The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar was first released back in 2013, which marked a clear milestone in A. Lange & Söhne’s history. Before the release of this model, A. Lange & Söhne had made only 7 chronograph calibers. A specially developed movement was required so that the three complications can be adopted onto the watch whilst maintaining the elegant design of the brand’s 1815 line.

So what exactly are these sophisticated functions? The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar has set the standard for both short-time measurement and display of calendar periods. Alongside the standard chronograph function, this movement, the “Rattrapante” movement as A. Lange & Söhne states “is capable of measuring intermediate times and comparative times as well as determining minimum and maximum values in the course of one minute. Since the balance wheel of the manufacture caliber L101.1 beats with six semi-oscillations per second, the stopped times can be recorded with an accuracy of one-sixth of a second. High-precision readings are assured thanks to the additional graduation on the peripheral minute scale.”

The perpetual calendar indications can be found through the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock subdials. The 3 o’clock subdial shows the date and day of the week, while the 9 o’clock subdial shows the month and leap year indications. At 6 o’clock, the moon-phase indicator is shown with its display of vivid colours. Finally, the 12 o’clock subdial shows the power reserve indicator, with the shorter gold hand within the subdial indicating when the watch needs to be wound again.

The complex mechanism that is the perpetual calendar ensures that the date, day of the week, and month are all correctly displayed. The accuracy of the perpetual calendar is that all of these indications are displayed correctly every single day for decades, taking leap years into account as well. The only time the calendar indications must be corrected is the 1st of March 2100, according to the rules of the Gregorian calendar, in which the leap year will then be skipped.

This is super helpful with the timepiece being a manual wound. The Lange manufacture calibre L101.1 movement that encapsulates all this is composed of an impressive 631 parts. The perpetual calendar alone requires 211 parts, while the rattrappante chronograph mechanism requires 206 components. The movement operates at a frequency of 21,600 (VpH), and can give out a power reserve of 42 hours when fully wound.

Director of Product Development at A. Lange & Söhne, Anthony de Haas, states in regards to this movement that “With three classic complications, the manufacture calibre L101.1 is one of our most complex movements. Each one in itself already constitutes a technical feat; when combined, they represent a far greater challenge. For our designers and our watchmakers in equal measure, since the tweaking and tuning process of all mechanisms requires an exceptionally high degree
of dexterity and technical expertise.”

This latest rendition of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar is presented in a 41.9mm 18-carat white gold case, with a solid pink gold dial. The dial features a layered structure, where the subdials are the lowest layer, followed by the main dial then the “minute track” dial. The hands for the dial and subdials are a combination of rhodium steel and blue steel, which visually is a beautiful sight as it works really well against the pink-gold background. All the indications and inscriptions are done in black, with blue used (along with the three-dot marks) for the quarterly minute markers.

The beauty of this timepiece, however, doesn’t stop at the dial. As we know, A. Lange & Söhne makes some of the most beautiful movements in the watchmaking industry. The case back of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar is one of the best testaments to this, showing that signature Lange finishing techniques. This case back shows blued screws, screwed gold chatons, an elaborate whiplash precision index adjuster, upper surfaces of all moving parts decorated with straight graining, and polished peripheral chamfers, just to name a few of the finishing techniques involved.

There are quite a few brands out there that are able to put complex mechanism’s into their timepieces, but only a few can design them as beautiful as this. The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar when it was originally released was already an impressive timepiece, but now with its new pink gold dial and perfectly complimenting 18k white gold case, this classic colour combo is bound to make this a head-turner. With this timepiece also being limited to 100 pieces worldwide, all of this does come at a price, which can only be found upon request through A. Lange & Söhne’s e-commerce.

References: 421.056FE

Specification:

• Case: 41.90 mm
• Case Material: 18-carat white gold
• Dial: Solid pink-gold
• Crystal: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
• Case Back: 18-carat white gold & transparent case back.
• Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L101.1
• Power reserve: 42 Hours
• Bracelet: Hand-stitched alligator leather, dark brown with deployant buckle in 18-carat white gold.

International Recommended Retail Price: Price Upon Request through A. Lange & Söhne e-commerce.

Availability: Limited Edition of 100 models. Boutique Only.

Watchmaking is an art. It’s also a science that involves a lot of mechanical knowledge, maths and physics. When the two come together, this is when you see great watchmaking. And one of the great watchmaking brands is A. Lange & Söhne. It’s hard to deny that their movements are some of the best in the business, and when we were invited to their latest Connoisseurs Akademie workshop in Sydney this week, well lets just say I jumped at the chance!

