An exquisite wristwatch whose pure unpolluted aesthetics bely the remarkable technical complexities within, the Arnold and Son Ultra Thin Tourbillon is a piece which is contemporary and stylish, yet which also perpetuates the age of the classical pocket watch, with its off centre dial and magnificent flying tourbillon, and a Manufacture movement which pushes the boundaries of horologic engineering.

Manufactured to the exacting standards of haute horlogerie, it is superbly finished throughout. Presented in a round 42mm case of 18ct red gold, which curves inwards from the top side to the underside, with a squat fluted crown, the Ultra Thin Tourbillon is distinguished and refined, and a watch of understated elegance with its polished surfaces, immaculate lines and slender 12.2mm profile.

Beneath a gently domed sapphire glass, the display is reminiscent of a fine old pocket watch. It is almost austere, with the dial and the tourbillon aperture surrounded by a backdrop of silvery-white dimpled grenage finishing. With its two features aligned in the vertical, there is a strikingly beautiful symmetry, with the hours and minutes displayed on the small off-centred dial, surrounded by a brushed siler minutes ring, with a white opaline base featuring black roman numerals and blued steel hands with skeletonised pointer tips, while immediately beneath, the flying tourbillon is absolutely captivating as it rotates in its sixty-second cycle.

Appearing to float in its own space, the beautiful regulating mechanism features a domed upper bridge, with a pointer for the small seconds, as well as an off-centre balance which revolves around the axis, adding to the spectacle of the tourbillon’s mechanical animation.

A sapphire crystal caseback reveals the decoration and hand finishing which has been applied throughout the A&S8200 manual winding movement. A technical masterpiece which has a depth of only 2.97mm, it boasts an impressive 90 hours of power reserve from two barrels, and features radiating stripes of Côtes de Genève, a hand engraved tourbillon bridge, as well as polished anglage edging and circular brushed wheels.

A superb piece which is discreet yet stately, the Ultra Thin Tourbillon is a watch which, while in no way ostentatious, has an authoritative presence on the wrist. It is presented on a black alligator leather strap with 18ct red gold pin buckle.