power reserve

Movement

• Calibre A&S6302, self-winding mechanical, COSC-certified
• Jewels 36
• Diameter 33.00 mm
• Thickness 6.65 mm
• Power reserve 60 hours
• Frequency 4 Hz/28,000 vph

Finishes

• mainplate: palladium finish, circular-grained
• bridges: palladium finish, polished and chamfered, ‘Rayons de la Gloire’ motif
• wheels: golden finish, circular satin-finished
• screws: blued and chamfered, mirror-polished heads
• oscillating weight: 22-carat red gold (5N), skeletonised, chamfered, engraved

Dial: Kingsand gold, ocean blue or fern green PVD treatment, vertical satin finish

• power reserve: blue PVD treatment, golden finish or rhodium-plating, mirror-polished
• small seconds: snailed
• hour-markers: rhodium-plated or golden finish, coated with Super-LumiNova
• hands: rhodium-plated or golden finish, skeletonised, coated with Super-LumiNova

Case

• Material titanium
• Diameter 42.5 mm
• Thickness 12.25 mm (with crystal)
• Crystal sapphire, anti-reflective coating on both sides
• Case back sapphire crystal, anti-reflective coating
• Water-resistance 10 bar (100 m/330 ft)

Interchangeable titanium, folding clasp bracelet

Additional strap blue or green rubber, titanium pin buckle

Limited to 88 timepieces