A. Lange & Söhne has a history dating back almost 200 years, and has become one of the world’s most respected brands with some of the most beautiful movements in the business today. Whilst other brands are using new technologies and materials, A. Lange & Söhne is still very much traditional, using techniques and materials that are the same as they were 100 years ago, like German Silver, blue fired screws and all decorative elements finished by hand engravers with their own individual style. A single watch can take up to six months to produce, and when you see exactly what goes into these pieces, you then understand why.

A. Lange & Söhne are giving selected people around the world the chance to see this, understand it and try their hand at putting together part of a simple movement via their Connoisseurs Akademie. The Ace Hotel in Sydney was the venue, hosted by Watches of Switzerland and A. Lange & Söhne, with some lucky VIP’s and media being taken through a class by A. Lange & Söhne’s very own “Flying Watchmaker” David Weber, who has been with the brand for over 18 years, and a second generation watchmaker with his father, Manfred Weber, also a master watchmaker too.

The class was how to assemble the gear train of the watch, which is in essence, the way the energy is transferred from the barrel to the balance spring which regulates the timing. Whilst this was a workshop run by A. Lange & Söhne, we were assembling a basic ETA hound wound movement, after all, the theory is the same and the brand wasn’t going to let us play with actual Lange movements given their apprentices don’t work on them until their last 3 months of their apprenticeship!

But, before we get into the workshop in detail, check out the time-lapse video I took which shows the movement being assembled. Essentially about an hour of actual work condensed into a minute!

Assembling The Gear Train

We started by taking the main plate and secured that to the clamp before placing the Escape Wheel into the first jewel. The one thing that instantly strikes me is that the small stem of the Escape Wheel doesn’t slot into anything, but merely rests in the gem itself, which I’ve not thought about in much detail before.

The barrel is the next to be fitted. Slightly easier as it’s just placed over the brushing from the main plate itself. The spring inside the barrel is already wound for us, no need to do this. In the case of the A. Lange & Söhne movements, their springs in their barrels are super fine, and can extend up to 1.86m in a single barrel and with 2 barrels can ensure accuracy over 31 days due to the constant torque between the barrels, which is amazing when you think about it!

After the barrel, we then place in wheels three and four, which both connect to the Escape Wheel in order for the minute wheel to be placed between the second wheel and the barrel. These parts slot into their positions easily, at least as I found it, and at this point, you can really see the movement taking shape and see how the power is being transferred to the balance and regulator.

The Barrel Bridge goes on next, and this secures the Barrel and Minute Wheels in place, in turn secured to the main plate with 2 screws. We’re using plain old ordinary steel screws here, but in the case of the A. Lange & Söhne movements, their screws are all blue fired, and given their movements are smaller and more delicate, so are the screws.

Charles Langlois, who is A. Lange & Söhne South East Asia Managing Director comes over to show me the actual screws in the Lange movements. One is the largest they use, which is smaller than anything we’re using today, and the other is the smallest – shown in the image below resting on the tip of my index finger. No larger than a small speck of sand.

Now that the Barrel Bridge is on, we take the Gear Train Bridge and place this on top of the Third, Forth and Escape Wheels. This is slightly tricky as the wheels are on stems or pinions that aren’t actually fixed into anything, so you need to delicately place the bridge down, and manoeuvre the wheels ever so slightly so they slot into the rubies in the bridge. It takes several goes, and if you’re not careful, you can snap the stems. Thankfully it’s a success.

After this, the Crown Wheel, which is attached to the Crown Stem and Ratchet Wheel are placed on top of the Barrel Bridge. This part of the assembly allows the movement to be wound via the crown as the Crown Wheel connects directly with the stem, and in turn connects with the Ratchet Wheel siting directly above the Barrel. Turn the crown, this winds the Crown Wheel and the Ratchet Wheel, which then winds the Barrel up to power the gear train.

This next step is probably the hardest, and took a lot longer than I anticipated to put together. Whilst not officially part of the workshop, I was determined to place the Pallet Fork in, which links in with the Balance Wheel to regulate the spring. Setting the fork isn’t easy, due to the size of it, and you definitely need the loupe to do this. Once placed on the main plate, you need to secure the Pallet fork with the Pallet Bridge. If not done correctly, the Gear Train will run, but the power will not be regulated due to the fork and balance spring not connecting, i.e. won’t be accurate at all!

Once this is done, the Balance Spring then goes on last. The Balance is pre-assembled here on the cock already, so with this movement, it just needs to be placed accurately and set in place, and securely screwed down.

