diff --git a/example/example-numpy-dtypes.cpp b/example/example-numpy-dtypes.cpp
index 2e25670f3..2c7cdc07c 100644
--- a/example/example-numpy-dtypes.cpp
+++ b/example/example-numpy-dtypes.cpp
@@ -158,15 +158,12 @@ void print_format_descriptors() {
 }
 
 void print_dtypes() {
-    auto to_str = [](py::object obj) {
-        return (std::string) (py::str) ((py::object) obj.attr("__str__"))();
-    };
-    std::cout << to_str(py::dtype_of<SimpleStruct>()) << std::endl;
-    std::cout << to_str(py::dtype_of<PackedStruct>()) << std::endl;
-    std::cout << to_str(py::dtype_of<NestedStruct>()) << std::endl;
-    std::cout << to_str(py::dtype_of<PartialStruct>()) << std::endl;
-    std::cout << to_str(py::dtype_of<PartialNestedStruct>()) << std::endl;
-    std::cout << to_str(py::dtype_of<StringStruct>()) << std::endl;
+    std::cout << (std::string) py::dtype::of<SimpleStruct>().str() << std::endl;
+    std::cout << (std::string) py::dtype::of<PackedStruct>().str() << std::endl;
+    std::cout << (std::string) py::dtype::of<NestedStruct>().str() << std::endl;
+    std::cout << (std::string) py::dtype::of<PartialStruct>().str() << std::endl;
+    std::cout << (std::string) py::dtype::of<PartialNestedStruct>().str() << std::endl;
+    std::cout << (std::string) py::dtype::of<StringStruct>().str() << std::endl;
 }
 
 void init_ex_numpy_dtypes(py::module &m) {
diff --git a/include/pybind11/numpy.h b/include/pybind11/numpy.h
index 77f7e6f72..3b52fa39b 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/numpy.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/numpy.h
@@ -52,7 +52,12 @@ struct npy_api {
         return api;
     }
 
-    bool PyArray_Check_(PyObject *obj) const { return (bool) PyObject_TypeCheck(obj, PyArray_Type_); }
+    bool PyArray_Check_(PyObject *obj) const {
+        return (bool) PyObject_TypeCheck(obj, PyArray_Type_);
+    }
+    bool PyArrayDescr_Check_(PyObject *obj) const {
+        return (bool) PyObject_TypeCheck(obj, PyArrayDescr_Type_);
+    }
 
     PyObject *(*PyArray_DescrFromType_)(int);
     PyObject *(*PyArray_NewFromDescr_)
@@ -61,6 +66,7 @@ struct npy_api {
     PyObject *(*PyArray_DescrNewFromType_)(int);
     PyObject *(*PyArray_NewCopy_)(PyObject *, int);
     PyTypeObject *PyArray_Type_;
+    PyTypeObject *PyArrayDescr_Type_;
     PyObject *(*PyArray_FromAny_) (PyObject *, PyObject *, int, int, int, PyObject *);
     int (*PyArray_DescrConverter_) (PyObject *, PyObject **);
     bool (*PyArray_EquivTypes_) (PyObject *, PyObject *);
@@ -69,6 +75,7 @@ struct npy_api {
 private:
     enum functions {
         API_PyArray_Type = 2,
+        API_PyArrayDescr_Type = 3,
         API_PyArray_DescrFromType = 45,
         API_PyArray_FromAny = 69,
         API_PyArray_NewCopy = 85,
@@ -90,6 +97,7 @@ private:
         npy_api api;
 #define DECL_NPY_API(Func) api.Func##_ = (decltype(api.Func##_)) api_ptr[API_##Func];
         DECL_NPY_API(PyArray_Type);
+        DECL_NPY_API(PyArrayDescr_Type);
         DECL_NPY_API(PyArray_DescrFromType);
         DECL_NPY_API(PyArray_FromAny);
         DECL_NPY_API(PyArray_NewCopy);
@@ -104,6 +112,86 @@ private:
 };
 }
 
