205 - John Roger Arnold - Of the Best Kind

John Roger Arnold - Of the Best Kind A museum-quality, important, oversized London pocket chronometer with a rare Z-balance, in the best Arnold quality, ‘Of the Best Kind’ Movm. No. 1677, Case No. 1677, Dimensions 77 mm, circa 1797, Weight 293 g, Origin England, Original box Case: Silver, case maker's punch mark "TH" (Thomas Hardy). Dial: Enamel, monogrammed "JRA" and numbered 1677, large sub-dial for the auxiliary seconds. Movm.: Firegilt full plate movement of the first quality, signed "John R. Arnold, London, Invt. et Fecit No. 1677", chain/fusee, steel escape wheel, spring detent escapement according to John Arnold, large Z-balance with 2 weights and 4 screws (diameter 26,9 mm), freesprung blued helical balance spring with terminal end curve, very fine florally engraved balance cock, chatoned diamond endstone on balance. Apart from a not yet definitively clarified No.?2, this is the earliest known John Roger Arnold chronometer, which comes in its original double-lid mahogany deck watch box. “Of the Best Kind” is a historical quality designation which John Arnold and later John Roger Arnold used for their very finest and most accutate pocket chronometers. He reserved the title of the Best Kind exclusively for his most complex, masterfully crafted top models. These watches were equipped with his most advanced inventions, such as special escapements (spring detent escapement) and specially developed balances (e.g., the double S-balance or the Z-balance). In his life, John Arnold produced a total of only approx. examples of these exceptional masterpieces. Today, only a few of them survive worldwide in largely original and untouched condition, making them highly sought-after and valuable museum pieces at international auctions. This chronometer is in excellent, contemporary condition and is entirely original. It is illustrated and described several times in "100 Jahre Präzisionsuhren von John Arnold bis Arnold & Frodsham 1763-1862" (100 Years of Precision Timepieces: From John Arnold to Arnold & Frodsham, 1763–1862) by Hans Staeger, Filderstadt 1997, on pages 170, 209–210, 221–222 and 409. John Arnold (1736–1799) was one of the most important British watchmakers and revolutionised the development of marine and pocket chronometers. John Roger Arnold (1769-1843) was born as the son of the famous watchmaker. The craft of watchmaking he began in 1783, first apprenticing with his father and from 1792 on with Abraham-Louis Breguet. He was admitted to the Freedom of the Clockmakers Company in 1796 and became a Master in 1817. After the death of his father, John Roger continued the company on his own until 1830. In this year he moved to Strand 48 and started a 10-year partnership with E.J. Dent; business went well during this time and the partners had the possiblitiy to research and experiment, in particular they investigated the influence of magnetism on chronometers. When the partnership ended in 1840, Arnold continued his work until his death in February 1843. Case: very good. Dial: very good, small restaurations, hairlines. Movm.: very good, capable of running, cleaning recommended.