Introducing: The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11
There were plenty of standout releases at Watches and Wonders 2025, but one watch keeps coming up in my memories. The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11 was a delight in the metal. Plus, the reason for the watch centers on a story with actual meaning.
Watch companies indeed find a reason to celebrate just about every little occasion. Some are substantial, while others seem trivial. The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11 feels like a credible reason to get excited due to the historic relationship between John Arnold and Abraham-Louis Breguet. Both men even sent their sons in an exchange to train with the other father. As the story goes, Arnold was an admirer of Breguet’s simple designs. Breguet, on the other hand, enjoyed Arnold’s ability to produce highly accurate marine chronometers for mass production. Today’s watch memorializes the friendship between the two.
The Arnold & Son Constant Force Tourbillon 11
The Constant Force Tourbillon 11 is a 41.5mm watch made from 18K yellow gold, a material used by John Arnold for high-end pocket watches. It has a 13.7mm thickness due to the complex movement inside — we’ll spend time on this shortly. Arnold & Son outfitted this dressy watch with twin sapphire crystals and achieved a depth rating of 30 meters. The midnight-blue alligator strap with matching 18K pin buckle isn’t made for water, but the watch can survive a drizzle.
The dial had me at hello
Balazs and I met with Arnold & Son at Geneva Watch Days last August, and the brand showed us renders of the Tourbillon 11. I felt then that it was special, but seeing it in person confirmed my beliefs. The brand used an 18K 3N gold base for the dial and finished it with white Grand Feu enamel. It looks so clean that it’s like porcelain, and, folks, for whatever reason, I love porcelain. In fact, the white is so buttery smooth that the rest of the dial details almost fall away. Almost…
The A&S5219 movement
When it comes to the A&S5219 manual-winding movement in the Constant Force Tourbillon 11, there’s a lot to unpack. Flipping the watch to the back side exposes a view that fights the front for best in class. Seriously, what a one-two punch! An inscription sits at the top of the movement that honors the two historic watchmakers, and, yes, Breguet was happy to allow Arnold & Son to produce this piece. The movement is a traditional tourbillon, but it contains two barrels in series. This helps the movement achieve 100 hours of power reserve.
The front of the movement shows off the constant-force escapement. It lies between the tourbillon and the going train. An 18K bridge secures the mechanism, which rotates over one minute. As if like clockwork, the constant-force system creates a dead-beat seconds display, which is shown via a blued anchor bridge — the symbol of Arnold & Son. Again, in the metal, watching the movement is lovely. The English-style finishing with engravings and anglage is also impressive.
Other thoughts about the Constant Force Tourbillon 11
Honestly, I’m not normally a fan of traditionally styled watches with tourbillons. I grew up seeing plenty in shops when complex movements were all the rage. Something about this Arnold & Son piece hit me, though. It’s so beautiful and simple yet so mechanical-looking. It’s the antithesis of modern skeletonized watches that lack design fluidity. Yes, I’d love to own one of these. Sadly, the brand is making just 11 examples, and perhaps it’s just as well. The pricing is spicy at CHF 129,800, but I suppose that’s the entry fee to owning something truly special.
