NEW YORK, NY.- Swiss watchmaker Arnold & Son has commissioned British artist Matt Copson to create a unique timepiece for auction: the Arnold & Son x Matt Copson edition. The one-of-a-kind Arnold & Son HM Swiss Institute by Matt Copson watch will be a feature lot in the TimeForArt auction, a subset of the upcoming Phillips New York Watch Auction: SEVEN, on December 11, 2022. Arnold & Son commissioned Copson in tribute to the Swiss watchmaker’s longstanding British ties, and together, the creative partners designed a luminous spiderweb-inspired watch for the first-ever benefit watch auction in support of contemporary art. The lot is available for preview at Phillips New York between December 3-9.

The inaugural edition of TimeForArt curates exceptional timepieces from the world’s foremost watchmakers, including the Arnold & Son x Matt Copson collaboration, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to supporting today’s most visionary artists through Swiss Institute’s innovative exhibitions, public programs, educational and community engagement workshops in New York and beyond.

Each curated TimeForArt timepiece express the most artistic elements of contemporary watchmaking, shining a light on the creative core at the heart of horology today. Featured watches, including the Arnold & Son x Matt Copson edition, were developed in alignment with the theme "artists for artists," and represent unique collaborations with world-renowned artisans, interventions by leading contemporary artists, bespoke examples of innovative craftsmanship, or coveted limited-edition timepieces. 

Arnold & Son offered the renowned artist carte blanche to create the design of his choice. With the dial as his canvas, within a 40mm stainless steel case, Copson opted for a spiderweb motif and employed a polished silver-tone web in relief against a matte silver background. A spider caps the hour hand and a fly the minute hand, so that once every hour the spider appears to catch the fly, yet every hour it escapes again. The seemingly playful touch and cartoonish element of the dial aligns with Copson’s larger body of work, which explores deeper themes of life, death, and pursuit of purpose. In darkness, the dial comes alive with dramatic green SuperLuminova – an allusion to the artist’s frequent use of light and lasers. The spider and fly also received a luminous treatment.

The timepiece comes with a textured black rubber strap. The signed case back of the Arnold & Son HM Swiss Institute by Matt Copson watch is engraved with Copson's name and that of the Swiss Institute. The one-of-a-kind automatic timepiece also comes with an Arnold & Son Certificate of Guarantee, a wooden watch case by Matt Copson, and a leather travel pouch.

The lot will be offered by live auction on December 11, 2022, in partnership with Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, at the Phillips New York headquarters at 432 Park Avenue. Bids may be placed in advance or during the live-streamed event - in-person, via the phone, or online.

Arnold & Son is proud to collaborate with Matt Copson to produce a unique timekeeping masterpiece for the inaugural TimeForArt auction, which ushers in a new collaborative chapter in the long history of art and horology. The brand is also proud to support local New York partner Swiss Institute, an artist-centric, content-driven, and philanthropically-minded partner with a vibrant platform dedicated to celebrating contemporary horology through an artistic lens.