You know fairly fast if you’ve done this right as the movement will either work and you can see the Pallet fork flicking back and forth along with the Balance Spring, or you won’t. The first 3 attempts are a fail for me. But finally, I did manage to get it right and working. Whilst this section was technically not part of the workshop, I couldn’t have an unfinished movement on my table!

Final Thoughts

The A. Lange & Söhne Connoisseurs Akademie is a great way to learn more about both the brand, and movement theory 101. The class itself was interesting and you learn what it takes to assemble even a basic movement. And whilst doing so, you gain much more appreciation for the art of watchmaking and even more so when you listen to David Weber talk about how Lange does it.

Whilst I had a very big appreciation for A. Lange & Söhne already, I did walk away with even more respect for the brand. They have stuck with tradition, and are very proud of this, which is quite apparent when you talk to David Weber or Charles Langlois. And whilst other brands use newer materials and technology, A. Lange & Söhne still do it the way they did a century ago, and to me, there is something special in this.

It means there is more effort, skill and craftmanship involved in each watch. The skill involved in crafting the movement pieces, such as the chain in the Fusée-Chain Mechanism, which is completely hand assembled over 2 weeks and made from untreated steel to save friction and weight to ensure maximum accuracy. If a single mistake is made, such as being touched by the hands, then it can corrode over time, and the whole chain needs to be made again.

This is Lange quality and workmanship right here. Once you understand this, your appreciation for what’s on your wrist, should you be lucky enough to own a piece by A. Lange & Söhne, goes up ten fold. Old world craftsmanship still very much has a place in 2023 – I would say more so than ever in a world becoming more automated and commoditised than ever. Hand made is getting rarer and rarer and this to me is what makes a large part of the appeal of a luxury watch.

A big thanks to the Ace Hotel Sydney for having us, Watches Of Switzerland for hosting and A. Lange & Söhne for teaching. Most of the amazing photo’s in this article are taken by Vassi Lena. For more of her work, check out her site – www.vassi.com.au

Well, maybe not dead, but its popularity has certainly waned over the last few years. Admittedly, I’ve never really been a dress watch type of guy. I’ve always preferred the sports watches over anything else. Maybe because my lifestyle in Queensland is more outdoors and casual, but even before I lived here, back in Sydney I gravitated towards the steel sports watches. I assume it’s mostly because back in the early 2000’s many successful people I knew wore Rolexes, Omega’s, Breitling’s and Panerai’s, and this coupled with movie characters and advertising of people I looked up to, wore the same. And who says ads don’t work?

Putting this aside, the last few years has seen a definite trend towards sports watches, and away from dress watches. COVID has definitely played a part in this – with many people working from home and not the office. Prior to this, if you worked in a corporate environment with a suit, a dress watch made complete sense. All of a sudden, you’re at home in T-shirts and shorts, or whatever was the most comfortable to sit for hours on end at your kitchen table, lounge, outdoor entertaining area, or really where ever. A dress watch here didn’t make sense anymore. Now we’re out of COVID, and life seems to be back to a relative normal, and people are back in the office (at least part of the week), we should be seeing dress watches more right? It appears it’s not so much the case.

Changing Trends

Awards shows are always a good gauge on fashion trends, and watches, like it or not, are part of modern day fashion. And there certainly is a trend to see guys in suits sporting steel sports, or precious metal sports watches, not the typical understated watch on a nice leather strap, 40mm and under. You now see AP, Rolex, Patek, and even most recently, Dwayne Johnson rocking a TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 for the Academy Awards as a poetic nod to the fake TAG he wore when he was broke in his “7 Bucks” days, a departure from his standard go to of AP or Panerai in precious metal. But again, this proves my point, these are not dress watches either, albeit they are slightly more dressy than an Aquaracer!

Speaking to a few people in the know, they tend to agree. Dress watch sales have been in decline. Sports watches are taking their place, and for some brands, models that are hybrid dress/sports with interchangeable straps are becoming more popular. And this makes sense. Why spend good money on a dress watch that you may only wear every now and then (assuming you’re not in a suit and tie all day) when you can purchase a watch that is versatile and with the change of a strap, you can change the look? I know I’m gravitating towards this more and more.

The other theory I had was that people are just more casual these days. People want to be comfortable and this is extending into all areas of their lives. This can be seen across all areas of the luxury market. Luxury street wear is now more popular than ever, and replacing more formal attire in this sector.