+class dtype : public object {
+public:
+    PYBIND11_OBJECT_DEFAULT(dtype, object, detail::npy_api::get().PyArrayDescr_Check_);
+
+    dtype(const buffer_info &info) {
+        dtype descr(_dtype_from_pep3118()(pybind11::str(info.format)));
+        m_ptr = descr.strip_padding().release().ptr();
+    }
+
+    dtype(std::string format) {
+        m_ptr = from_args(pybind11::str(format)).release().ptr();
+    }
+
+    static dtype from_args(object args) {
+        // This is essentially the same as calling np.dtype() constructor in Python
+        PyObject *ptr = nullptr;
+        if (!detail::npy_api::get().PyArray_DescrConverter_(args.release().ptr(), &ptr) || !ptr)
+            pybind11_fail("NumPy: failed to create structured dtype");
+        return object(ptr, false);
+    }
+
+    template <typename T> static dtype of() {
+        return detail::npy_format_descriptor<T>::dtype();
+    }
+
+    size_t itemsize() const {
+        return (size_t) attr("itemsize").cast<int_>();
+    }
+
+    bool has_fields() const {
+        return attr("fields").cast<object>().ptr() != Py_None;
+    }
+
+    std::string kind() const {
+        return (std::string) attr("kind").cast<pybind11::str>();
+    }
+
+private:
+    static object& _dtype_from_pep3118() {
+        static object obj = module::import("numpy.core._internal").attr("_dtype_from_pep3118");
+        return obj;
+    }
+
+    dtype strip_padding() {
+        // Recursively strip all void fields with empty names that are generated for
+        // padding fields (as of NumPy v1.11).
+        auto fields = attr("fields").cast<object>();
+        if (fields.ptr() == Py_None)
+            return *this;
+
+        struct field_descr { pybind11::str name; object format; int_ offset; };
+        std::vector<field_descr> field_descriptors;
+
+        auto items = fields.attr("items").cast<object>();
+        for (auto field : items()) {
+            auto spec = object(field, true).cast<tuple>();
+            auto name = spec[0].cast<pybind11::str>();
+            auto format = spec[1].cast<tuple>()[0].cast<dtype>();
+            auto offset = spec[1].cast<tuple>()[1].cast<int_>();
+            if (!len(name) && format.kind() == "V")
+                continue;
+            field_descriptors.push_back({name, format.strip_padding(), offset});
+        }
+
+        std::sort(field_descriptors.begin(), field_descriptors.end(),
+                  [](const field_descr& a, const field_descr& b) {
+                      return (int) a.offset < (int) b.offset;
+                  });
+
+        list names, formats, offsets;
+        for (auto& descr : field_descriptors) {
+            names.append(descr.name); formats.append(descr.format); offsets.append(descr.offset);
+        }
+        auto args = dict();
+        args["names"] = names; args["formats"] = formats; args["offsets"] = offsets;
+        args["itemsize"] = (int_) itemsize();
+        return dtype::from_args(args);
+    }
+};
+
 class array : public buffer {
 public:
     PYBIND11_OBJECT_DEFAULT(array, buffer, detail::npy_api::get().PyArray_Check_)
@@ -116,7 +204,7 @@ public:
 
     template <typename Type> array(size_t size, const Type *ptr) {
         auto& api = detail::npy_api::get();
-        PyObject *descr = detail::npy_format_descriptor<Type>::dtype().release().ptr();
+        auto descr = pybind11::dtype::of<Type>().release().ptr();
         Py_intptr_t shape = (Py_intptr_t) size;
         object tmp = object(api.PyArray_NewFromDescr_(
             api.PyArray_Type_, descr, 1, &shape, nullptr, (void *) ptr, 0, nullptr), false);
@@ -129,14 +217,9 @@ public:
 
     array(const buffer_info &info) {
         auto& api = detail::npy_api::get();
-
-        // _dtype_from_pep3118 returns dtypes with padding fields in, so we need to strip them
-        auto numpy_internal = module::import("numpy.core._internal");
-        auto dtype_from_fmt = (object) numpy_internal.attr("_dtype_from_pep3118");
-        auto dtype = strip_padding_fields(dtype_from_fmt(pybind11::str(info.format)));
-
+        auto descr = pybind11::dtype(info).release().ptr();
         object tmp(api.PyArray_NewFromDescr_(
-            api.PyArray_Type_, dtype.release().ptr(), (int) info.ndim, (Py_intptr_t *) &info.shape[0],
+            api.PyArray_Type_, descr, (int) info.ndim, (Py_intptr_t *) &info.shape[0],
             (Py_intptr_t *) &info.strides[0], info.ptr, 0, nullptr), false);
         if (!tmp)
             pybind11_fail("NumPy: unable to create array!");
@@ -145,50 +228,12 @@ public:
         m_ptr = tmp.release().ptr();
     }
 
