ARNOLD & SON LONGITUDE II TRAFALGAR

The story behind this Arnold & Son Longitude II Trafalgar

Born in Cornwall in 1736, John Arnold devoted most of his career to calculating longitude at sea, the great maritime challenge of the 18th century. It was following the testing of his pocket watch No. 1/36 at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich in 1779 that the term ‘chronometer’ came into common use. In 1821, 84 of the Royal Navy’s 129 chronometers bore the signature of John Arnold, his son John Roger or the firm Arnold & Son. Revived in Switzerland in 1995, the company presented the Longitude II Trafalgar, reference 1L2AS.U01A, in 2006, produced in a limited edition of 200 pieces in tribute to the battle of 21 October 1805. The dial features the date of the battle and its coordinates: 36°17’ north latitude and 6°12’ west longitude. As with navigators of the time, longitude is calculated from the difference between local solar time and the reference time maintained by the chronometer, with each hour’s difference equating to 15 degrees.

Case, movement and strap of this Longitude II Trafalgar

The 44.5 mm steel case features polished faceted lugs, a fluted bezel and a side engraved with ‘Longitude’. The fluted crown at 2 o’clock rotates the longitude scale graduated in degrees; the crown at 4 o’clock sets the time and date; and the push-piece at 3 o’clock releases the domed case back. This caseback houses a plate engraved with the equation of time, complete with a movable index to correct the difference between solar time and mean time. The sapphire case back, surrounded by the inscriptions ‘Northern Hemisphere’ and ‘Limited Edition Trafalgar’, reveals the A1850 automatic calibre, COSC-certified as a chronometer, which offers a 42-hour power reserve. At the centre of the blue dial rotates a 24-hour disc that serves as a solar compass. It depicts Spain and North Africa, with a red star marking the location of the battle. The square hour markers and the triangles at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock are coated with Superluminova, as are the hands. The hour hand extends with a red tip to the degree scale, and the date appears at 6 o’clock beneath a magnifying glass. Water-resistant to 50 metres, the watch is fitted with a blue rubber strap embossed with a crown and an anchor, fastened with a steel pin buckle bearing the Arnold logo.

Why this Arnold & Son watch

The Longitude II Trafalgar belongs to the brand’s family of instrument watches, inspired by ship’s chronometers. Produced in a limited edition and no longer featured in the brand’s current catalogue, it can no longer be ordered in-store. Its appeal lies in its functionality. A longitude scale, a sun compass and a table of the equation of time allow the wearer to manually replicate the calculations of a watch officer. The COSC-certified calibre serves as a reminder of the brand’s connection to the origins of the chronometer. It is aimed at those with an interest in the history of navigation as much as in watchmaking.

Contents and condition

This Arnold & Son is supplied on its own, in a The Swiss Collector presentation box. It has been previously worn but has just been polished prior to being put up for sale, and both the case and the strap are in excellent overall condition. The longitude scale, the date display and the case-back opening have been checked and are functioning normally.

Warranty and delivery

The Swiss Collector guarantees the authenticity of this watch, which is covered by a 24-month warranty. We accept returns within 10 days in accordance with our terms and conditions. As Switzerland’s leading second-hand retailer, backed by the largest network of shops, we offer online booking for a fitting and collection in-store, or fully secure international delivery.