Casual Luxury

An article from the New York Times in August of 2021 (which you can read here) highlighted this perfectly. Wall Street, the bastion of wealth and also formality had dressed down! The Suits were no longer in suits. If this wasn’t a sign I don’t know what was. And this trend permeated across the globe. Australia was not immune and I would suggest, was adopted a lot quicker than in other countries.

Luxury had to follow. Now I don’t know where I heard the term, or maybe I just came up with it myself, but “Casual Luxury” is now in vogue. LV back packs, Hugo Boss sneakers, Gucci bomber jackets and of course, watches. And now, it seems that almost anything goes. An IWC Pilot 41 Chronograph with a suit? Sure! Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time on rubber for a nice dinner out? Yep! And Rolex, AP and Patek Philippe are go to pieces for any occasion, and that is part of the appeal of a luxury sports watch. Dress a Submariner, Royal Oak or Nautilus up or down. To be honest, I know I would.

The data would also suggest this is the case as well. Just take a look at the latest Morgan Stanley figures for the Swiss Watch industry in 2022. Brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre who are predominantly known for their dress watches have slid from their position at #10 in 2017 to #14 in 2022, Bulgari, who up until recent years focused on dress watches, have slid from #15 in 2017 to out of the Top 20 in 2022. And it’s no surprise that Chopard, who are known for their luxury jewellery and watches of a more dressy and formal nature have doubled down on their sports watch range, most notably with the hit that is the Alpine Eagle – a great sports watch that is easily dressed up or down.

The Dress Watch Dilemma

I have had the pleasure of trying on and testing numerous dress watches over the past year or so, and some I loved, some not so much. My favourite of late was the Glashuette Original PanoMaticLuna. A brilliant dress watch, finished superbly and a great, and more affordable alternative to the A Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Moonshpase. I’d buy this in a heartbeat. If I only had the occasion to wear it! And these days, I don’t go to too many formal occasions, and for any watch related event, I’m normally wearing something from the brand or if not, and not too formal (most event’s aren’t too formal), my Zenith on the steel bracelet fits the bill.

Continuing on this thought path, I would now tend to look for a watch that I can wear often, if not everyday. I went to a formal event this weekend actually, and was lent a good friend’s Rolex Daytona in Rose Gold on Oysterflex. This was perfect for the event, looked the part and you feel a million dollars wearing it. And this is his almost everyday watch. Why? because it dresses up just as well as it dresses down. And this is what I’m now considering for my next purchase. A piece that is versatile, and can be either dressed up, or down. Not a big watch, most probably 40mm and not too thick, and preferably with the ability to change the strap or bracelet easily. A watch that can go from the boardroom to the beach to black tie. Am I asking too much?

Final Thoughts

But this does bring me back to the original question. Is the dress watch dead? Maybe for now, with the time we’re living in and the trends that are around today it is. Or maybe it’s just hibernating, waiting to be woken up when times have changed. And this is what fashion does. It ebbs and flows, it’s cyclical. Trends comes and go, and they come back around again. So maybe in the not too distant future, we’ll all be dressing up again, heading to work in suits and ties, when going out or travelling, putting on our Sunday best. But for now, my Sunday best is a pair of shorts and a Polo shirt, and on my wrist is a sports watch. And I’m perfectly ok with this!

We always love to know what you think. Drop a comment in the comments section below and tell us if you agree or not? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Each year, the watch world waits to see what wonders come out of the industry’s premier trade show. Some years we see brilliance, and others years not so much. I feel that this year was a good year for the watch world, and we saw some really great pieces launched, some cool novelties and some brands just did some nice and timely updates to their core models. And from all reports, it seems that most commentators felt the same. So without further ado, here are my top 12 picks.

Piaget’s Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin

Whilst Piaget added two new Perpetual Calendar models to their Polo line, my pick was the Rose gold and green. It just looks great, and builds on their release from earlier in year. At 8.65mm, it’s thin, and a the movement is stunning and complex. which can be seen through there caseback.

The fact that Piaget has also given it the quick change SingleTouch system, to swap out the green alligator or rubber strap just adds to this allowing you change the look, depending on your mood. At AUD $116,000, it’s not cheap, but you get a lot of watch for this!

You can read all about it here.

Panerai Radiomir Otto Giorni

Panerai went back to their roots this year, and told us their Storia Leggendaria. With this, bringing us the new Radiomir Otto Giorni (8 days) in hand finished eSteel.

Whilst not the most techically impressive, although it is an 8-day manual wind, so this is pretty decent, these are cool looking, and do hark back to their original Radiomir prototype of 1935. Also, each model is hand finished to give it the distressed look, so essentially, all unique!

