Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 38 Gold Blue Aventurine Edition
Birds of a Feather: A Round-Up of the Best Small-Batch Releases from Geneva Watch Days 2024, Part 1
We’re wild about the Geneva Watch Days releases from Arnold & Son, Czapek, and Laurent Ferrier.
By Rhonda Riche
Editor-At-Large
Last week, Geneva Watch Days 2024 brought a good kind of chaos to town as the horological cognoscenti navigated their way through the offerings of more than 50 brands and a full slate of panels and parties.
Luckily for attendees, when the information overload became too much for them to process, one could always stroll over to the lake for a quick mental health break, letting the sound of water lapping against the shore and the zen-like sight of the Jet d’Eau provide moments of contemplation. Though, if we’re being honest, observing Lake Geneva’s waterfowl brought us the most peace.
From the majestic swans to the colorful pochards, bird watchers could probably check hundreds of species off their life lists in one weekend.
Likewise, watch spotters could learn about many interesting, limited edition, and small production treasures in one fell swoop. We’re talking timepieces that the average enthusiast usually doesn’t get to see in the wild.
Here are three of our favorites brands and the specific flights of fancy that captured our attention
Arnold & Son’s Latest Perpetual Moon 38 Models
In the wild, birds display their plumage to attract admirers. In the watch world, brands use dials to make us fall in love. That is why two of the most alluring timepieces at GWD came from Arnold & Son’s Perpetual Moon 38 Red Gold collection – a family that’s distinct from its larger 41.5mm diameter model in its directness because the smaller 38mm size means that there are no superfluous details.
Limited to just 88 pieces for the Blue Aventurine model and 28 pieces of the sunray-brushed Cliff Grey model, these moonphases showcase Arnold & Son’s mastery of color, texture, and its taste and luxurious materials.
In a subtle nod to the Maison’s nautical heritage, both evoke the image of ancient mariners using celestial navigation or familiar landmarks like the grey cliffs of a shoreline. Meanwhile, the moonphase disc features a glowing mother-of-pearl moon framed by the constellations of Cassiopeia and Ursa Major atop either more aventurine glass on the Blue Aventurine model or a grained midnight blue PVD sky on the Cliff Grey edition.
Both versions are powered by the precise and practical hand-wound calibre A&S1612 moonphase movement with a weekend-friendly 90-hour power reserve.
The Perpetual Moon 38 Red Gold Blue Aventurine & Cliff Grey Editions are priced at CHF 36,700 and CHF 32,400, respectively. For more information, check out the Arnold & Son website.
Laurent Ferrier’s Série Atelier VI: Classic Auto Sandstone
The sixth in the Series Atelier collection, the denomination “Auto” refers to the brand’s classic Sport Auto because both come equipped with the same excellent automatic movement featuring a micro-rotor. However, the big difference is the Sandstone’s sophisticated styling, which means the watch can easily transition between everyday and more formal occasions.
Housed in a 40mm stainless-steel, pebble-shaped case, the dial’s earthy/coppery tones of the dial have a neutrality that helps the Classic Auto Sandstone go with any wardrobe or social situation.
Moreover, the LF270.01 calibre – complexly conceived, designed, decorated, assembled, and adjusted in the Laurent Ferrier workshops – features a Swiss lever escapement resistant to most physical activities. This calibre also uses an automatic winding system via an off-centered micro-mass and a unidirectional ball bearing for heightened shock and vibration resistance.
The mechanism is equipped with a 950-platinum oscillating mass, placed directly between the plate and the micro-rotor bridge to help deliver ideal stability and maximal winding power to ensure a power reserve of over 72 hours.
Like previous Serie Atelier editions, the Série Atelier VI: Classic Auto Sandstone is limited to 20 numbered pieces, priced at CHF 50,000, and available exclusively via the Laurent Ferrier website.
Czapek’s Antarctique Polar Sky and Antarctique Flying Diamonds
At Geneva Watch Days, Czapek dazzled with new interpretations of its bestselling signature sports watch, the Antarctique, which has become so popular since it was first launched in 2020, largely because of its instantly recognizable case shape and integrated bracelet.
Having such a strong silhouette makes it easy for the Maison’s designers to play around with dial colors, case, bracelet materials, and even functions without losing the essence of the Antarctique model.
This year, the brand has decided to go for the glam with stunning results. Czapek describes the new Antarctique and Antarctique S Polar Sky and Flying Diamonds models as “dressed up for a gala.”
As you can see, it’s a simple enough glow-up. Both models employ a glittering aventurine dial, but the Flying Diamonds models feature stone indices made using Czapek’s exclusive and officially registered “Antarctique-cut.”
Further underling the Antarctique’s versatility are four references in the capsule collection of limited editions. Two are Polar Sky models (which are sans diamond hour markers) and come in either 38.5mm (limited to 77 pieces) or 40.5mm (limited to 99 pieces).
Finally, the two topflight versions of the Antarctique Flying Diamonds come with diamond indices and an optional diamond-set case and bracelet. Czapek is producing 8 of the 40.5mm versions and 18 of the 38.5mm pieces.
To learn more, including pricing, check out the Czapek website.
