The new Perpetual Moon from Arnold & Son is a charming ode to the Year of the Wooden Snake in a beautifully designed 41.5mm red gold case that shows off the brand’s artistry.

Arnold & Son is known for their unique and captivating timepieces. It is one of the oldest watch brands in the world, so they have got this whole watch thing down pat and the Perpetual Moon is perhaps one of their more well known pieces, or at the very least, the most elegant with one of the most stunning and accurate moonphase complications in the game.

The Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Year Of The Snake

They have brought this to their new Perpetual Moon year Of The Snake in the form of an 18k red gold work of art featuring their iconic moonphase in the top third of the dial made from a fully luminescent Mother-of-Pearl moon set against the aventurine glass dial, which gives the impression of the night sky full of stars.

The Mother-of-Pearl moon disc set against the starry backdrop with constellations of Ursa Major and Cassiopeia, which are also painted with luminescent material.
 

Given this is the Year of the Wooden Snake, which is said to represent perspicacity, intelligence and prudence, the reptile foretells transformation and a need for self-improvement, combined with energy and introspection. On a timepiece, this seems pretty appropriate given what these little ticking pieces of mechanical marvels can often mean to us. Arnold & Son has brought this to life in the form of a hand-carved 18k red gold snake that sits proudly on the dial in front of a scenic landscape depiction complete with a Ginkgo Biloba tree – which is often used in Chinese and Western medicine.

The 18k red gold snake carved out of a block of gold reminds the wearer to be prudent and introspective over the coming year

The case measures 41.5mm in diameter and 11.67mm thick, which having worn several Perpetual Moon’s from Arnold & Son, I can say it hits the sweet spot in terms of wearability and wrist presence. On the dial, as mentioned, you have essentially a work of art, 18k red gold snake aside. The dial is made from blue aventurine glass, which has a depth to it you can only really appreciate in person when you see it sparkle and shimmer in the light. The Ginko Biloba tree is hand painted with gold powder, then overlaid with Super-LumiNova to give it the night time glow.

The fully lumed mother-of-pearl moon with the flowers of the Ginko Biloba tree makes for a great night time show

RELATED READING: Arnold & Son’s Perpetual Moon 38 Duo Navigates Heaven and Earth At Geneva Watch Days 2024

Flipping the watch over, like all Arnold & Son pieces, the movement is decorated as it should be with Côtes de Genève on the bridges, pearlage on the main plate and snailing on the wheels which gives a range of contrasts for the viewer. It also has a full Moon Phase indicator to show exactly where the moon is in its current phase and makes it easy for the user to set the moon to the correct phase based on their local time zone. Once fully wound, and if kept running, the moon phase is accurate to a 24 hour deviation over 122 years.

The Calibre A&S1512, hand-wound mechanical movement with a 90 hour power reserve is pure Arnold & Son finishing

Initial Thoughts

Arnold & Son produce some amazing watches. They probably don’t get as much attention as they should given their movement making and finishing is up there with some of the best. When you see it up close, you’ll see what I mean. The new Perpetual Moon Year Of The Snake is no exception here, taking what is great about their Perpetual Moon collection and giving it a charming twist and a dash or artistry on the dial.

To make this piece even more special is it is limited to just 8 pieces. Where other brands will do 88, or 888, and some even in the thousands, Arnold & Son has chosen to keep this ultra-exclusive, which is also reflected in the price of CHF 57,200, or in Australia will be a little over A$100,000 once regional pricing, taxes and duties are taken into account. In saying this, I can think of plenty of other more well known brands who charge in excess of 6 figures for precious metal pieces that are not on the same level of quality and finishing as this.

Reference: 1GBLR.Z09A.C264A

Specifications:

  • Dimensions: 41.5mm case diameter x 11.67mm thickness
  • Case Material: 18k polished red gold
  • Crystal: Domed sapphire with an anti-reflective coating on both sides
  • Dial: Blue aventurine glass with hand carved 18k red gold snake. Moonphase indicator done in Mother-Of-Peal coated Super-LumiNova, hand painted scenic motif in gold powder and coated in Super-LumiNova. 18k Red Gold hands and indices.
  • Movement: In-House A&S1512, hand-wound mechanical movement beating at 3Hz / 21,600 VpH and pivoting on 27 jewels with moon phase indicator
  • Power Reserve: 90hrs
  • Water Resistance: 30m (3bar)
  • Strap: Ink blue alligator leather, lined with red alligator leather with prong buckle made of 18-carat red gold

Australian RRP: ~A$102,000 / CHF 57,200

Availability: Limited to 8 pieces, contact Fairfax & Roberts for local availability, or alternatively, head to ArnoldandSon.com for more information.

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