Arnold & Son Luna Magna Platinum
Arnold & Son’s Luna Magna Goes Platinum
A new precious white metal case, new dial materials, and a fresh strap design give the watch with the largest spherical moonphase indicator a striking contemporary look.
By Steven Rogers
Contributor
Earlier this year, at Watches & Wonders, one of the hit releases of the show was Arnold & Son’s Luna Magna. The La Chaux-de-Fonds-based brand wowed the watch-loving public with its first timepiece to feature a rotating, three-dimensional, moonphase indication which, at 12mm in diameter, is the largest moon sphere ever integrated into a wristwatch.
One of horology’s oldest complications, the brand chose to launch this spectacular interpretation of a moonphase via a 28-piece limited edition in 18K red gold. Featuring aventurine glass dial, the Luna Magna released at Watches & Wonders also sported white lacquered hour-minute sub-dial, blued hands, and, of course, a spherical moonphase indicator made from natural white marble and aventurine glass.
Contemporary Expression
Now Arnold & Son has decided to follow up that dressy, sophisticated initial offering with a 28-piece limited edition in 950 platinum. And by combining the silvery sheen of this precious white metal with a few new dial materials and a fresh strap design, it has managed to make a funkier, more contemporary expression of the Luna Magna.
The platinum edition retains the original’s 44mm-by-15.9mm dimensions, including the “glass box” design of the sapphire crystals on both the dial side and the back of the watch, which allows enough space for the protruding moonphase.
But the hour-minute sub-dial is now crafted from white mother-of-pearl, and the hemisphere of the moonphase, previously made of white marble, is now precision-machined from gray marble. The darker tone of this stone variety, plus the iridescent appearance of the mother-of-pearl, help add more dynamism and drama to the face of the watch, creating a tonal effect that neatly complements the platinum case.
On top of that, the hand-stitched, blue alligator leather strap now features a purple interior lining that adds a new level of vibrancy to the overall ensemble.
Engineering Prowess
In terms of the movement and finishing, the Luna Magna Platinum limited edition keeps all the goodness that made the first edition a success, with the manually wound, in-house A&S1021 caliber on show through the exhibition caseback.
Here we can see the secondary moonphase display that allows for precision adjustment using the crown. Once set, it only needs correcting after 122 years when it will be a day out of step with the real lunar cycle.
And we can also appreciate a variety of finishing techniques at play like spotting, circular graining, radial finishing, chamfering, as well as Geneva stripes – a level of decoration that matches the engineering prowess behind the mechanics.
Arnold & Son’s Luna Magna platinum limited edition is priced at CHF 55,900, excluding taxes. For more information, please visit the brand’s website.
(Images © Arnold & Son)
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