A hand-engraved white gold horse roams beneath a glowing mother-of-pearl moon in Arnold & Son’s latest artistic creation.
Arnold & Son adds to its impressive catalogue of Métiers d’Art timepieces with the introduction of the latest Perpetual Moon 41.5 Platinum “Horse of the Dunes.” The brand’s Perpetual Moon collection has always been about bringing together astronomical precision and traditional decorative craftsmanship, showcasing a more technical and artistic side to its high watchmaking. One of the defining features of the Perpetual Moon collection is the moon phase display, which remains a large visual feature on each dial.
In traditional watchmaking, the moon phase is usually showcased through a small aperture, normally positioned within a subdial. Arnold & Son, however, takes a different approach, with the moon phase stretching across the upper half of the dial. This gives the display as much space as possible, allowing it to become part of the overall artistic narrative of the timepiece.
The horse depicted on this latest Perpetual Moon isn’t an entirely new introduction either, as Arnold & Son used a similar artistic template for the Year of the Horse edition released earlier this year. However, as 2026 is still the Year of the Horse, this latest timepiece remains relevant to the theme. Arnold & Son has also reworked the backdrop while presenting the horse in 18-carat white gold rather than the red gold used for the previous edition.
This latest edition depicts a horse roaming freely across a desert landscape beneath a star-filled night sky. The desert landscape represents no particular geographical location, allowing the wearer to interpret the scene through their own imagination. The composition is brought to life through a variety of techniques and materials, including hand engraving, miniature painting, aventurine glass, mother-of-pearl, and luminescent materials.
Platinum Architecture Meets Desert Artistry
This “Horse of the Dunes” edition is presented in the familiar Perpetual Moon case, measuring 41.5mm in diameter and 11.67mm thick, now crafted from 950 platinum. The 41.5mm diameter provides the space needed for the beautiful Métiers d’Art work to be properly executed alongside the expansive moon phase display. Its relatively slim profile of just 11.67mm, however, allows the model to remain wearable and prevents the case from becoming unnecessarily bulky.
The case features the distinguishing characteristics of the Perpetual Moon collection, including the narrow, smooth bezel and polished finishing, adding a touch of luxury and elegance to the timepiece. The 950 platinum construction also gives it noticeable physical weight, while the cool metallic tones of the material beautifully complement the artistic dial.
The dial is certainly a thing of beauty, and I can see why Arnold & Son has opted to use the beautifully handcrafted horse once again. Its aesthetic appeal begins with a base of black aventurine glass, creating the dark background for the nocturnal desert setting. The naturally scattered metallic flecks could not be more perfect for resembling distant stars in the night sky, giving the dial greater depth while surrounding the hand-painted constellations.
The rolling dunes, however, are painted entirely by hand, with the artisans at Arnold & Son creating the appearance of a landscape shaped by the wind. The desert sand has been depicted as though moonlight is shining across the barren landscape, creating deep shadows that stretch across its surface. Luminescent material is added to the dunes, allowing their contours and textured appearance to become more prominent in darkness.
Standing above this landscape is the 18-carat white gold horse appliqué, which has been individually sculpted and engraved by hand. The details are immediately visible to the naked eye, from the horse’s hooves and mane to its defined muscles and the texture across its coat. As a sculpted appliqué, the horse also rises above the surrounding sand dunes, giving the scene greater depth.
The cool white-gold appearance of the horse is complemented by the large mother-of-pearl moon phase display positioned above it. Super-LumiNova has been applied to the moon, dunes, and hand-painted constellations across the night sky, transforming the entire scene under low light conditions!
Astronomical Precision Beneath The Art
Powering this latest Perpetual Moon timepiece is Arnold & Son’s manually wound Calibre A&S1512, which has been developed and manufactured at its La Chaux-de-Fonds manufacture in Switzerland. The movement features a twin barrel construction, which stores enough energy to give the Calibre A&S1512 an impressive 90-hour power reserve. Its regulating organ operates at a frequency of 3Hz (21,600 VpH).
The Calibre A&S1512 reproduces the complete lunar cycle of 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.9 seconds. By closely replicating this astronomical cycle, the display would require 122 years to accumulate a deviation of one full day. Arnold & Son has also included a secondary moon phase indicator visible through the caseback, which allows the main dial display to be adjusted quickly and precisely when needed. The movement isn’t without beautiful finishing either, featuring circular graining, radiating Côtes de Genève, snailed wheels, and polished blued screws.
Initial Thoughts
When Arnold & Son released its Year of the Horse edition, I thought it was one of the best depictions of the Chinese zodiac sign. It makes sense, then, for the brand to bring back such a stunning design, now reimagined within a nighttime desert landscape. The hand-engraved white gold horse remains the centre of attention for me, and rightfully so due to all its intricate details. However, it doesn’t feel disconnected from the surrounding scene because every element has been executed just as beautifully.
The appearance of the 18-carat white gold horse naturally connects with the mother of pearl moon, polished hands, and platinum case. The aventurine glass backdrop beautifully depicts the night sky, which is carried across the astronomical display through the hand-painted constellations. This darker night sky and the warmer tones of the painted dunes contrast beautifully with the horse, ultimately creating the kind of visually engaging artistic composition that Arnold & Son is known for.
But it doesn’t just stop there. The expressive power of the Perpetual Moon 41.5 Platinum “Horse of the Dunes” continues under low-light conditions, where the black aventurine sky becomes even darker as the luminescent mother-of-pearl moon, constellations, and dunes illuminate the dial. Limited to just eight pieces, this is a breathtaking timepiece that feels more like wearable artwork while still featuring highly technical watchmaking underneath.
Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon “Horse of the Dunes”
References & Specifications:
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| References: | 1GLBX.Z03A.C1479X |
| Dimensions | 41.5mm diameter x 11.67mm thick |
| Case Material | 950 platinum case with a prominent onion-style crown and 950 platinum pin buckle |
| Case Back | Sapphire crystal caseback with anti-reflective coating and a secondary moon phase display for precise adjustment |
| Dial | Black aventurine glass dial with a hand-engraved 18-carat white gold horse appliqué, hand-painted desert landscape, luminescent constellations, and two mother-of-pearl moon discs featuring Super-LumiNova |
| Crystal | Domed sapphire crystal with double-sided anti-reflective coating |
| Movement | Manually wound Arnold & Son manufacture Calibre A&S1512 with twin barrels, 27 jewels, 3Hz frequency, and astronomical moon phase accurate to one day every 122 years |
| Power Reserve | Approximately 90 hours |
| Water Resistance | 3 bar (30 metres) |
| Bracelet | Black alligator leather strap with sand beige alligator leather lining and a 950 platinum pin buckle |