The crop of novelties from Lange this year is quite large. We have already covered the two major pieces viz the Lange 1 Tourbillon Handwerkskundst in December, and the Lange Zeitwerk Minute Repeater. Here we cover the rest of the novelties.
Lange 1
We begin with the Lange 1
The new Lange 1, an icon in design, first introduced in 1994, still as fresh as ever.
Looks like the same watch as it has been since its introduction in 1994? Almost. The dial side is exactly the same as the original. Every detail is identical. No point updating on perfection. So the Lange team was wise to leave the proportions alone. Almost…the bezel is slightly thnner, but that’s is about all. But turn it over, and the eagle eyed will spy the difference
The new Lange 1 movement. Caliber L121.1, now featuring the inhouse manufactured balance system with eccentric weights.
Indeed, the new movement has a revised balance wheel, now made inhosue in Glashütte. The new balance is larger than the original one, and now equipped with eccentric weights for regulation. Also new, but not visible is the outsized date. It now jumps precisely at 12 midnight to the new date, instead of being dragged over from about 1145 to 1210 in the earlier L901. The new movement also takes on the technical characteristics of the Grande Lange 1, now with a revised power reserve of 72 hours (instead of the 96 hours in L901, and now equipped with 43 jewels (instead of 53).
The new balance system, now made inhouse in Glashütte.
Datograph Ab/Auf in Pink Gold
Next up, the Datograph Ab/Auf in Pink Gold.
The Datograph Ab/Auf in pink gold, black dial.
The original Datograph was a tour de force in watchmaking. It took the world by storm in 1999, and was updated in 2012 with the Ab/Auf. The watch was previously only available in platinum, but one popular edition from the original Datograph (mk1) was the pink gold case, black dialed version…popularly known as the Dufourgraph, as the Grandmaster Philippe Dufour made a declaration that this was the only watch he had bought, in retail with his own money. And the only watch which he wears regularly which is not made by himself. Great praise indeed.
The movement, unchanged, and still totally mesmerising. A design masterpiece, which first made its appearance in 1999.
So now the Ab/Auf, version 2 of the original Datograph, slightly larger, longer power reserve, is made available in pink gold. At the German retail of €64,000 inclusive of VAT, it remains a magnificent purchase.
Very handsome, on the wrist.
Lange Datograph Perpetual
The Datograph Perpetual, now in white gold with a beautiful slate grey dial.
We have always found the combination of white metal and the Lange grey dial to be exceptionally fetching. The Datograph Perpetual is no exception. The watch was available in this combination for a short period, and taken off the catalog. We are not quite clear of the reason for its removal, but are glad it is making a comeback.
Movement is the exctptional Datograph based L952.1, with a perpetual calendar plate.
On the wrist, the slate grey dial in combination with the warm glow of the white gold case is beautiful.
The Saxonia Trio
The Saxonia Trio: Handwound, Dual Time and Automatic.
The Saxonia is a mainstay of the brand since its launch. It was updated once, the case sizes enlarged, but this year, it returns to the original size. The handwound version has returned to the original size of 35mm, and the DualTime and Automatic now 38mm.
Movement of the handwound Saxonia, caliber L941.1, remains original and unchanged. Note the original screw balance wheel is still featured.
The automatic Saxonia movement looks the same from the case back as the one in the Dual Time, both automatic, with a large rotor. Caliber L086.1 and L086.2
On the wrist, the new stepped bezel is rather more elegant than the original more chunky bezel.
Saxonial Dual Time on the wrist.
