John Arnold was born in Cornwall in 1736. His father was a watchmaker and his uncle a gunsmith, he left England for the Netherlands at the age of 19 after completing his apprenticeship in watchmaking. He established himself as a watchmaker of repute in London's Strand by his twenties.

Arnold & Son was recreated in 1995, they are today a Swiss company based in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland producing mechanical watches, designs influenced by the original direction of the company.