Key takeaways
• Arnold & Son has introduced the Luna Magna Platinum Dragon And Verdite, a limited edition timepiece restricted to only eight pieces globally.
• The watch features a hand-engraved 18-carat white gold dragon encircling a large 12-mm three-dimensional moon phase made of white gold and rare veined verdite.
• Driven by the in-house A&S1021 manual-winding caliber, the astronomical moon-phase display is so precise it requires no correction for 122 years.
The dragon snakes undulate and circle. Engraved in white gold, it plays with the volumes, surfaces, and geometry of the veined verdite dial of the Luna Magna Platinum. It coils around the white opal hours-and-minutes sub-dial before encircling the object of its desire: the large three-dimensional moon, the hallmark of all Luna Magna timepieces.
The Heart Of The Story
In this, the dragon remains faithful to the legend that inspired it, while Arnold & Son gives it a dual role. The 12-mm sphere literally displays the phases of the moon with astronomical precision. Composed of half white gold and half verdite, it reproduces the visible lunar crescent without requiring correction for 122 years. Figuratively, it embodies the Pearl of Wisdom, the source of the dragon’s power, which it has lost and seeks to reclaim. It extends its sharp talons towards it. This dragon comes from the Asian tradition: wingless, associated with water, and with five claws on each foot – a sign of its imperial lineage.
On The Surface
For the first time in the Luna Magna collection, Arnold & Son has deployed a real profusion of artistic savoir-faire. The verdite dial showcases rare and precious veining. Among the wide range of nuances offered by this stone, only the finest quality was selected for both the dial on which the dragon rests and the half-moon.
The dragon itself is a work of art. Sculpted from a block of white gold, it has been meticulously hand-engraved with exceptional precision, attention to detail, and realism. Its scales, beard, crest, claws, and even its gaze stand out in a striking relief that can only be achieved by the most skilled hands.
The Maison’s signature hours-and-minutes sub-dial in white opal adds both a poetic and a functional dimension. Enhanced with luminescent material, it absorbs light and emits a soft glow in the dark, ensuring easy reading throughout the night in a subtle echo of moonlight.
Under The Stone
The Luna Magna Platinum Dragon Verdite owes its astronomical and chronometric accuracy to the A&S1021 caliber. This manual-winding movement is fully developed, machined, assembled, and adjusted in-house. Designed around the lunar globe, the caliber combines a 90-hour power reserve with a regulating organ beating at 3 Hz. On the case back, a secondary moon-age display with clearly marked graduations allows the moon phases to be set with great precision.
The sophistication of this celestial mechanism also lies in its astronomical accuracy. Indeed, a complete lunar cycle lasts 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.8 seconds. Arnold & Son’s meticulous approach means that it would take 122 years for the display to drift by a single day from the actual lunar cycle, provided the watch were kept fully wound. The moon-phase function of the Luna Magna Platinum Dragon Verdite can be adjusted directly via the crown—a practical feature made possible by Arnold & Son’s total mastery of the watchmaking process.
Luna Magna Platinum Dragon Verdite
Technical specifications
Functions
hours, minutes, astronomical moon phases, and a moon-phase display on the case back
Movement
Caliber: A&S1021, mechanical manual winding
Jewels: 35
Diameter: 37.60 mm
Height: 12.00 mm with a 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
Dial
material: verdite
dragon: 18-carat white gold, hand-engraved
Hour dial
white opal with Super-LumiNova.
Moon
diameter: 12.00 mm
materials: verdite and 18-carat white gold
Case
Material: platinum (Pt 950)
Diameter: 44.00 mm
Thickness: 15.90 mm (with crystal)
Crystal: box sapphire with an anti-reflective coating on both sides
Case back: box sapphire with an anti-reflective coating
Water resistance: 3 bar (30 meters/100 feet)
Strap
imperial green alligator leather, black alligator leather lining
Clasp
folding clasp, platinum (Pt 950) cover and buckle frame, titanium blades
Reference
1LMAX.Z05A.C1437C
Limited edition
8 pieces
Swiss retail price
CHF 95,700 incl. VAT