+    pybind11::dtype dtype() {
+        return attr("dtype").cast<pybind11::dtype>();
+    }
+
 protected:
     template <typename T, typename SFINAE> friend struct detail::npy_format_descriptor;
-
-    static object strip_padding_fields(object dtype) {
-        // Recursively strip all void fields with empty names that are generated for
-        // padding fields (as of NumPy v1.11).
-        auto fields = dtype.attr("fields").cast<object>();
-        if (fields.ptr() == Py_None)
-            return dtype;
-
-        struct field_descr { pybind11::str name; object format; int_ offset; };
-        std::vector<field_descr> field_descriptors;
-
-        auto items = fields.attr("items").cast<object>();
-        for (auto field : items()) {
-            auto spec = object(field, true).cast<tuple>();
-            auto name = spec[0].cast<pybind11::str>();
-            auto format = spec[1].cast<tuple>()[0].cast<object>();
-            auto offset = spec[1].cast<tuple>()[1].cast<int_>();
-            if (!len(name) && (std::string) dtype.attr("kind").cast<pybind11::str>() == "V")
-                continue;
-            field_descriptors.push_back({name, strip_padding_fields(format), offset});
-        }
-
-        std::sort(field_descriptors.begin(), field_descriptors.end(),
-                  [](const field_descr& a, const field_descr& b) {
-                      return (int) a.offset < (int) b.offset;
-                  });
-
-        list names, formats, offsets;
-        for (auto& descr : field_descriptors) {
-            names.append(descr.name);
-            formats.append(descr.format);
-            offsets.append(descr.offset);
-        }
-        auto args = dict();
-        args["names"] = names; args["formats"] = formats; args["offsets"] = offsets;
-        args["itemsize"] = dtype.attr("itemsize").cast<int_>();
-
-        PyObject *descr = nullptr;
-        if (!detail::npy_api::get().PyArray_DescrConverter_(args.release().ptr(), &descr) || !descr)
-            pybind11_fail("NumPy: failed to create structured dtype");
-        return object(descr, false);
-    }
 };
 
 template <typename T, int ExtraFlags = array::forcecast> class array_t : public array {
@@ -201,8 +246,7 @@ public:
         if (ptr == nullptr)
             return nullptr;
         auto& api = detail::npy_api::get();
-        PyObject *descr = detail::npy_format_descriptor<T>::dtype().release().ptr();
-        PyObject *result = api.PyArray_FromAny_(ptr, descr, 0, 0,
+        PyObject *result = api.PyArray_FromAny_(ptr, pybind11::dtype::of<T>().release().ptr(), 0, 0,
                                                 detail::npy_api::NPY_ENSURE_ARRAY_ | ExtraFlags, nullptr);
         if (!result)
             PyErr_Clear();
@@ -223,11 +267,6 @@ template <size_t N> struct format_descriptor<std::array<char, N>> {
     static const char *format() { PYBIND11_DESCR s = detail::_<N>() + detail::_("s"); return s.text(); }
 };
 
-template <typename T>
-object dtype_of() {
-    return detail::npy_format_descriptor<T>::dtype();
-}
-
 NAMESPACE_BEGIN(detail)
 template <typename T> struct is_std_array : std::false_type { };
 template <typename T, size_t N> struct is_std_array<std::array<T, N>> : std::true_type { };
@@ -252,7 +291,7 @@ private:
         npy_api::NPY_INT_,  npy_api::NPY_UINT_,  npy_api::NPY_LONGLONG_, npy_api::NPY_ULONGLONG_ };
 public:
     enum { value = values[detail::log2(sizeof(T)) * 2 + (std::is_unsigned<T>::value ? 1 : 0)] };
-    static object dtype() {
+    static pybind11::dtype dtype() {
         if (auto ptr = npy_api::get().PyArray_DescrFromType_(value))
             return object(ptr, true);
         pybind11_fail("Unsupported buffer format!");
@@ -267,7 +306,7 @@ template <typename T> constexpr const int npy_format_descriptor<
 
