Arnold & Son’s CEO Bertrand Savary on the new Luna Magna Red Gold Year of the Dragon watch: ‘The creation took a year to complete’

When you first set eyes on the Arnold & Son Luna Magna Red Gold Year of the Dragon watch, you’ll need a few minutes to take in the incredible details of the mystical zodiac animal. Set against the deep black canvas of onyx or blue pietersite, the 18k red gold serpentine figure comes alive, all poised to swoop down on a large golden moon.

Bertrand Savary, CEO of Arnold & Son, details the creative process and metiers d’art that went into creating the maison’s very first three-dimensional dial on the distinctive Luna Magna watch. The manually wound calibre A&S1021 on the 44mm showpiece also provides a secondary display of the moon’s age on the caseback, complete with legible graduations that allow the precise adjustment of the lunar globe in the front.

Savary also touches on an upcoming launch featuring titanium and a new calibre, the new Arnold & Son client post-pandemic, and the watch-purchasing habits of men and women.    

Tell us more about the Arnold & Son Luna Magna Red Gold Year of the Dragon.

We wanted to create something unique as not only is 2024 the Year of the Dragon, it’s also the 260th anniversary of Arnold & Son. So, we pushed the boundaries in terms of design, and the result is Arnold & Son’s most elaborate piece of metiers d’art by far. The Luna Magna’s box sapphire case allows for the dragon to be constructed in three-dimension, which is a first for us. The brief to our designer was to feature as much of the dragon’s body as possible in the watch without obstructing the hours and minutes display – a big feat considering the small space between the dial and box case.

The creation took a year to complete. Hand-engraved in solid 18k red gold, each dragon takes over 30 hours to complete and every one is unique. The other highlight is the large 12mm moon, which is a work of art. It’s a perfect sphere, with one half in red gold and the other in onyx or pietersite. It’s extremely complicated to construct the moon – look at the red gold’s perfect mirror polish and the seamless line where the precious metal and stone meet. Then there’s its perfect weight, which ensures the moonphase function works perfectly. For this, a precise amount of gold needs to be hollowed out. The moon is then affixed to the movement via the top and bottom and revolves on its axis. Beneath the off-centre white opal dial is Super-LumiNova and when it glows, it really resembles a full moon.

Why was pietersite chosen for the second variant?

That was my choice. I thought the dragon would look like it’s soaring in the sky against the blue of the stone. And since it’s a natural stone, each dial is unique. I like the onyx too as the deep black gives the timepiece a beautiful depth that contrasts against the gold. Clients can also request for a bespoke piece with a different stone and the process takes about three or four months.

Are the artisans, such as the engraver and gem-cutters, in-house craftsmen from Arnold & Son?

No, they’re not. There are only five or six top engravers in Switzerland and we worked with one of them, whose factory is just 10 minutes from La Chaux-de-Fonds. As for the dial maker, we collaborated with a group of three brothers, who are considered to be the best in the world and have worked with some of the biggest watch brands. One of them is the technical guy, who works with the machines, while another is a gemologist, who travels the world to source for stones. He had gone to Australia to personally select the white opal that you see on the dial here.

We enjoy collaborating with one another because some of the projects are world premieres, like our new watch with an amber dial that was launched at Dubai Watch Week earlier this year. It took this gem-cutting specialist six months to properly cut the amber because it kept shattering. We’re the first manufacture to produce such a dial and we’ve a patent for it.

Can you share any anecdotes while developing this watch?

We’re Swiss and aren’t familiar with the numerous details of the dragon, so apart from our designer looking through books for inspiration and references, we consulted a few Asian retailers and clients to make sure that the zodiac animal was represented well. There’s a lot of significance tied to the dragon, which is why we had to get all the details right, like the right number of claws; that its horns were long and slender enough; its head had the right proportions, and that its facial expression was ferocious, but not too intensely so. I remember that for one version, a client remarked that the dragon resembled a lizard, so we had to tweak it again. Suffice to say, this was one of the most challenging parts of the creative process, as there was a lot of back and forth over a year.  

Only eight pieces are produced for each series. Have they been sold, and if so, who are these buyers and where are they are from?

All 16 pieces have been sold to clients from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. We also had Asian clients living in the US purchase the watch as well. This creation appealed to many, and more than half the buyers are new Arnold & Son clients. They are true connoisseurs, so this isn’t their first metiers d'art piece.

Do you think this new timepiece has changed the trajectory of future Arnold & Son metiers d’art creations?

This is the first time we’ve done a three-dimensional zodiac sign, which is also our very first three-dimensional dial. I’m sure it’ll inspire and give clients ideas for other bespoke creations, which is another speciality of ours. The possibilities are endless... I think we’ve opened this door and I’m not sure we can close it.

Has the client profile of Arnold & Son changed since the pandemic?

Yes, I’d say that the clients are younger now, especially in Asia and the US, as compared to Europe. Everyone couldn’t travel during the pandemic, so some started spending more time on the internet and this led them to discover more about independent watchmakers. They were looking for something different, something that bigger brands couldn’t offer, and independent brands are a great alternative, especially in terms of design and quality. You can’t compare Arnold & Son’s Luna Magna with other maisons’ watches, and I don’t think another brand has anything like the Nebula, whose movement is built to have seven bridges.

Do you see other independent watchmakers as competition?

I think it’s a positive thing that there are more independent brands now and we don’t compete with one another. It’s strength in numbers – with more independent watchmakers, we’re able to compete with the bigger brands together.

What’s one of the current watch trends?

While the preferred case size was 45mm or 46mm some 10 to 15 years ago, smaller sizes are the current trend. Having said that, I was talking with a client in Bangkok and he said that if it’s a sporty model, you don’t want to wear a 38mm as it might be a tad too small. But for a more technical watch like the 38mm Nebula, you’d want a size that suits the overall watch design. It’s all about balance: Slightly bigger if it’s a sporty watch, and a little smaller if it’s a classical one. But generally, the preferred size now is between 40mm and 43mm. 

Do you see more women buying high complication watches now?

Yes. I think it’s not only about the complication, but also about design. Two of the last four Nebulas that we sold in China were to women. Men tend to go for big names and resale value, while women aren’t afraid to buy watches that boast a great design. Personally, I always say you must like a watch first. Just like when buying a car, you need to first enjoy it and not look at its resale value from the get-go. However, there’s also the matter of the secondary market, which got bigger in the last few years, and that explains why more men are focused on the resale value of watches.

What’s in the pipeline for Arnold & Son in 2024?

It’s going to be an exciting year for us as it’s our 260th anniversary. We’ve an important launch of a new collection of six or seven novelties at Watches and Wonders in Geneva this April. The line took three years to develop, and it features an all-new calibre, as well as titanium, which is a first for the maison. All I can reveal now is that it’s a daily watch that’s marine chronometry-related, in honour of our founder John Arnold – one of the most inventive 17th-century watchmakers renowned for his work with marine chronometers. In September, we’ll present three or four new watches at Geneva Watch Days.