Elite Traveler May-June 2016

DISCOVER

elite traveler MAY/JUNE 2016 30

The Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon showcases Ulysse Nardin’s first wooden dial

BRAND PROFILE ARNOLD & SON

In the 18th century, Englishman John Arnold established himself as a master watchmaker in the court of King George III and became known as one of the most innovative watchmakers of the day, even creating the first timepiece to be called a chronometer. Today, Swiss manufacture Arnold & Son develops and produces every movement in La Chaux-de-Fonds, designing a new movement for each watch. Here are three fabulous new releases. arnoldandson.com

Making waves

1 UTTE Skeleton As the thinnest skeletonized tourbillon on the market, the UTTE Skeleton measures 8.34mm including the two sapphire glasses. Limited to 50 pieces, the skeletonized movement showcases the Côtes de Genève rayonnantes and the chamfered and polished parts. $76,750 2 Nebula Symmetry is important in every Arnold & Son piece, but even more so in the Nebula, which is symmetrical horizontally, vertically and front to back. Ten bridges radiate from the bezel to the center of the watch and form the dial. The two visible barrels, a balance wheel and a small seconds display preserve the symmetry dial-side. $25,750 in red gold 3 Eight-Day Royal Navy The figure eight display, huge power reserve and beautiful guilloché lacquer dial that evokes the ocean’s waves, pay homage to the marine chronometers that King George III commissioned from John Arnold for the Royal Navy. $12,950

One of the most talked about watches at Baselworld this year, Ulysse Nardin’s Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon showcases the company’s maritime history with pioneering, and patented, technology. The face of the watch – Ulysse Nardin’s first wooden dial – is full of nautical references, the most exciting being the replacement of the minute hand with a boom. This moves across the hand-crafted marquetry “deck” using a system of yacht-like pulleys and winches, drawn by a nanowire thinner than a human hair, but stronger than steel. On the hour, the hour jumps and the retrograde movement slowly, over four mesmerizing seconds, returns the boom to zero. During the other 59 minutes and 56 seconds of each hour, there is plenty to marvel at including the translucent blue spinel bridge that indicates the minutes, the 60-second flying tourbillon and shipshape nautical designs. The Grand Deck Marine Tourbillon is made in 18K white gold and with a limited edition of 18 pieces, you’re more likely to see a blue whale in the wild than see one of these for sale. $280,000, ulysse-nardin.com

Top The 60-second flying tourbillon and translucent blue spinel bridge Bottom The boom minute hand, moved by pulleys and winches drawn by a nanowire