Watch Paparazzi

Actor Dwayne The Rock Johnson spotted wearing Arnold & Son

On the set of HBO's 'Ballers,' Dwayne Johnson — playing high-rolling NFL agent Spencer Strasmore — was spotted wearing the Arnold & Son Time Pyramid, reference 1TPAR.S01A.C124A. The choice is quietly subversive: rather than the expected Rolex or Richard Mille, Johnson's wrist carried a piece from a brand that most casual viewers would never recognize, which is precisely what makes it interesting.

The Arnold & Son Time Pyramid Ref. 1TPAR.S01A.C124A is built around the manufacture calibre A&S 1615, a hand-wound skeletonized movement beating at 21,600 vph with an exceptional 90-hour power reserve delivered via twin barrels. The movement's architecture is its defining feature: the gear train, escapement, and bridges are deliberately constructed in a stacked, three-dimensional configuration that reads visually as a pyramid when viewed through the fully open dial. The stainless steel case measures 44.6mm — substantial but geometrically refined — and the exhibition caseback gives equal real estate to the movement's reverse.

Arnold & Son traces its lineage to John Arnold, the 18th-century English watchmaker who pioneered marine chronometer development alongside Thomas Earnshaw. The modern brand, relaunched under the La Joux-Perret group, leans heavily into that horological heritage while producing genuinely in-house complications. The Time Pyramid, introduced in the early 2010s, became one of the brand's signature references — a statement piece that demonstrated serious movement architecture without the six-figure price tags of more established independents.

For collectors, the Time Pyramid occupies an interesting niche: it delivers legitimate in-house manufacture credentials, an unusual complication, and striking aesthetics at a price point considerably below comparable skeletonized pieces from Jaeger-LeCoultre or Roger Dubuis. The 90-hour power reserve alone distinguishes it from most competitors in its class. It rewards the informed buyer who values substance over status.

Johnson's on-screen wardrobe choices in 'Ballers' consistently ran toward bold, statement pieces, and the Time Pyramid fits that brief without being obvious. The UK list price sits at £33,400 — meaningful money, but understated relative to the celebrity profile wearing it. On the grey market, examples trade at a modest discount, making this one of the more accessible pieces in independent watchmaking for the serious newcomer.