Where we’re currently at in horology, the concept of an exposed calibre is no longer a novelty. Sapphire casebacks are many in one. Openworked watches carve their dials out to flaunt glimpses of what lies beneath. Then there are the skeletonised pieces, designed to invite the eye to admire every tick and rotation, every spin of the balance wheel.
What is uncommon, however, is a watch that can display the inner workings of its movement without succumbing to the usual convention of hacking away at a dial. Arnold & Son’s DSTB collection—that’s short for “Dial-Side True Beat”—manages to break away from that entirely. The brand’s solution is elegant in its simplicity: why not bring the mechanism above the dial instead of hiding it beneath?
But like all things Arnold & Son, it’s done so deliberately. Only one part of its automatic A&S6203 calibre is exposed—the true-beat seconds mechanism. It functions as a jumping seconds mechanism, beating precisely at one oscillation per second. Each time the Arnold & Son anchor swings, it acts as a counterweight in this quasi-escapement, tirelessly orchestrating the seconds hand as it jogs along its track.
The complication is inspired by the titular founder, John Arnold’s 18th-century marine chronometers, which were once supplied to the Royal Navy. It serves almost as a tribute to the man behind some of the most accurate marine chronometers of the 18th century and a contributor to the modern chronometer we know today.
On the other side of this “globe” lies a Roman numeral sub-dial for hours and minutes crafted in white opal. It’s positioned off-centre at 5 o’clock, almost like an unassuming island surrounded by the glitter of the boundless sea. This imagery feels especially vivid in the latest iteration of the collection, the DSTB 42 Platinum Ascot Blue. Its dial is finished in a grainy, icy-blue PVD that calls to mind an ocean shimmering beneath a lazy veil of clouds. If this is the sea, then the 950 platinum case could very well be the sky—its cool tones complementing the dial effortlessly. At 42mm, the case feels generous enough to let the dial’s elements breathe, yet svelte enough to preserve the watch’s delicacy.
Its warmer sibling offers a different kind of charm. Here, the dial’s grainy texture is treated with a mint-green PVD coating, giving it a more grounded presence. A rose-gold case accompanies the hue, reinforcing that earthy sensibility. Even the exposed bridges fastening the mechanisms onto the dial are in red gold, adding a touch of sultry elegance.
The DSTB 42 is a watch that walks on a few fine lines—the one between opulence and creative experimentation in high horology, and the other between bold technical expression and restrained understatement. It’s almost hard to believe that a watch this off-beat counts among Arnold & Son’s more restrained offerings. But those who know, know that this is only a glimpse of their unorthodox approach to watchmaking, and its retailers like Sincere Fine Watches that have helped collectors look beyond mainstream brands to appreciate the depth and nuance of independent horology.
From the bold reinterpretation of the historical lineage of marine chronometers to the focus on refinement over spectacle, there’s a reason Arnold & Son’s watches sit so comfortably on the shelves (and wrists) of so many collectors who know.
Limited to just 18 pieces per colourway, the DSTB 42 stands as proof of the brand’s exclusivity, scarcity, and artisanal craft. The DSTB collection is, after all, considered one of the brand’s most emblematic lines for good reason.
The Arnold & Son DSTB 42 Gold Mint Green and Platinum Ascot Blue is available at selected Sincere Fine Watches Boutiques, with a retail price of SGD65,500 and SGD 83,700, respectively.
