Delicately placed on a mother-of-pearl dial, hand-painted carp and sculpted lotuses surround a flying tourbillon. Arnold & Son presents the Ultrathin Tourbillon Koi, a delicate unique piece that blends fine watchmaking and artistic crafts. Showcasing its broad spectrum of skills within a 5N 18K red gold case measuring 42 mm in diameter and 8.34 mm in thickness, the finest craftsmanship builds on tried-and-tested watchmaking techniques.
Arnold & Son is highlighting its tradition of bespoke watch creations. Ever attentive to the wishes of its customers, the brand is offering them the chance to personalize its collections. Customers can apply substantial changes, making a case, movement, or dial unique through engraving, gem-setting, miniature painting, or sculpted elements. One of the models that are particularly well suited to this exercise is the Ultrathin Tourbillon, with its off-centered dial at 12 o’clock. This arrangement frees up space to provide an empty canvas that can be filled with whatever the customer desires.
The UltraThin Tourbillon Koi is a unique piece that depicts two carp gliding between lotus blossoms. Koi are a popular theme in traditional Japanese art and inspire tranquillity. Above and beyond their beauty and serenity, they are a symbol of perseverance in the face of adversity.
A Tancho carp, recognizable thanks to the large red mark on its head, swims on the right- hand side of the dial. Peering out from beneath the sleeve, it is the first to be seen when checking the time. The scene continues with another koi in shades of white and orange gracing the other side of the dial. Above these ornamental carp float three lotus blossoms. The petals are cut from silver and shaped, before being engraved, polished, and painted in dazzling white lacquer. Each flower’s pistil is formed separately using the same techniques, then the two parts are combined.
The carp and lotus leaves, meanwhile, are painted by hand using incredibly thin brushes that allow a wealth of details to be added, such as scales, barbels, and striped fins. The base of the dial is made from black blue-toned mother-of-pearl, its iridescent shimmer evoking the water in which this charming scene unfolds.
Beneath this poetic depiction of pond life, Arnold & Son draws on the vast possibilities presented by the calibre A&S8200. Its thickness of 2.97 mm puts it within touching distance of the all-time records for thinness in this category. The movement displays the hours and minutes in an off-centered dial at 12 o’clock. At 6 o’clock, an aperture reveals a flying tourbillon. With a power reserve of 90 hours, this manual wound movement beats at a frequency of 21,600 vph with its flying tourbillon making a full rotation every minute.
Considering that the tourbillon is of the ‘flying’ variety, it only has a lower carriage bridge. Since the top is not held in place, a few precious millimeters of height can be saved, thus freeing up the view of this timekeeping mechanism. The balance, meanwhile, is off-centered from the carriage axis, creating a dynamic visual impression as the tourbillon rotates.
Another distinctive feature is the balance bridge, which is domed and extends slightly from the dial, ensuring that the rest of the movement is unaffected by the total height. This, in turn, makes the tourbillon’s rotation all the more spectacular. The effect is further accentuated by the skeletonized main plate located just beneath the tourbillon. The resulting transparency creates an ethereal impression consistent with the refined theme of the Ultrathin Tourbillon Koi that is delivered on a black hand-stitched alligator strap with 5N 18K red gold buckle. Additionally, the domed sapphire crystal creates an optical effect that enhances the details on the painted dial and applied lotus blossoms.
Sticker Price CHF 89,000 Swiss Francs —approximately $95,000 USD. For more info on Arnold & Son click here.
