Arnold & Son Luna Magna Platinum Dragon Verdite Overview

Reading Time: 3 minutes

There are watches that tell the time, and then there are watches that tell a story. The Arnold & Son Luna Magna Platinum Dragon Verdite belongs firmly in the second category, and it does so with a boldness that few watchmakers dare attempt.

A Dial That Defies Convention

The foundation of this watch is verdite, an ornamental stone prized for its rich, veined character. Arnold & Son selected only the finest quality specimens for the dial and, remarkably, for the half-sphere of the moon itself. The stone’s natural patterning gives each of the eight pieces in this limited edition a truly unique face.

Resting on that stone surface is a dragon sculpted entirely from 18-carat white gold. Rather than a decorative appliqué, this figure comes from a solid block of white gold, hand-engraved to reveal scales, beard, crest, claws, and even a gaze that conveys unmistakable intent. The relief work achieves a three-dimensionality that only the most skilled engravers can produce, and the contrast between the cold white metal and the warm, organic green of the verdite creates a visual tension that is genuinely arresting.

Offsetting the drama is the hours-and-minutes sub-dial in white opal, positioned where the dragon coils. Arnold & Son treated it with Super-LumiNova, so it emits a soft glow in darkness, providing both legibility and a quiet poetic echo of moonlight.

The Movement: Calibre A&S1021

Arnold & Son developed, machined, assembled, and adjusted the A&S1021 calibre entirely in-house. This manual-winding movement measures 37.60 mm in diameter and stands 12.00 mm tall including the three-dimensional moon globe, dropping to 4.75 mm without it. It runs at 3 Hz (21,600 vph) and delivers a 90-hour power reserve across 35 jewels.

The finishing across the movement is thorough and varied. The main plate receives circular graining, the bridges carry radiating Côtes de Genève decoration with chamfering along their edges, the wheels are circularly satin-finished, and the screws are blued, chamfered, and finished with polished heads. The moon-phase display mechanism itself takes a circular satin finish. Each surface treatment serves a different visual register, demonstrating that Arnold & Son treats the movement as an object of sustained aesthetic attention.

The real technical achievement, however, lies in the lunar precision. A complete lunar cycle lasts 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.8 seconds. The A&S1021 handles this with such accuracy that it requires no correction for 122 years, provided the watch remains fully wound. The moon-phase function adjusts directly through the crown, a convenient feature that reflects genuine mastery of the watchmaking process. On the case back, a secondary moon-age display with clearly marked graduations allows for precise initial setting.

The Case: Platinum and Precision

Arnold & Son houses the A&S1021 in a 44-mm Pt 950 platinum case, 15.90 mm thick including the crystal. Both the front and the case back use box sapphire crystals with anti-reflective coating on both sides, giving maximum legibility and an unobstructed view of the movement. Water resistance reaches 3 bar (30 metres).

The strap pairs imperial green alligator leather with black alligator leather lining, a choice that reinforces the dragon’s symbolism without resorting to theatrics. The folding clasp features a platinum cover and buckle frame, with titanium blades completing the assembly. Every material choice throughout the case reinforces the sense that this watch belongs to a different tier of ambition.

Eight Pieces, One Legend

The Luna Magna Platinum Dragon Verdite draws its narrative from the Asian legend of the Dragon and the Pearl of Wisdom. The dragon depicted here follows the imperial tradition: wingless, associated with water, bearing five claws on each foot. It circles the three-dimensional moon globe, the hallmark of the entire Luna Magna collection, reaching its talons toward the sphere as though it seeks to reclaim the pearl it has lost. That sphere itself splits into halves of verdite and white gold, visually echoing the lunar crescent in a way that connects symbolism directly to function.

For a first in the Luna Magna collection, Arnold & Son combined artistic savoir-faire at this level of density with a grand complication of genuine astronomical ambition. The result is a limited edition of eight pieces priced at CHF 95,700 including VAT (subject to change), reference 1LMAX.Z05A.C1437C. For collectors drawn to the intersection of haute horlogerie and decorative arts, it is difficult to think of a more complete statement from the manufacture right now.

Arnold & Son Luna Magna Platinum Dragon Verdite Technical Specifications

Reference 1LMAX.Z05A.C1437C – CHF 95,700 incl. VAT (subject to change), Limited edition of 8 pieces

Functions

hours, minutes, astronomical moon phases, moon-phase display on the case back

Movement

Calibre A&S1021, mechanical manual winding
Jewels: 35
Diameter: 37.60 mm
Height: 12.00 mm with three-dimensional moon (4.75 mm without the moon)
Power reserve: 90 hours
Frequency: 3 Hz/21,600 vph
Finishes:
- main plate: circular-grained
- bridges: radiating Côtes de Genève, chamfered
- wheels: circular satin finish
- screws: blued and chamfered, polished heads
- moon-phase display: circular satin finish