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Jessica


Messages: 22404
Location: san diegooo
Registered: August 2004
Review: Arnold & Son HMS1 with Calibre A&S1001 Hand-Wound Movement Mon, 26 May 2014 21:31 Go to previous message

Background
In 1995, Les Monts S.A. acquired some of the finest historical names in English watchmaking, including Graham and Arnold & Son. In 1998, Les Monts S.A. co-founders Eric Loth, Pierre-André Finazz and Dr. Ernst Thomke revived Arnold & Son in La Chaux-de-Fonds. From its inception, Arnold & Son focused on being the British Breguet. However, it struggled to develop beyond a niche luxury brand since only a couple hundred timepieces were produced each year. In 2001, after Finazz left the firm, Les Monts S.A. changed its name to The British Masters S.A. In 2010, Arnold & Son separated from The British Masters as part of a joint venture with Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret. In 2012, Citizen purchased the Swiss holding company Prothor Holding S.A. and acquired its assets, Manufacture La Joux-Perret, component manufacturer Prototec and Arnold & Son.

Despite its rocky start, Arnold & Son has made tremendous strides over the past two years. Sébastien Chaulmontet is the head of movement development and responsible for creating several impressive and sophisticated movements. Today, Arnold & Son has two collections, the Instrument Collection and the Royal Collection. The HMS1 is an understated three hand watch in the Royal Collection. The timepiece is classical and elegant with a stainless steel case, anthracite dial, and a sapphire crystal display black that reveals a superbly finished manufacture hand-wound movement. The HMS1 is available in a range of dial colours and case metals; I chose to review the stainless steel model that retails for $10,095.

Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S
HMS1 with stainless steel case & anthracite dial, Ref. 1LCAP.S02A.C111S (LE of 250)



The Dial
The HMS1 is a three hand dress watch that indicates the hours, minutes and seconds. The domed sapphire crystal is treated with anti-glare on both sides for a clear view of the dial. The anthracite dial has a sunray finish. A laser engraved ring demarcates the minute track and creates a sunken effect. The faceted and polished hour markers are applied. The large seconds subdial is sunk at 6 o'clock with crisp printing, adding an elegance to the understated dial.

Overall, the dial is balanced and well-proportioned, which is a clear indication that the calibre was designed specifically for this timepiece.


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S
Anthracite dial with sunray finish


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S
Applied hour markers are faceted and polished


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


I'm uncertain whether Arnold & Son makes its own dials or outsources them. Regardless, the company made two mistakes. Its first mistake was manufacturing a timepiece with a flawed dial. The second mistake was sending the noticeably flawed dial to me for review. Given that the HMS1 was announced in 2012, and delivery of this timepiece did not take place until a year later in late 2013, I will give the company the benefit of the doubt that the oversight in quality control was a result of its acquisition and transition to new management. The dial is a matter that can easily be remedied by the manufactory; however, once I noticed the flaw above the minute track between 11 and 12 o'clock, it was something I could not help but notice from thereon.

Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S



The Case
The 40mm stainless steel case is perfectly proportioned to the dial. The voluptuous, double-shouldered bezel is inspired by an historical 19th century John Arnold pocket chronometer. The bezel and case sides are polished to a mirror shine. The curved lugs are beautifully finished with polished top surfaces, hand-bevelled and polished edges, and brushed sides. The lugs are also fitted with mirror-polished screws for the strap. The case is water resistant to 30 meters.

Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S



Oversized Crown
The oversized crown is well crafted and finished. It is bead blasted with a polished anchor logo at its center. The crown protrudes beyond the case back and I would prefer a smaller crown. However, the oversized crown does make time-setting and manual winding easier.

Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S

Oversized crown for time-setting & manual winding


The Movement
Turning the watch over, the sapphire crystal display back reveals the beautifully finished Calibre A&S1001 hand-wound movement. The 21-jewel, 2.7mm ultra-thin double barrel manufacture movement generates a 90-hour power reserve. Combining traditional craftsmanship with a modern aesthetic, the nickel-silver movement is treated with a grey surface treatment and decorated with straight Côtes de Genève guilloché on the bridges and balance cock, perlage mainplate, hand-chamfered bridges with hand-polished edges, fine circular grain wheels and mirror-polished screws.

Notably, the movement fills the case perfectly because it is designed and manufactured specifically for the HMS1 with the case proportions in mind. Even this base movement is developed, produced and assembled in-house in the Arnold & Son manufactory in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Arnold & Son never uses the same movement in a different model.

The precision movement also performed as good as it looks. Over four weeks, the HMS1 achieved an accuracy rate of +3/-2 seconds per day.


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, Caliber A&S1001, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S
Beautifully finished Calibre A&S1001 hand-wound manufacture movement


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, Caliber A&S1001, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, Caliber A&S1001, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, Caliber A&S1001, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S



The Strap
The timepiece is fitted with a hand-stitched black alligator strap and a fine finished tang buckle.

Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, Caliber A&S1001, The Langham, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S



Hand-stitched alligator strap with signed tang buckle




Arnold & Son HMS1, HMS1 anthracite, Caliber A&S1001, The Langham, 1LCAP.S02A.C111S


I love to talk about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about. Wilde

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  • Review: Arnold & Son HMS1 with Calibre A&S1001 Hand-Wound Movement - Jessica - Mon, 26 May 2014 21:31 (7344 clicks)
  • Re: Review: Arnold & Son HMS1 with Calibre A&S1001 Hand-Wound Movement - pamurphy - Wed, 28 May 2014 11:40 (394 clicks)
  • Lovely watch, but don't understand the crown. Will get caught on everything. [nt] - Mark44 - Tue, 27 May 2014 21:59 (381 clicks)
  • Nice looking piece, a bit spendy though. [nt] - smog - Tue, 27 May 2014 12:25 (407 clicks)
  • Elegant and restrained piece, well done! [nt] - Jorge Merino - Tue, 27 May 2014 11:09 (411 clicks)
  • Very well execution. I don't remember better execution of crown logo. - Michael G. - Tue, 27 May 2014 08:25 (451 clicks)
  • I think we handled the same piece... - Amr_KSA - Tue, 27 May 2014 06:53 (486 clicks)
  • This is a really nice watch. - jerrylux48 - Tue, 27 May 2014 03:41 (482 clicks)
  • Wait until you see my Baselworld report later this week ;) [nt] - Amr_KSA - Tue, 27 May 2014 06:53 (478 clicks)
  • Re: Review: Arnold & Son HMS1 with Calibre A&S1001 Hand-Wound Movement - mayor10 - Tue, 27 May 2014 00:07 (500 clicks)
  • Excellent and Candid review. One Expects A&S To Step Up Their QC Game Henceforth. [nt] - Walter Kross - Mon, 26 May 2014 23:55 (521 clicks)
  • Nice timepiece. - leostar - Mon, 26 May 2014 22:35 (518 clicks)
  • Impressive watch, sans the dial flaw - kev5366 - Mon, 26 May 2014 22:29 (507 clicks)
  • How interesting - Mr. Inkwell - Mon, 26 May 2014 22:08 (503 clicks)

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