A. Lange & Söhne adds lume to the popular and iconic Datograph Auf/Ab with the latest introduction: the Datograph Up/Down Lumen. This is our hands-on review of this new release, with original photographs, and price.
The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down Lumen
The Datograph Up/Down or Auf/Ab was the first revision to the iconic Datograph which was originally introduced in 1999 to a shocked watchmaking world. The Up/Down was first revealed in 2012. The Up/Down is based on a revision to the workhorse and extremely beautiful caliber L951, with an in-house inertia balance escapement and was housed in a slightly larger case, longer power reserve, and the addition of the power reserve indicator. A pink gold edition joined the collection in 2015.
In normal lighting, the dial has a peek-a-boo effect and reveals the movement details, but only through a smoked glass.
The Lumen range, featuring a smoked sapphire glass dial and luminous indications first made its appearance in the Zeitwerk Lumen, aka Phantom in 2010. Since Lange has used this technique sparingly, appearing only in the Lange 1 Lumen in 2012, and in the Lange 1 Moonphase Lumen in 2016. Until now. The latest addition to the lumen family comes in the form of the equally iconic Datograph. Here is the Datograph Up/Down Lumen.
All elements remain the same as the original Datograph Up/Down version, except that now the dial is a smoked sapphire glass and the application of Superluminova allows the dial to glow in the dark.
The movement remains the magnificent L951.7. And thankfully so, as this movement has stood the test of time. It is extremely beautiful and reliable.
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down “Lumen”
Ref. 405.034
Movement
Lange manufacture calibre L951.7; 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 454 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
Diameter: 41.0 millimetres; height: 13.4 millimetres
Movement dimensions
Diameter: 30.6 millimetres; height: 8.1 millimetres
Case Platinum
Dial Basic dial (outer ring) in German silver, polished; inner segment in coated sapphire crystal; outsize date, subsidiary dials, minute scale, tachymeter scale and power-reserve indicator luminous
Hands Rhodiumed gold hour and minute hands, luminous; chronograph hand in rhodiumed steel, luminous; seconds hand and minute counter in blued steel
Crystal and back Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
Strap Hand-stitched alligator leather strap, black
Buckle Lange prong buckle in platinum
Limited edition 200 watches
Price: S$139,900 inclusive of Singapore GST or €95,000 inclusive of German VAT.
1 Comment
Peter, thanks for this initial review. I just love Lange more and more. I saw a Lange 1 Moonphase Lumen on a collectors wrist in Singapore last year, and it looked awesome. I am sure the Datograph Lumen will look awesome too in the flesh. Some of the pics are awesome.
As always, another Masterpiece from Lange. Pieces like this are out of reach for me, but nevertheless have aspirational value and inspire me to add to my Lange collection (currently at one). 🙂