Check out our write up about it here

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph

Jaeger-LeCoultre focused on their Reverso Tribute line this year, and some of their models was absolutely fantastic. One of which was their Reverso Tribute Chronograph, which gives you 2 great watches in one!

Whilst each model looked stunning, my pic was the Pink Gold variant. The way the details contrast on the chronograph face, along with the “floating” look of the dial and bottom register are second to none!

For more on this, click here.

Hermes H08 In Rose Gold & Titanium

The Hermes H08 in Rose Gold and Titanium was a surprise for me. I’m not normally a fan of Hermes watches, but this model, in this combination jut works, and looks both casual, and just a little bit formal – it’s a paradox!

Hermes have used a good mix of Rose gold, titanium and black ceramic, and paired with the black rubber strap and the multi-faceted dial, all works together and is something a little different to the norm.

You can check out our write up on it here

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN “Oceana”

I’m a sucker for a good pilot’s watch, and need to add one back into the collection. And the new IWC Pilot’s Chrono 41mm in Oceana Blue is a hot contender. Although, speaking to the IWC boutique, there’s not a lot of detail on when this will be in, so I guess I’ll have to wait.

IWC have done some great releases in coloured ceramic and this is just the next to come out, and with the denim strap, looks like the perfect casual summer watch. Blending this with IWC’s DNA in pilots watches and you’ve a great piece.

Fly over to our write up on it here

Tudor Black Bay 41 Burgundy Dial

Tudor are a little more “edgy” than their big sister, but sometimes, a nice update is all you need. The Tudor Black Bay 41 with the burgundy dial was just this. Nothing ground-breaking, but a slimmer case, refined details on the dial and a choice now of three different bracelet/strap options with their T-Fit micro adjust.

Tudor have also made the movement just that little bit better – now Master Chronometer certified to 0/+5s per day and keeping the 70 hour power reserve. What more could you ask for?

For more details, check it out here

Chopard Alpine Eagle 41mm XPS

Chopard’s new Alpine Eagle in Lucent Steel and a stunning Monte Rosa pink dial and small seconds was one of those watches where Chopard took an already good watch and made it better! The addition of the small seconds is a nice touch, and the dial is just a stunning colour.

In this model, you now the calibre L.U.C 96.40-L movement, meaning the watch has slimmed down to just 8mm thick and the movement is beautiful with an 18k micro rotor powering it.

You can find out more about this model here

A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph

The Odysseus Chronograph was one of the more truly unique releases at this years event, and it was a first for the brand, having never done an automatic chronograph before now.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Odysseus Chronograph is the dial configuration using the outer track and the central seconds and minutes hands to tell the elapsed time, rather than sub dials. Plus the re-set to zero function is pretty cool, and something not seen before.

You can read all about it here

Rolex Yacht-Master Titanium

Rolex aren’t normally known for their innovative releases, but this year, they’ve come out with a first for The Crown – a sports watch in Titanium in the form of the Yacht-Master in 42mm. This is a great move from Rolex, adding another variant to the Yacht-Master line, and giving people a watch that is less dressy than the standard 40mm models, and a completely different look to the precious metal models.

It’s a great stealthy looking sports watch, and due to the titanium, is light and durable and fit for the purpose it was designed for, as we saw when Sir Ben Ainslie wore the prototype a couple of years back – leaving the world waiting for its release!

Check out my thoughts on the Yacht-Master Ti here

Grand Seiko Tentagraph

Grand Seiko have never done a fully mechanical chronograph before, having limited this complication to their spring drive models. But this year, they released a fairly under the radar chronograph that is fully mechanical. However, look at the details and its more impressive than it would initially seem.

A Ten beats per seconds chronograph, accurate to -3/+5s per day, tested over 20 days, housed in an all titanium case and finished to the standards that you expect from Grand Seiko. Its all in the small details, and this is what makes this watch a sleeper!

To check out the full write up, click here

Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Countach DT/X

This was probably the craziest watch release this year (I cold be wrong), but you’d expect nothing less from Roger Dubuis. The Excalibur Spider Countach DT/X is designed in the theme of the new limited edition 50th anniversary Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4. Hence the name.

Lamborghini design cues are all over this watch, from the engine case between the 90° V-Shape Double Flying Tourbillon, to the way the case looks like the wheels and tyres. It’s a serious piece of kit, to go with a serious car. But not for us mere mortals at $1,210,000 and limited to 8 pieces, I won’t be lining up anytime soon!

