The new Instrument Collection from Arnold & Son was inspired
by the timepieces produced during the second part of John Arnold's
life and later, following his death, by his son, John Roger. This
was a period when the Arnolds dedicated themselves exclusively to
the quest for absolute precision and a solution to the problem of
determining longitude accurately and reliably on the high seas. So
successful were they, and of such high quality their products, that
within the space of a few years they had established themselves as
suppliers of choice to the Royal Navy and to some of the most
distinguished mariners and explorers of their day.
During this era, timepieces played a crucial role as aids to
navigation and were, effectively, technical and scientific
"instruments". John Arnold and his son decided to make them as
rugged and reliable as possible, and in sufficient quantities to
equip the Navy's extensive fleet. Ultimately, they were to prove
pivotal to the nation's marine dominance and helped ensure that
Britannia really did rule the waves.
The new Instrument Collection draws on several original
timepieces made by John Roger Arnold. The first two of these,
manufactured at around the time of his father's death, were known
as No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, and featured a "Z" balance, mean
and sidereal time displays, and an additional small seconds at 6
o'clock. Another important timepiece, produced in 1855 with Charles
Frodsham, was a very unusual chronometer with hours and minutes
displaying mean time in a subsidiary dial on the left, a
symmetrical subdial on the right with a power reserve indication,
and a central seconds with an additional chronograph
split-seconds.
Elements of this arrangement are taken up in the Instrument
Collection, the design of which clearly shows the influence of the
pocket watches and marine chronometers developed and crafted by
John Arnold and his son. Here, too, the display for solar time is
of secondary importance and positioned off-centre. This allows the
complication to take centre stage and dominate the dial, making it
much more legible. The first model in the new line, the TBR,
features a double complication in the form of a True Beat seconds
and a retrograde date.
The other stylistic features that define the new timepieces are
pure, timeless lines and a discreet - almost austere - case. Viewed
from the side, the housing is stepped and tapers from top to
bottom, the widest section accommodating the extra-large glass and
dial with the lower part narrowing to fit snugly on the wrist.
Like the Royal Collection, the new Instrument Collection from
Arnold & Son is a family of elegant, exquisitely handcrafted
and finished timepieces: the sublime expression of a long and proud
tradition.
