Our Take

The Earth is our most precious asset. By cladding its Globetrotter in 950 platinum, Arnold & Son continues to bring its unique perspective to time throughout the world. The platinum exalts the colour grey, and pays a wonderful tribute to the explorers of the 18th century. Aboard the ships of the British Navy, John Arnold’s chronometers were essential tools for exploring the world, travelling and discovering new horizons.

The Globetrotter Platinum features a central globe depicting the northern hemisphere, spanned by an immense bridge in 18-carat gold. The detail of its openworked design is taken to the extreme. Its various elements are either chamfered, polished or satin-finished. This taut-lined arc is the Globetrotter’s visual signature and holds a functional jewel at its centre to mark the axis of universal time.

For the first time ever, the Globetrotter’s 45 mm diameter case is embellished with the most prestigious metal used in watchmaking: 950 platinum.

A Blue World

Continuing to explore streamlined design, Arnold & Son emphasises the precious, elegant and modern character of its Globetrotter timepiece. The appliques indexes on two planes are faceted and crafted from 18-carat gold with a touch of Super-LumiNova. The lower part of the dial encompassing the world map is in mother-of-pearl tinted in graduated shades of blue.

The universal hours ring is in transparent sapphire crystal. Local times are indicated by red arrows pointing to the markers, while world times can be read off by visualising imaginary longitudes from the jewel in the central bridge to the 24-hour ring.

Under a Wide Bridge

The Globetrotter Platinum’s architecturally structured transverse bridge is cut from 18-carat gold. Slender and elegant, it is made from a single piece of metal with an openworked design that has been pushed to the extreme. Its flat parts are polished, its sides satin-finished and its long edges chamfered. These types of finish and this level of quality are common practice for all components of Arnold & Son movements. However, this bridge is considerably larger than the parts of a movement and thus required a special degree of precision.

Sculpted Hemisphere

At 45 mm, the Globetrotter Platinum’s case is impressive. The intensity of its 950 platinum shines out from the wrist. The effect is luxurious and powerful, with unique presence. On the globe, America, Eurasia and Africa above the equator are represented with a wealth of detail. This polished and rhodium-plated land mass has been sculpted from a single piece. The relief of the mountain ranges is highlighted by a matt finish. The oceans, hand-painted with several layers of lacquer, are given intense depth and radiance by blue pigments enriched with powdered mother-of-pearl. The coastlines, in a lighter shade of blue and enriched with Super-LumiNova, shine at night and further accentuate the relief of this small hand-crafted work of art.

An Array of Fine Watchmaking Finishes

The Globetrotter Platinum is equipped with the House’s automatic A&S6022 movement which, like all those produced by Arnold & Son, was entirely developed, manufactured, decorated, assembled, adjusted and cased-up at the brand’s Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Its 22-carat gold oscillating weight features a skeletonised ‘Clous de Paris’ guilloché motif. The A&S6022 movement is also decorated with traditional fine watchmaking motifs: a circular-grained main plate, Côtes de Genève stripes radiating from the centre, satin-finished wheels, polished and chamfered screws. It also features a specific NAC finish – a type of plating that uses precious metals similar to platinum. This creates a particularly high-quality anthracite finish that perfectly matches the Globetrotter Platinum’s 950 platinum case, both in terms of colour and character.

The Details

Brand: Arnold and Son

Model: Globetrotter Platinum

Functions: hours, minutes, and world times (24-hour ring)

Movement: A&S6022, mechanical self-winding, 29 Jewels. Frequency 4 Hz / 28,000 vph

Power reserve: 45 hours

Dial: mother-of-pearl in graduated shades of blue three -dimensional appliques in 18-carat rhodium-plated gold with a touch of Super-LumiNova.

24-hour ring: sapphire crystal with hour decals

Terrestial Globe:

• Continents: rhodium-plated and polished with matt mountain range detailing.
• Oceans: nd-painted, blue lacquer and powdered mother-of-pearl - -
• Shorelines: hand-painted, blue lacquer and powdered mother-of-pearl mixed with Super-LumiNova
• Bridge: -c arat rhodium-plated gold, polished and satin-finished on the sides

Case:

• Material: Pt 950 platinum
• Diameter: 45.00 mm
• Crystal: convex sapphire crystal dome with an anti-reflective treatment on both sides
• Back: sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective treatment
• Water Resistance: 30 metres/100 feet

Strap: Blue alligator skin, raspberry-pink alligator-skin lining, hand-stitched

Limited Edition: 28 pieces