Check out the full write up and pics here

Bell & Ross Diver White Bronze

This may not have been on many people’s top 12, but I’ve included it for this reason. Bell & Ross have created a driver with a difference, and whilst not vintage in style, it’s got vintage style cues that just work with the overall design aesthetic.

The bronze case, paired with the opaline dial and brown strap give it a unique look, and the fact that it is ISO-6425 complied means it’s a true divers watch. It may not be for everyone, but that in my eyes isn’t a bad thing, as it means you probably won’t see many in the wild, and that’s a talking point in my mind!

Check out our coverage of it here

Well that’s it for another year of Watches and Wonders. It was a great show this year, and there were some brilliant releases, and not so brilliant releases. Whilst I couldn’t cover all of the releases here (it wouldn’t be a top 12 if I could!), you can check out all of the brands and models covered at Watches and Wonder 2023 here.

To this day, designing and building a chronograph calibre is considered to be one of the greatest challenges in precision watchmaking. Only a few manufacturers possess the knowledge and ability to develop and craft a similarly complex movement. With a total of 13 manufacture movements, chronographs have been among the most coveted A. Lange & Söhne models since 1999.

A. Lange & Söhne developed a customised moment specifically for the Odysseus Chronograph, one that positions both chronograph hands in the centre – the minute counter with a lozenge-shaped tip as well as the red chrono seconds hand that use an outer track to time both the seconds and minutes elapsed. As a consequence, the sub-dials found on conventional chronographs are no longer needed and the style-defining positions of the outsize date and day of the week could be maintained.

In addition to this, the Odysseus Chronograph has a unique and innovative reset-to-zero function. When the reset-to-zero button at 4 o’clock is pressed after timing is finished, a short but impressive spectacle ensues: while the minute counter jumps back to its starting position in the conventional way, the red chrono seconds hand covers the entire distance travelled beforehand within a fraction of a second ‒ one full revolution for each measured minute. In simple terms, if 10 minutes has elapsed on the chronograph, the red seconds hand does a full 10 revolutions of the dial to reset to zero. This action is quite cool to look at, and something you won’t see on many, if any, other chronographs on the market today.

The other very unique function A. Lange & Söhne has given the Odysseus Chronograph is the buttons at 2 and 4 o’clock. Traditionally used to stop, start and reset the chronograph function, A. Lange & Söhne have given this dual functionality. Whilst the crown in pushed in, the pressers, which are partially hidden in the case act in the traditional sense. However, pull the crown out one position and the day and date can be adjusted. Just another unique function of this newly developed movement.

Staying true to the style, A. Lange & Söhne have given the Odysseus a multi-faceted dial that is sports and the luxury that A. Lange & Söhne is known for. The inner surface of the black main dial is nicely textured and the notched baton appliques made of white gold contrast perfectly for ease of use. The subsidiary seconds scale are underlaid with concentric circles and a palladium-coloured flange ring with a printed two-part minute scale frames the dial.

The scale for the fractions of a second is positioned on the outer circumference, while the scale for minutes and seconds is arranged further inside. Printed in red, the number 60 at 12 o’clock and the red chrono seconds hand accentuate the equally elegant and dynamic appearance of the Odysseus Chronograph.

And you can tell it’s an A. Lange & Söhne by the layout of the day on the left in the 9 o’clock position and panorama styled date at 3 o’clock – a unique styled mark of the brand that is common across the Odysseus range, and other collections within.

The Odysseus Chronograph is powered by the L156.1 DATOMATIC calibre ‒ the brand’s first self-winding chronograph movement. The attribute DATOMATIC is derived from the words “date” and “automatic”. A skeletonised and partially black-rhodium central rotor with an outer mass in 950 platinum delives power to the movement. When fully wound, the mainspring barrel delivers a maximum power reserve of 50 hours. The oscillation system is designed to ensure consistent accuracy, and to this end, the balance, which beats at a frequency of 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour (4 hertz), is suspended beneath the balance bridge. This itself is hand-engraved with a stylised wave pattern alluding to the water resistance of the watch and the possible applications in sports settings.

Another aspect of the movement, which sets A. Lange & Söhne apart is the assembly of the movement. The L156.1 DATOMATIC calibre is assembled twice to ensure maximum precision. Many unique, traditional elements are incorporated, for example bridges and plates made of untreated German silver, the hand-engraved balance bridge or the gold chatons secured by blued screws. Additionally, all components, even those that are no longer visible once the movement is fully assembled, are, for the greater part, elaborately finished by hand. This can be admired through the sapphire-crystal caseback of the Odysseus Chronograph.

