New Exquisite Timepieces and Arnold & Son Collaboration; The Luna Magna Red Gold Turquoise Limited Edition

It’s an unlikely scenario for most, but should you ever find yourself standing in front of Manufacture La Joux-Perret, located on Boulevard des Eplatures in La Chaux-de-Fonds, you may be forgiven for thinking the building is relatively small. However, the manufacturing facility where the parts of its sister brand, Arnold & Son, are produced is a deceptively large production site.   

Indeed, the innocuous-looking building specialising in everything from small movement components to painstaking decorative finishes is very much alive and kicking. This division of labour confers a notable degree of excellence that only those familiar with an Arnold & Son watch will appreciate. The Manufacturer La Joux-Perret not only reserves some departments for large-scale production but also dedicates areas of its facilities to producing small batches of watch parts, not all of which are exclusive to Arnold & Son watches. In fact, several famous names are dotted around the Manufacture, a testament to those who have entrusted the company with supplying their products.   

As one would expect, when it comes to envisaging a new Arnold & Son design, only the best will do. Exquisite decoration, flawless movement finishes, in-house mechanical engineering, and fine materials are only readily discernible to a collector when experiencing a watch in person. It’s something that experts at Exquisite Timepieces wanted to hone in on when embarking upon this new creative partnership with the maison. 

Together, the retailer and watchmaker present the Luna Magna Red Gold Turquoise Limited Edition Watch. Exclusive to just five pieces worldwide and available only at Exquisite Timepieces, the cosmos-inspired instrument features a three-dimensional moon that defines the Luna Magna series.   

Bearing a 44mm diameter, the new collaboration watch commands considerable wrist presence and, as such, is bound to divide opinion. Traditionalists and fans of discreet dress watches may consider this new poetic complication to be bordering on extravagant. But allowing the beautiful 12mm Cachalong opal and Turquoise moon to wax and wane in its own designated space, the larger case diameter certainly gives the complication room to breathe in its soft, rosy tones of red gold.  

The 5N red gold model features a significant depth of 15.9mm. It hints at the depth and dimension needed for a complication of this size. A large box-style sapphire crystal glass front sits on top of the case, protecting a dial forged from Arizona turquoise. The stone dial turns the Luna Magna into something organic and even spiritual.  

Each of the five dials in this exclusive release features an intricate matrix of veining, ensuring that no two pieces are alike. This inspired choice, as alluring as it is, inevitably limits production. As any lapidary will tell you, the stone is notoriously fragile to work with. But therein lies the charm. The qualities that make the Arnold & Son Luna Magna Red Gold Turquoise so challenging also make it precious. For those interested in collecting stone dial watches, this fragility is not a flaw but a draw.   

The Celestial Complication 

A milky glow cascades from the moon complication itself – the star of the show, as many would agree. This is thanks to the brand’s use of white Cachalong opal, which features on one side of the celestial body and on the hour dial itself in the northern hemisphere of the dial. Enhanced with Super-LumiNova, these elements subtly glow in low light, gently nodding to the watch’s astronomical aspirations without sacrificing anything in the way of refinement.   

Back to the slowly rotating 12mm moon, however, and this three-dimensional sphere shares half of its lunar surface with the opal material and half with turquoise. The two tones create a visually unique interplay, representing light and dark. The Moon slowly rotates, completing a full cycle every 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes. This miniature spectacle in motion is a feat of micromechanical precision, inviting the wearer to slow down and reconnect with both elemental and celestial time.   

Again, the scale of the Moon will not suit every wrist, nor will it impress those who prefer discreet elegance. Nevertheless, the poetic focus of the Luna Magna is likely what collectors who crave symbolism and artistry will respect most in this timepiece.   

Flip the Luna Magna Red Gold Turquoise over, and celestial timekeeping continues. A secondary moonphase complication for astronomical adjustments sits behind a sapphire exhibition caseback, integrated into the in-house Calibre A&S1021. This is a manual-winding movement conceived, assembled, tested, and decorated within the walls of the brand’s sister company, La Joux-Perret. It features Cotes de Geneve decoration, a series of straight-lined engravings applied to the upper surfaces of the bridges and cocks.  

The Arnold & Son movement also features a circular grained mainplate, blued screws, and polished chamfers. This is no pedestrian movement. Moreover, its secondary moonphase display for precise setting and 90-hour power reserve underscores Arnold & Son as a true manufacturer. It’s sometimes easy to forget that amid the watch’s artistic excess, this is still a serious technical advancement. Indeed, few brands in the independent sphere can produce such finely tuned calibres, especially from scratch.  

Of course, being a hand-wound watch, this is not a grab-and-go watch. But collectors do often cherish the ritual of slowly winding the mechanical movement by hand each day. To engage with the mechanism and allow this routine to become part of daily life is old-school, horology in its purest form.  

A Dialogue Between Two Worlds 

Exquisite Timepieces and Arnold & Son frame the exclusive Luna Magna Red Gold Turquoise as a meeting between “mystery and vitality”. The turquoise brings the Earth to the dial and holds significant cultural value, having been prized for its supposed protective and healing properties for centuries.  

At the same time, this symbolism feels entirely in tune with the spirit of the Luna Magna. Rather than a sterile piece of mechanical art, it is infused with a generous dose of narrative and mythology, making for a compelling combination.  

And although some may dismiss stone dials as decorative indulgence, Arnold & Son’s execution here is anything but superficial. The materials integrate seamlessly into the storytelling behind this watch, while still conveying technical excellence.  

The Strap and Final Touches 

The Arnold & Son Luna Magna Red Gold Turquoise Limited Edition watch is paired with a fitted black alligator leather strap, accented by turquoise stitching and a turquoise lining. This is both a restrained and effective way of tying the design’s colour palette together. Offering the inverse combination, the watch also comes with an additional turquoise alligator leather strap with a black lining, providing the option to shift between the two, depending on the occasion. Both straps are secured with a 5N red gold folding clasp that matches the case’s architecture.  

If there is any negative aspect to be found, it’s the watch’s 30-meter water-resistant rating, but as far as dress watches and complications go, this is fairly standard. Few collectors would dream of taking a watch like the Luna Magna anywhere near water. Its natural habitat is the quiet intimacy of a midnight terrace in Capri or a quiet observatory at dusk. In such scenarios, the watch’s rotating Moon becomes less of a timekeeping instrument and more an anchor to something timeless and eternal.  

Final Thoughts 

There is a fine line between “limited” and “exclusive”, and the Arnold & Son Luna Magna Red Gold Turquoise definitely falls squarely into the latter. Although it may frustrate collectors who would love to see the piece in person, it further enhances its appeal among enthusiasts who value the thrill of owning something virtually unobtainable, as well as those who appreciate narrative over numbers.