Interesting & Rare: John Roger Arnold
Arnold & Son Fusee-Chain & Duplex-Escapement: Hunter-Pocketwatch
- Time (Hour, Minute, Small Second)
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EmailWHY WE LOVE IT? Because it is the Son in Arnold & Son. A late master-work of John Roger Arnold (*1769 - 1843, son of John Arnold, see photo ex Wikipedia showing Arnold & Son), the important 19th-century London-based Chronometer-watchmaker, Louis Abraham Breguet-scholar and colleague of the important English Chronometer-makers Charles Frodsham & Edward John Dent. A historically-loaded artefact in highest quality and outstanding condition.
We can date this full-hunter pocketwatch to 1842 according to the London hallmark in the 18K-case; and this makes this watch a late artefact of the master, just before his colleague Charles Frodsham took over his shop in 84 Strand, London after J. R. Arnolds death in 1843. The case is lavish decorated with floral-decoration as is the dial coming with this timepiece. Additional to the floral golden dial this watch comes with another very classic supplementary original white dial with black printed roman numerals and "Arnold 84 Strand London, 209X" printed -- also in excellent condition as the watch overall.
About the importance and relevance of the innovations and the horological finesse of the Arnold-watches is a lot to tell, but to keep it short: their innovations were mainly about compensations of environment-influences (temperature, time, magnetism & gravity) and about the usability: in London and in the outposts of the British Empire or on board of the HMS Beagle (Darwin). It is fair to call the Arnolds the two most important British chronometer-makers and closely tied to navigation-excellence and the successful dominance of the Empire on the world-seas in the 2nd half of the 18th and the early 19th century. NB: It is said, that of the 129 chronometers of the Royal Navy around that time, 84 were signed Arnold.
This masterpiece is powered by working (serviced) movement with a special duplex-escapement using a fusee-and-chain: a well-thought complication that is used for the compensation of torque-loss during the unwinding of the mainspring.
It runs reliably although its age of almost 200y. The important horological artefact comes with its original and numbered (2'09X) box, the numbered movement (signed Arnold - 84 Strand, London) and case and dial and the original winding-key (gold) -- and everything almost 200y old, working fine and overall in great condition. Of course everything and every lid has the same number: 2'09X.
The weight of the watch is >90g and the case is an amazing monocoque with all lids (front, dust-cover) in 18K and closing secure & tight.