 #define DECL_FMT(Type, NumPyName, Name) template<> struct npy_format_descriptor<Type> { \
     enum { value = npy_api::NumPyName }; \
-    static object dtype() { \
+    static pybind11::dtype dtype() { \
         if (auto ptr = npy_api::get().PyArray_DescrFromType_(value)) \
             return object(ptr, true); \
         pybind11_fail("Unsupported buffer format!"); \
@@ -282,14 +321,9 @@ DECL_FMT(std::complex<double>, NPY_CDOUBLE_, "complex128");
 
 #define DECL_CHAR_FMT \
     static PYBIND11_DESCR name() { return _("S") + _<N>(); } \
-    static object dtype() { \
-        auto& api = npy_api::get();   \
-        PyObject *descr = nullptr; \
+    static pybind11::dtype dtype() { \
         PYBIND11_DESCR fmt = _("S") + _<N>(); \
-        pybind11::str py_fmt(fmt.text()); \
-        if (!api.PyArray_DescrConverter_(py_fmt.release().ptr(), &descr) || !descr) \
-            pybind11_fail("NumPy: failed to create string dtype"); \
-        return object(descr, false); \
+        return pybind11::dtype::from_args(pybind11::str(fmt.text())); \
     } \
     static const char *format() { PYBIND11_DESCR s = _<N>() + _("s"); return s.text(); }
 template <size_t N> struct npy_format_descriptor<char[N]> { DECL_CHAR_FMT };
@@ -301,14 +335,14 @@ struct field_descriptor {
     size_t offset;
     size_t size;
     const char *format;
-    object descr;
+    dtype descr;
 };
 
 template <typename T>
 struct npy_format_descriptor<T, typename std::enable_if<is_pod_struct<T>::value>::type> {
     static PYBIND11_DESCR name() { return _("struct"); }
 
-    static object dtype() {
+    static pybind11::dtype dtype() {
         if (!dtype_())
             pybind11_fail("NumPy: unsupported buffer format!");
         return object(dtype_(), true);
@@ -321,7 +355,6 @@ struct npy_format_descriptor<T, typename std::enable_if<is_pod_struct<T>::value>
     }
 
     static void register_dtype(std::initializer_list<field_descriptor> fields) {
-        auto& api = npy_api::get();
         auto args = dict();
         list names { }, offsets { }, formats { };
         for (auto field : fields) {
@@ -333,10 +366,7 @@ struct npy_format_descriptor<T, typename std::enable_if<is_pod_struct<T>::value>
         }
         args["names"] = names; args["offsets"] = offsets; args["formats"] = formats;
         args["itemsize"] = int_(sizeof(T));
-        // This is essentially the same as calling np.dtype() constructor in Python and passing
-        // it a dict of the form {'names': ..., 'formats': ..., 'offsets': ...}.
-        if (!api.PyArray_DescrConverter_(args.release().ptr(), &dtype_()) || !dtype_())
-            pybind11_fail("NumPy: failed to create structured dtype");
+        dtype_() = pybind11::dtype::from_args(args).release().ptr();
 
         // There is an existing bug in NumPy (as of v1.11): trailing bytes are
         // not encoded explicitly into the format string. This will supposedly
@@ -366,9 +396,9 @@ struct npy_format_descriptor<T, typename std::enable_if<is_pod_struct<T>::value>
         format_() = oss.str();
 
         // Sanity check: verify that NumPy properly parses our buffer format string
+        auto& api = npy_api::get();
         auto arr =  array(buffer_info(nullptr, sizeof(T), format(), 1, { 0 }, { sizeof(T) }));
-        auto fixed_dtype = array::strip_padding_fields(object(dtype_(), true));
-        if (!api.PyArray_EquivTypes_(dtype_(), fixed_dtype.ptr()))
+        if (!api.PyArray_EquivTypes_(dtype_(), arr.dtype().ptr()))
             pybind11_fail("NumPy: invalid buffer descriptor!");
     }