The Odysseus Chronograph is a true sports watch. Crafted from stainless steel and at 42.5mm, it’s water resistant to 120m/10bar, its easy to read dial and sports style bracelet means it’s ready to go whenever you are, for whatever you are doing.

Reference: 463.178

Specification

• Case: 42.5 millimetres; height: 14.2 millimetres in stainless steel
• Dial: Brass, black with hours and minutes hands in white gold. Subsidiary seconds: white gold; 60-minute counter: rhodiumed steel, red chrono seconds hand: aluminium; baton appliques: white gold, luminous
• Crystal: Sapphire crystal
• Water Resistance: 120m (12BAR)
• Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L156.1 DATOMATIC®, self-winding, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions. 516 parts, 52 Jewels, and vibrating at 28800 vph / 4Hz.
• Power Reserve: 50 Hours
• Bracelet: Stainless steel with safety deployant buckle with precision adjustment mechanism

Availability: Boutique Exclusive and limited to 100 pieces worldwide

International Recommended Retail Price: TBA

A Lange & Sohne has brought the world mechanical marvels like the Zeitwerk, a fully mechanical wristwatch that reads out as a digital display. The brand sought to weild the sword of Damocles to the traditional swiss houses like Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, when they unveiled the Datograph. A movement so beautifully finished, so expertly crafted, that it forced Patek Philippe to develop a whole new chronograph calibre.

To celebrate the 175 year anniversary of the brand A Lange & Sohne has created three new limited edition timepieces, all in decadent honey gold, all designed to honour the watchmaking pioneer, F.A Lange.

The 1815 Thin Honeygold Homage to F.A. Lange

Limited to just 175 pieces, this traditionally designed watch may be the quintessential dress watch. The case, in all Lange Honey gold, measures just 6.3mm thick and showcases a brilliant white two part enamel dial. 

Contrasting against the dial, A Lange & Sohne print dark grey Arabic numerals and a classical railway minutes track, demonstrating that simple design can make for exceptional results. 

Beneath the enamel beats the artisanal design of the calibre L093.1, paying tribute to the style introduced by Ferdinand Adolph Lange. Contrary to the Glashutte ribbing commonly used in other Lange models, the German-silver three-quarter plate has a granular surface texture often found in historic Lange pocket watches. Gold chatons secured by three thermally blued screws trace the path of the power transmitted from the mainspring barrel to the escapement.

Measuring at 38mm in diameter and priced at $33,000 euros, the 1815 honey gold is an exemplary dress timepiece from the German manufacturer.

The 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold

This newly developed wristwatch is available as one of just 100 pieces to be made in tribute, and is exclusive only to A Lange & Sohne boutiques. The sixth split second chronograph in the A Lange & Sohne catalogue, the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold puts the focus squarely on the eponymous complication.

Conservatively sized at 41.5mm, the lustrous Honeygold case and black dial, offer a modern and captivating look.

The incredibly complex and equally stunning calibre L101.2 manually wound movement is used to power the piece, time measurements and lap-time measurements are handled precisely with the use of two column wheels. They are visible through the sapphire-crystal case back, and the switching processes can be observed in detail.

100 pieces of this watch will be available for purchase for an RRP of $130,000 euros.

Tourbograph perpetual Honeygold

The final watch announced by A Lange & Sohne is perhaps the finest example of the brands watchmaking prowess to date. 

The most complicated piece in the anniversary trilogy, the Tourbograph perpetual will be limited to just 50 pieces worldwide. With five separate complications, two of which – the tourbillon and the fusée-and-chain transmission – bear only one single shared purpose, to enhance theaccuracy of the timepiece. The addition of the remaining three complications, the chronograph, rattrapante and perpetual calendar, is a formidable horological challange. Their perfect interaction can be observed with a glance through the sapphire-crystal caseback of the L133.1 manufacture calibre.

In the dial, A. Lange & Sohne pursued a totally new approach. The warm dial consists of black-rhodiumed honey gold with raised numerals and scales that stand out from the dark background in relief. 

The latest great mechanical marvel out of Glashutte caries a price of $500,00 euros.

The A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus in white gold

The first is an update to a watch which we were only introduced to in October 2019, the Odysseus. The very first all stainless-steel wristwatch from the brand, as well as its first foray into the world of integrated bracelet sports watches, the Odysseus was divisive to say the least. However, as the dust settled and we were able to move past the press photos and see the watch in the metal, the views of many quickly changed. And now six months later, the Odysseus is available in white gold and with an integrated rubber or leather strap.

