Reach For The Stars With The New Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Obsidian
Editor’s note: Like you, we are also excited for the releases from the Watches & Wonders 2021. Before we get to dive deep into the releases and go hands-on with as many of these as the two of us here can, here’s our preview and the Gut Reaction Review (Grr…) of the new Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Obsidian. For our other detailed hands-on reviews, please head to our dedicated reviews section here.
Gut Reaction
From the time man first craned his neck and gazed at the bright ball of light in the dark of the night, he has been fascinated. From myths to legends to astronomical science, the moon has always been at the centre of man’s dreams.
From the various horological inventions in the 18th century to finding solutions to the watchmaking challenges of our times, Arnold & Son has always been at the centre of mechanical awesomeness.
Joining these two forces, the heavenly and the man-made, and you get the new Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Obsidian.
There is a Carl Sandburg quote that goes: “The moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk to”. The moon is powerful. The moon is mysterious. And what better complication than a moonphase display to bring out the poet in anyone.
My first impressions of the watch were to simply pause everything and look at the dial; there is a sense of wonderment that the contrast between the earthly golden obsidian stone covering the base of the dial and the celestial blue lacquered guilloché sky at 12’o clock. An engraved rhodium-plated disc moon graces the dial, and the silvered constellations serenade the path of time. The rhodium-plated hands shimmer, complemented by the diamond-polished white gold appliqué hour-markers.
The warmth of the bronzed dial and the coolness of the night sky is elegantly framed by the red gold case. The new Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Obsidian is a picture of poetic brilliance.
The Watch
The ref. 1GLAR.Z01A.C154A is presented in a limited edition of 28-pieces only and features the hand-wound mechanical A&S1512 manufacture caliber retailing for CHF 31’900 (excl. tax).
It is impressively entirely developed, produced, assembled, adjusted and cased up in the brand’s manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Superbly finished, besides the rhodium-plated and circular-grained moon-phase indicator, it also features:
- rhodium-plated main plate with Côtes de Genève stripes radiating from the centre
- polished and chamfered bridges
- circular satin-finished wheels
- blued and chamfered screws with polished heads
This 34 x 5.35mm movement beats at the low frequency of 3Hz, comprises of 27 jewels, and offers a very impressive 90-hour power reserve, along with allowing the moon phase display of this movement to remain accurate for 122 years before deviating from the actual lunar cycle by one day.
Calibre A&S1512 is encased inside a 42mm diameter and 11.43mm thick polished 18-carat red gold (5N) case that features a domed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating on both sides and a water resistance of 30m (3 ATM).
Completing the package is the hand-stitched blue alligator leather strap with an 18-carat red gold (5N) pin buckle that matches the colour of the moon phase indicator and ties in the theme of night and day beautifully.
Quotable
“The moon is only visible because it reflects the light from the sun. In the same way, the light brings the Perpetual Moon Obsidian to life with its shimmering reflections.”.
That’s All Folks!
The larger-than-life moon of the new Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Obsidian has got to be one of the biggest moons I have seen in a moon watch. And this is something I find particularly alluring here, that A&S has not resorted to simply add a small aperture for the moon; instead, it’s there full front and centre.
Its seduction is only enhanced by the use of Mexican obsidian, a rare and welcome material for the watchmaking industry. This bronzed-aesthetic volcanic stone has a very high silica content, making it by default a shiny material, a perfect companion to the glitter of the sky at 12’o clock.
The stars align, enchanting the wearer with a rare timepiece that sings the tune of celestial grandeur to perfection.
To find out more about the new Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Obsidian and other A&S watches, please head to their website here. All images unless otherwise specified are © 2021 – Arnold & Son. Make sure to check out our reviews of other Watches & Wonders 2021 releases here.
