The Perpetuity of Time
Continuing its legacy of sophisticated timepieces, A Lange & Söhne unveils beautiful new renditions of a grand complication and a dual time wristwatch
German luxury watch manufacturer A Lange & Söhne has made numerous contributions to the advancement of mechanical watchmaking, from special escapement designs and remontoires to unique styles of deadbeat seconds and beryllium alloy balance springs. Founded in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange, it is the most famous brand that the small watchmaking town of Glashütte has ever produced.
Some of its most celebrated timepieces include the 1815, Lange 1, Datograph, Double Split, Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite”, Saxonia and Zeitwerk, many of which have soared in secondary value in recent years thanks to pandemic‑ and crypto‑related events.
Since its inception, A Lange & Söhne’s passion for horological innovation has never dwindled. Earlier this year, the manufacture stopped many attendees of Watches and Wonders 2023 in their tracks with its new launch, the Odysseus Chronograph, a uniquely constructed timer with a spellbinding reset motion. From dial colour to case material and movement mechanism, the brand also takes special care to make ideal selections that pay tribute to traditional German watchmaking. Its tireless diligence and spirit of conservation are largely why it has amassed a global cult following.
Much to watch enthusiasts’ delight, the storied manufacture has just unveiled new editions of two technically and aesthetically riveting timepieces: the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar and the Lange 1 Time Zone Platinum. Both are gladly received additions to the highly sought‑after 1815 and Lange 1 collections respectively.
RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL
Making its triumphant return this year with a refreshed look is the coveted 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar of 2013 (which, incidentally, was a watershed year for the brand that also saw the unveiling of its Grand Complication—a horological feat comprising a perpetual calendar, a monopusher split‑seconds chronograph with flying seconds, a grande sonnerie, a petite sonnerie and
Since its inception, A Lange & Söhne’s passion for horological innovation has never dwindled. From dial colour to case material and movement mechanism, the brand also takes special care to make ideal selections that pay tribute to traditional German watchmaking. Its tireless diligence and spirit of conservation are largely why it has amassed a global cult following
a minute repeater—at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie; limited to just six pieces worldwide and with a calling price of 1.92 million euros). Sporting a white gold case this time, the 2023 edition of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar comes with an eye‑catching solid pink gold dial—only the third A Lange & Söhne timepiece to bear one, after the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon of 2019 and the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar of 2021. Other features include rhodium‑plated as well as blued steel hands, and throwback aesthetics such as railway track scales and classic Arabic numerals, meant to evoke the beautiful A Lange & Söhne pocket watches of yesteryear.
Limited to 100 pieces, this white gold reference combines a rattrapante chronograph with a perpetual calendar and moon phase, and has an ab/auf (German for “up/down”) power reserve indicator—a mechanism patented by the manufacture that detects whether a watch is wound up or wound down, and displays its remaining power—synonymous with the 1815 collection. These absorbing complications are operated by two chronograph buttons, one rattrapante button, and separate recessed correctors that adjust the day, date, month and moon phase.
It is worth mentioning at this point that its chronograph can record durations with an accuracy of one sixth of a second because its movement, the calibre L101.1, beats with six semi‑oscillations per second. This highly accurate perpetual calendar will not need adjusting until March 1, 2100—a leap year that, according to the rules of the Gregorian calendar, will be skipped.
Speaking of the calibre, the hand‑decorated and hand‑assembled L101.1 has had all the upper surfaces of its moving parts individually finished with straight graining, while its peripheral chamfers have been polished for contrast. Its plates and bridges have been crafted from untreated German silver. One can admire this high‑level finishing, along with screwed gold chatons, blued screws and a hand‑engraved balance cock, through the watch’s transparent caseback.
THE WORLD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Another acclaimed A Lange & Söhne classic that has been reimagined with an enticing new visage is the Lange 1 Time Zone of 2005, a sophisticated world timer that is now available in a sleek 950 platinum case with a rhodium‑coloured dial in solid silver.
In 2020, the manufacture equipped this world timer with the new calibre L141.1, which includes a daylight‑saving time indication and delivers a power reserve of 72 hours from just one mainspring barrel.
Like the movements of other A Lange & Söhne watches, the Lange manufacture calibre L141.1 is skilfully decorated and assembled by hand, then precision‑adjusted in five positions. Similar to the new 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar, exquisite hand‑finished details of the movement, such as fine satin finishing on the wheels and mirrored anglage on the bridge edges, can be admired through the watch’s transparent sapphire crystal caseback.
High legibility is a cornerstone of all A Lange & Söhne creations and the Lange 1 Time Zone does not compromise on this despite the fact that it has a number of displays on
High legibility is a cornerstone of all A Lange & Söhne creations and the Lange 1 Time Zone does not compromise on this despite the fact that it has a number of displays on the dial
the dial: two subdials showing home time and current time, each with a ring‑shaped day/night indicator that now sits at its centre; a stop‑seconds subdial; a city ring for adjusting the second time zone; a daylight‑saving time indication; a date display; and an ab/auf power reserve indicator.
Both reading and setting the complications are made easy. Telling the time of day using the day/night indicator, for instance, is a breeze: if the hour hand falls within the 180‑degree arc in blue, it is night‑time (6 pm to 6 am); anywhere outside and it is daytime (6 am to 6 pm). To know if your selected city, which is indicated by the arrow applique at 5 o’clock, implements daylight‑saving time, simply look to its aperture, which will be coloured red if the answer is affirmative.
As for adjustments, the corrector button at the 10 o’clock position modifies the date, while the one at 8 o’clock advances the city ring by one time zone per push; this will simultaneously advance the hour pointer of the small subdial. The times in both time zones can be adjusted synchronously when the crown is pulled to its second position, but if the time zone corrector is pressed and held at the same time, the hour hand on the smaller hours‑and‑minutes dial will stop and not adjust, but its minute hand will still be adjusted.
Like the new 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar, the new Lange 1 Time Zone Platinum is 41.9 mm in case diameter and has a commanding presence on the wrist.