Introducing: Arnold & Son Globetrotter Gold

I am indeed of a watch that let’s me track a second timezone, be it via a GMT complication or world timer stuff. Though, largely, I tend to prefer that in a sportier look that fits into both every day and dressier wear should the occasion call for it (as a good traveling watch should do). Sometimes, though, you just need to stop and admire something that’s done in a much more artistic take, and that’s what the Arnold & Son Globetrotter Gold is.

To be fair, we actually wrote about the Arnold & Son Globetrotter a few years ago (you can see that here). So, what’s changed here? First and foremost, the 45mm case (and the bridge spanning the globe) has had 18-carat red gold substituted in for the stainless steel of the original. Along with that, the main dial color has changed over to blue, which just offsets sharply against the red gold.

The other change they made is hiding in plain sight. While the dome of the globe is the same, how they’ve finished it is different. They’ve added a pearlescent powder to the lacquer that is used for the oceans and coastlines, so you’ll get a bit of the ethereal reflections. Then, once the lights go down, the SuperLuminova that they used to outline the coastlines show up (as well as on the hands and indices).

Of all the upgrades, the luminous paint is what makes me the most unreasonably happy. What may not make one quite as happy is the fact that the red gold triples the price of the original. In other words, if you want one of the 28 that they’re making, you’ll need around $46,600 (depending on the conversion from CHF). Still, even being out of reach of my own budget, the fact that something as technical and lovely as this one is, I can totally get behind. arnoldandson.com

Tech Specs from Arnold & Son

Functions: hours, minutes, and world times (24-hour ring)
Movement
- Calibre: A&S6022, mechanical self-winding
- Jewels: 29
- Diameter: 38.00 mm
- Thickness: 6.55 mm
- Power reserve: 45 hours
- Frequency: 4 Hz / 28,800 vph
- Finishes
  - Main plate: stippled and NAC-treated
  - Bridges: bevelled, polished and NAC-treated radiant Côtes de Genève
  - Wheels: circular satin-finished and rhodium-plated
  - Screws: bevelled and mirror-polished
  - Oscillating weight: 22-carat red gold (5N), guilloché

Dial
- Lacquered in shades of sunlit blue
- Three-dimensional appliqués in 18-carat rose gold (4N) with Super-LumiNova

24-hour ring: sapphire crystal with traced numbers
Dome of the earth
- Continents: rhodium-plated and polished with matt-finished mountain range detailing
- Oceans: hand painted in blue lacquer with pearlescent powder
- Coastlines: hand painted in blue lacquer with pearlescent powder and Super-LumiNova
- Bridge: 18-carat red gold (5N), with polished and satin-finished sides

Case
- Material: 18-carat red gold (5N)
- Diameter: 45.00 mm
- Crystal: domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides
- Back: sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Water-resistance: 30 metres/100 feet