Arnold & Son, a long-established English watchmaking brand now based in Switzerland, has updated its Nebula collection, equipping it with a universal 40 mm case diameter. The two new Nebula versions feature a rhodium-plated and black caliber, and a gold-plated version with gold accents. The new models will debut at the WatchTime New York event in Manhattan (October 18-20, Gotham Hall).
The case of the Nebula collection has been redesigned, modernized and refined. With aerodynamic lugs, a softly rounded bezel, a more vertical caseband and a 40 mm diameter in harmony with its thickness of just 9.10 mm, this steel case opens a new chapter for the collection. Equipped with the A&S5201 skeleton caliber offering an ultra-graphic layout, Nebula maintains its identity as a watch whose movement fascinates, captivates and draws the eye into its depths.
Black and Gold
The Nebula 40 Steel has two initial versions in steel. The first features a black main plate, flange and barrel cover, designed to match a choice of three bracelets: one in steel with a three-link design, the second in alligator leather and the third in textured rubber. The second version is available only on a steel bracelet in a limited edition of 88 watches, with gold-coloured movement components. Both pieces feature meticulous finishes, such as the Rayons de la Gloire motif, one of Arnold & Son’s understated aesthetic signatures, as well as palladium-finished skeleton bridges, which add sparkle and contrast with their satin-brushed surfaces and polished corners.
Seven Bridges
The new generation of Arnold & Son cases focuses on the purity of lines and curves. Softened sides and diving lugs reduce the aesthetic of the Nebula 40 Steel to the essential: its signature movement, the central star around which the collection’s aesthetic revolves. The calibre was born with Nebula, for which it was specifically developed. Its architecture, inspired by the nebulae from which the arms of stars radiate, is what gave the collection its name. Here, these arms are represented by seven bridges, all functional, skeletonised and harmoniously arranged. Facing the inside of the watch, they converge towards its centre, creating an incomparable impression of order, symmetry and transparency. At the heart of the star Behind the radiant appearance of the A&S5201 calibre, the shape of the bridges is as important as their arrangement. They have hollowed-out centres and their chambers, both internal and external, are carefully polished. Each bridge brings together a screw and two pivots to create a rhythm that reinforces the structured appearance of the calibre. On the caseback, two large intersecting ogival bridges support the functional organs of the movement on the reverse. With its two large barrels arranged in series, the Nebula 40 Steel offers a 90-hour power reserve: exceptionally long for a skeletonized piece, but typical of Arnold & Son calibers. Their energy is transmitted to the gear train, whose arrangement follows the star-shaped arrangement of the bridges. The balance wheel at the end oscillates at a frequency of 3 hertz. These attributes combine to make the A&S5201 caliber a rare phenomenon in the watchmaking universe.