One of the main gripes many seemed to have with the Odysseus was its integrated steel bracelet. It was clearly impeccably finished, and featured a rather clever extension system, however many couldn’t quite get past those initial photos. Well now those worries are no more. And this latest version of the Odysseus features either an earthy brown leather strap with grey stitching, or a dual channelled silicone rubber strap, stepping up its sports game.

As mentioned, the biggest change is that the 40.5mm case is now also available in 18k white gold, while the wonderfully textured dial is also now in grey. Everything else remains the same. It’s still water resistant to 120 metres with a screw down crown, and features the same sweeping angular pushers on its side which control both the oversized day and date displays on the dial. While lume filled hands and markers also adorn the dial.

Inside the movement is also unchanged. The L155.1 Datomatic calibre boasts a power reserve of 50 hours, and has been expertly finished with a wave pattern and made every bit as robust as the original, specially designed and made exclusively for the Odysseus.

The A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in white gold

The next new release by the German manufacture comes in at the other end of the spectrum, the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in white gold.

It’s been five years since A. Lange & Söhne first released the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater. However, in all that time, it has only ever been available in platinum. This year that changes, with the grail-worthy timepiece now available in white gold.

Stylistically the only change has been made to the solid silver dial, which is now a striking deep blue colour. With the dimensions of the 44.2 mm wide by 14.1 mm high case remaining the same, the only change being the material. However, there isn’t really much else that needs changing. Everything about the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater is adored the world over. From the symmetry of the dial, with its ingenious digital time display, twin hammers and gongs, and power reserve indicator, to the complexity and genius of the L043.5 calibre movement within. There’s a lot to appreciate.

A. Lange & Söhne took a considerable amount of time and thought when designing the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, and it takes an incredible amount of complexity to create the simplicity of the Zeitwerk’s dial. With its movement consisting of 771 parts. That simplicity is nowhere more evident than in the digital time display, where it is clear that function reigns supreme. Which is something also shown by the single red dot on the power reserve indicator, which marks the first 24 hours of the movements 36-hour reserve, as the minute repeating function of the Zeitwerk is unable to be used in the final 12 hours. However, the movement can be easily hand-wound and recharged at any time.

Strictly limited to 30 pieces worldwide.

Pricing: 

A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus in white gold €39,500

A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in white gold €449,000

This is where The Odysseus comes in. The Odysseus is a sporty-elegant piece that is the sixth family to be added to five existing families of the brand (Lange 1, Saxonia, 1815, Richard Lange and Zeitwerk)

A. Lange & Söhne’s The Odysseus represents the brand’s first steps towards its future. Incorporating a steel case with a diameter of 40.5mm and thickness of 11.1mm, this is the first watch for A. Lange & Söhne to have a screw-down crown and water resistance of 12bar! The beautiful dark blue dial is accompanied by white hour indexes, hour and minute hands along with seconds counter at 6 o’clock. The white contrast on the rich blue background makes the dial really stand out.

The most noticeable feature on the dial, however, is the date and day of the week displays. On the 3 o’clock position a large date window is shown in the classic double aperture which is equally coupled with a large day of the week display on the 9 o’clock position. The use of these features was new to A. Lange & Söhne and incorporating them into the Odysseus with a newly developed mechanism consisted of using 99 additional parts. 

The Odysseus comes with a stainless steel bracelet to match the casing. The steel bracelet while being quite large has impeccable finishing with sculpted and cantilevered middle bands, satin contour finishing with the edges of the bracelet being chamfered. The bracelet can also be adjusted to suit the wrist fairly easily. By pressing the pusher (embossed with Lange signature), the bracelet can be pulled of pushed to adjust the size required.

The movement used by A. Lange & Söhne for The Odysseus is the newly developed L155.1 DATOMATIC manufacture calibre. The movement is a unidirectionally self-winding automatic movement, which comes with a power reserve of approximately 50 hours. The Odysseus features an open-case back which certainly does do justice to the watch as the beautiful movement which fills the case can be fully seen. The stylish finish is also not hindered by the rotor as A. Lange & Söhne have opted to use a skeletonised rotor. 

As with any new range that is added to a brand, it can take a little getting used to. With the addition of Steel and a beautiful blue and white contrasting dial; however, this can be a piece that is easy to fall in love with. A. Lange & Söhne’s The Odysseus opens a new chapter for the brand, and we are excited to see what the Odysseus collection brings.