Arnold & Son Releases Perpetual Moon and Luna Magna Dedicated to the Year of the Dragon

The dragon is one of the 12 animal signs in the Chinese zodiac cycle. In the Chinese calendar, each year is associated with an animal as well as one of the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water). The Year of the Dragon comes every 12 years. People born in the Year of the Dragon are believed to share certain personality traits, associated with the dragon, such as being confident, ambitious, and charismatic. 

The Chinese New Year commences on 10 February 2024. For the forthcoming Year of the Dragon, Arnold & Son has chosen to release two high-end models – the Luna Magna and the Perpetual Moon – with exquisite hand-sculpted dragons on the dials. Each of these new models is limited to eight pieces only.

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Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon

Red gold is a variation of rose or pink gold, which is a combination of gold, copper, and sometimes, a small amount of silver. Addition of copper gives gold a reddish or pinkish hue. The Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon Year of the Dragon watch comes in a 41.5 mm polished red gold case with a height of 11.67 mm, including the domed sapphire crystal protecting the dial. 

Available with a black (Ref.1GLBR.Z07A.C263A) or a blue (Ref. 1GLBR.Z08A.C264A) aventurine dial showcasing a range of artistic crafts, the model is limited to eight pieces. Depicted in a nocturnal garden, complete with gnarled pine trees and illuminated by the large panoramic moon, is a hand-sculpted rose gold dragon. The black or blue aventurine glass background evokes the night sky. 

The aventurine night sky with the hand-painted constellations of Great Bear and Cassiopeia, and the large, realistic moon are crafted from mother-of-pearl with hand-painted shadows. The constellations and the moon are overlaid with Super-LumiNova so that these can glow in the dark. These limited-edition timepieces come with needle-shaped hour and minute hands.

The precision moon phase complication is fully integrated into the movement and will only deviate by one day every 122 years. Equipped with the manual-winding A&S1512 calibre, the double barrels provide a 90-hour power reserve. On the caseback is a secondary display of the eight phases of the moon, allowing fast and accurate adjustment of the moon age. The black aventurine model comes with a spangled black alligator strap while the blue aventurine dial version comes with an ink-blue alligator strap; both have red alligator linings and pin buckles in red gold.

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Arnold & Son Luna Magna

On this model, the large, three-dimensional, 12 mm moon revolves on its axis in a round aperture at 6 o’clock. The hours and minutes are indicated on an opal white disc at 12 o’clock that is joined to the lower aperture, forming an inverted figure eight. Appearing with meteorite dials and even a high jewellery version with neon Paraiba tourmalines and opals, the Arnold & Son Luna Magna is a hypnotic piece.

The polished red gold case chosen for the Year of the Dragon has a diameter of 44 mm and a thickness of 15.9 mm, which is primarily due to the 12 mm spherical moon and the two box sapphire crystals on either side of the case. This limited-edition watch comes with two hand-sculpted red gold dragon that seems life-like. Coiling around the dial, the lower part of the dragon’s body squeezes under the opal hour disc and its head and torso emerge on the right. The dragon’s claws rest on the opal dial as it chases the mythical pearl of wisdom represented by the large 3D moon.

Like the Perpetual Moon piece, there are two versions of the Luna Magna, limited to eight pieces each. One features a moon crafted from polished red gold and pietersite (Ref. 1LMAR.Z03A.C262R), a rare variety of chalcedony ― in this case, with purply blue chatoyancy (a phenomenon seen in tiger’s eye stones). The second version has a red gold and black onyx moon (Ref. 1LMAR.Z02A.C266R). Pietersite and black onyx are also used to create the background dial area surrounding the time and moon phase indications.

The reverse side offers a view of the A&S1021 calibre, a hand-wound movement, beating with a 90-hour power reserve and a view of the spherical moon. Like the Perpetual Moon, the Luna Magna is astronomically precise, requiring a one-day adjustment in 122 years. What’s more, it features a secondary display of the moon’s age on the back. Turning the watch over showcases the secondary display of the moon’s age, with very legible eight graduations that allow extremely precise adjustment of the lunar globe and a moonphase at 6 o’clock. The pietersite model comes on an ink-blue alligator strap while the onyx one is fitted with a black alligator strap; both have red alligator linings and 18 ct red gold folding clasps.