LANGE 1
Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L121.1; manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 368
Jewels: 43
Screwed gold chatons: 8
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillator: Shock-resistant balance wheel with eccentric poising weights; balance spring manufactured in-house with a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring
Power reserve: 72 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time indicated in hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds with stop seconds; power-reserve indicator; jumping outsize date
Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time; pusher for rapid correction of the outsize date
Case dimensions: Diameter: 38.5 millimetres; height: 9.8 millimetres
Movement dimensions: Diameter: 30.6 millimetres; height: 5.7 millimetres
Crystal and back: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
References: 191.021 191.032 191.025 in yellow gold, pink gold and platinum respectively
DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN Ref. 405.031
Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L951.6; manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 451
Jewels: 46
Screwed gold chatons: 4
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillator: Shock-resistant balance wheel with eccentric poising weights; balance spring manufactured in-house with a frequency of 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring
Power reserve: 60 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time indicated in hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds with stop seconds; flyback chronograph with precisely jumping minute counter; power-reserve indicator; outsize date
Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time, two pushers for operating the chronograph, one rapid-correction pusher for the outsize date
Case dimensions: Diameter: 41.0 millimetres; height: 13.1 millimetres
Movement dimensions: Diameter: 30.6 millimetres; height: 7.9 millimetres
Case: Pink gold
Dial: Solid silver, black; subsidiary dials argenté
Hands: Pink-gold hour and minute hands, luminous; chronograph hand in gold-plated steel; seconds and minute-counter hands in blued steel
Crystal and back: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
Strap: Hand-stitched alligator leather strap, red brown
Buckle: Lange prong buckle in pink gold
DATOGRAPH PERPETUAL Ref. 410.038
Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L952.1; manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 556
Bearing jewels: 45
Screwed gold chatons: 4
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillator: Shock-resistant balance wheel with eccentric poising weights; balance spring manufactured in-house with a frequency of 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat-adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring
Power reserve: 36 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time indicated in hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds with stop seconds; flyback chronograph with precisely jumping minute counter; tachymeter scale; perpetual calendar with date, day of week, month, moon phases and leap year; day/night indication
Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time, two pushers for operating the chronograph, rapid-correction pusher for collectively advancing all calendar displays, one recessed corrector each for adjusting the day of the week, the month and the moon phases
Case dimensions: Diameter: 41.0 millimetres; height: 13.5 millimetres
Movement dimensions: Diameter: 32.0 millimetres; height: 8.0 millimetres
Case: White gold
Dial: Solid silver, grey; subsidiary dials rhodié
Hands: Hour and minute hands in rhodiumed gold, luminous; day, month and four-year hands in rhodiumed gold; chronograph sweep seconds hand, subsidiary seconds hand and minute counter hand in blued steel
Crystal and back: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
Strap: Hand-stitched alligator leather strap, black
Buckle: Lange prong buckle in white gold
SAXONIA
Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L941.1; manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 164
Jewels: 21
Screwed gold chatons: 4
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillation system: Shock-resistant screw balance; Nivarox® balance spring* with a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, whiplash precision index adjuster with beat-adjustment mechanism
Power reserve: 45 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time display with hours and minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds
Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time
Case dimensions: Diameter: 35.0 millimetres; height: 7.3 millimetres
Movement dimensions: Diameter: 25.6 millimetres; height: 3.2 millimetres
Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
Ref. nos.: 219.026 219.032 in white gold and pink gold
SAXONIA AUTOMATIK
Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L086.1; self-winding, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 209
Jewels: 31
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillation system: Shock-resistant screw balance; superior-quality balance spring manufactured in-house with a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring
Power reserve: 72 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time display with hours and minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds
Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time
Case dimensions: Diameter: 38.5 millimetres; height: 7.8 millimetres
Movement dimensions: Diameter: 30.4 millimetres; height: 3.7 millimetres
Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness of 9)
Ref. nos.: 380.027 380.033 in white gold and pink gold
SAXONIA DUAL TIME
Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L086.2; self-winding, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 268
Jewels: 31
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillation system: Shock-resistant screw balance; superior-quality balance spring manufactured in-house with a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring
Power reserve: 72 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time display with hours and minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds; display of second time zone with second hour hand, 24-hour display and day/night indication
Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time; one push piece each for stepping the time forward and backward in one-hour increments
Case dimensions: Diameter: 38.5 millimetres; height: 9.1 millimetres
Movement dimensions: Diameter: 30.4 millimetres; height: 4.6 millimetres
Glass and caseback: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness of 9)
Ref. nos.: 386.026 386.032 in white gold and pink gold.
