I’m thrilled to be able to give my fellow horophiles a hands-on look at the all-new Arnold & Son Time Pyramid in steel, announced just minutes ago.

Arguably one of the brand’s most emblematic designs and by far their most talked about release from Baselworld last year, the Time Pyramid (which I gave a more technical review of here) isn’t your average skeleton or open-worked watch. Drawing inspiration from British-made regulators and skeleton clocks from centuries past, the Time Pyramid demonstrated Arnold & Son’s design and manufacturing savoir-faire with tangible evidence of their rich heritage.

Where the original Time Pyramid was ornate in a regal sort of way, with it’s polished red gold case and golden gears, the Time Pyramid in steel takes on a more contemporary monochromatic look. The bridges (which by the way are made of nickel-silver) are treated in NAC (N-acetylcysteine) anthracite grey, adding some contrast against the polished 44mm steel case. The wheels have also been done in a silver tone matching the case, leaving the blued screws and hands to really pop against the monochromatic backdrop. To add just a touch of warmth to the otherwise cool and dark tones, the balance wheel was intentionally left in a gold tone.

The blued skeleton hands are also a bit of a departure for Arnold & Son, as they’re filled with white Super-Luminova; a surprising feature considering the watch’s historical influences. But then again the steel pyramid is supposed to be a modern interpretation, and the lume-filled hands really work here. You can tell just how much Arnold & Son pay attention to detail by observing the hands from the underside of the watch, where the lume is strictly confined to the angular recess. I was told that this was quite a challenge to accomplish.

The glass off-centered dial also features a unique touch, and that’s the Roman hour markers done in a striking white paint. On paper I thought it didn’t make sense, but once you see it in the metal it’s a perfect that helps the dial stand out from the three-level movement. I was pleasantly surprised by how legible they were.

What I really admire about Arnold & Son is their choice to offer a stainless steel or non-gold white metal variation in just about every collection; from the minimalistic time-only HMS1 to the ultra-thin UTTE tourbillon. Not only does this make the watches more accessible, it also offers people like me who don’t wear gold for religious reasons or otherwise a chance to own a haute horlogerie product with a clear conscience.

Best part, however, is that Arnold & Son don’t discriminate with the finish between the gold and steel variations. On the Time Pyramid in steel, you’ll find the same manually chamfered/beveled and polished edges, Côtes de Genève stripes and flame-blued screws as the gold model.

The Time Pyramid comes with a price tag of around 29’500 CHFcompared to 40’000 CHF for the original gold version. Certainly not cheap, but I feel you’re truly getting a lot of horological bang for buck with the Time Pyramid and just about every other Arnold & Son piece for that matter.

More information on www.arnoldandson.com