Arnold & Son’s Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold Showcases Finesse

A worldwide record for the thinnest tourbillons is about to fall. Arnold & Son unveils the elegantly minimal Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold at Watches And Wonders 2023. Its large dial has a silvery opaline finish that looks almost lunar, and its off-center hours dial is made from real white opal. The collection's signature ultrathin flying tourbillon is now fully visible without any obstructions.

The Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold, with a thickness of only 8.3 millimetres, is a beautifully balanced timepiece. This model is a classic by Arnold & Son, but this is the first time its wide-opening dial has been given such a refined treatment. Two holes are set into the vast face of the dial. One is for the hours dial, while the other is home to the A&S8300 movement's visible components. The elegance of the Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold is on full display.

HARMONY AND PLEASURE

The dial is housed in a 5N red gold case that is extremely thin and features a bassiné design. The hours hand and the tourbillon window are framed by a thin metal band in the same golden hue. These circular lines repeat in a gentle but precise geometry, producing a symmetry that sets off the tourbillon carriage beautifully.

LUXURY, TRANSPORT, AND JOY

The A&S8300 calibre, one of the thinnest ever created, beats at the centre of the Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold. The calibre's tourbillon carriage rises to its highest point. Calibration is maintained more reliably thanks to the variable-inertia balance. John Arnold was a pioneer in 18th-century ocean exploration, and the reimagined tourbillon carriage is a nod to his pioneering spirit. Its triangular form is reminiscent of a sextant, and its counterpoise, which features two arrows, stands in for an anchor. The central dot indicates the elapsed number of seconds; the carriage makes one full revolution every minute.

GOLDEN TAKEOFF

The tourbillon's bridge is hand-engraved with a design reminiscent of the engravings on John Arnold's pocket watches, and it can be seen in the mainplate aperture behind the tourbillon. Made of 3N yellow gold, it contrasts visually with the rest of the calibre but still fits in with the gear train.

The A&S8300 calibre has a power reserve of 100 hours thanks to upgrades to the tourbillon carriage and regulating organ. Although this is an impressively large power reserve in comparison to traditional tourbillons, especially slim ones, it is perfectly consistent with the results typically achieved by calibres made by Arnold & Son.

Technical Specifications:

ULTRATHIN TOURBILLON GOLD
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Functions hours, minutes.
Movement: Calibre A&S8300, 1 minute flying tourbillon, manual winding
Jewels: 29
Diameter: 32.00 mm
Thickness: 2.97 mm
Power reserve: 100 hours
Frequency: 3 Hz/21,600 vph
Finishes mainplate: circular-grained
Bridges: polished and chamfered by hand,
Côtes de Genève stripes radiating from the centre
wheels: circular satin-finished
screws: blued and chamfered, mirror-polished heads
tourbillon carriage: ‘Arnold & Son’ signature, polished,
satin-finished and chamfered by hand
rear tourbillon bridge: 18-carat yellow gold (3N), engraved by hand
Dial: silver-toned opaline
Hours: dial white opal
Case Material: 18-carat red gold (5N)
Diameter 41.50 mm
Thickness: 8.30 mm (with crystal)
Crystal domed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating on both sides
Case back: sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating
Water resistance: 3 bar (30 metres/100 feet)
Strap: Material hand-stitched blue alligator leather, black alligator leather lining
Clasp: folding clasp in titanium with 18-carat red gold (5N) cap
Reference: 1UTBR.I01A.C246R
Limited edition 88 timepieces
Swiss retail price CHF 70,000 including taxes (may be subject to modifications)