A. LANGE & SÖHNE The Zeitwerk gets a date display, along with several other subtle improvements

A. Lange & Söhne marked its

25th anniversary this year – a milestone it celebrated with a series of commemorative timepieces – but also the 10th year of the Zeitwerk, for which it released the new Zeitwerk Date. The Zeitwerk’s uniqueness, of course, lies in its digital time display, which is achieved using three separate discs, a solution that’s remained unchanged since the watch’s debut. This is regulated by a device that releases a consistent amount of energy from the mainspring to the escapement once a minute, and moves the discs as a coordinated jumping display. Adding a date display to the Zeitwerk proved challenging, as the unique time indication precludes the use of either hands or apertures. The solution for the Zeitwerk Date was to employ a glass ring that runs around the dial’s periphery, which is printed with the date and has a single red marker that serves as a pointer.