The Amazing Discount Replica Arnold & Son Tourbillon Chronometer No. 36

With Baselworld just a few days away, pre-Baselworld press releases are coming in daily and one of the latest is from Arnold & Son, who are presenting a new tourbillon wrist breitling transocean replica watch they say is based on the movement layout of a chronometer made by British watchmaker John Arnold, in 1778, and which is now part of the collection of the National Maritime Museum in the UK. That particular watch is a bit of a linguistic milestone as well, as it was the first watch to be called a chronometer – though of course, back then "chronometer" didn't mean COSC certification; it just meant a very accurate timekeeper. The Arnold & Son Tourbillon Chronometer, on the other hand, is indeed a COSC-certified tourbillon chronometer wristwatch, which isn't something you see every day.

In the Tourbillon Chronometer No. 36, the movement basically is the watch. The two mainspring barrels, as well as the entire going train, and the tourbillon, are all visible from the dial side; by contrast, the back of the watch presents a pretty austere appearance.

The construction does indeed have a very marine-chronometer feel – there are seven separate cocks (a cock, in cheap rolex replica watchmaking, is a projection holding a pivot or pivots which is secured only at one point, whereas a bridge is secured at two separate points). Four individual cocks hold the train wheels, an additional steel cock holds the tourbillon (the cage is driven from gear teeth on its periphery) and the two mainspring barrels are under two bridges at the top of the dial, or what would be a dial if there was one. The contrast of polished steel with gold is always a handsome one – in traditional English movement finishing it would have been yellow gold, and here Arnold & Son has opted for rose gold, but it's still a very pretty movement and the effect is much the same. 

Now, it has to be said that the one potential gotcha here is that this piece bears an extremely close resemblance to a Breguet La Tradition. Breguet, naturally, has no particular claim on this general type of movement layout – watchmakers have been putting things under cocks for pretty much as long as there have been watchmakers making watches. Be that as it may, however, the fact remains that a tourbillon configured like this is going to irresistibly remind people of the competition, which may or may not be a deal-breaker for potential clients. Personally I think the Arnold & Son has enough of its own identity to stand on its own and to stand up to a comparison with a La Tradition. Besides, Breguet and John Arnold were very close friends, and one of the two earliest tourbillons was actually dedicated to Arnold by Breguet, so maybe a little crossover here is in the spirit of historical accuracy (deliberately or not).

Though there's a definite resemblance to the Breguet La Tradition, this is still very much an Arnold & Son replica rolex daytona automatic with dark blue dial watch in terms of design and overall visual impact.

This is a limited edition of 28 pieces; there will be 28 in red gold and 28 in steel. No word yet on pricing or expected date of availability, but we'll update you as soon as we have that info.