The Lange 1 Timezone needs no introduction. This author himself attended the launch event in Glashütte in 2005 (click here for a report of that event). And Honey Gold, which A. Lange & Söhne introduced in 2010 as a tryptique of watches featuring a Tourbograph, a Lange 1 Tourbillon and an 1815 Moonphase. This new release combines the popular Lange 1 Timezone with Honey Gold for a new limited edition (100 pieces) Lange 1 Timezone Honey Gold Dresden Edition.
Background reading: We covered the 2010 launch of the Honey Gold series in our pre-Deployant publication, and the launch event can be viewed here, with links to the review of the Tourbograph in Honey Gold, the Lange 1 Tourbillon Honey Gold and the 1815 Moonphase Honey Gold.
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Timezone Honey Gold (a.k.a. Dresden Edition)
The new Lange 1 Timezone Honey Gold comes with subtle variations in the colours chosen to complement the honey gold. The blue dots and blue semicircles markers used instead of black ones found in the regular edition is one example. And the most indicative change is the use of Dresden to indicate CET instead of Berlin in the regular edition.
Honey Gold
The case is in honey gold in this new edition. Regular Lange 1 Timezone is available in pink gold, white gold and platinum.
Honey gold is a special gold, in 18k which is developed with Lange who have exclusive rights to its use. Interestingly it is harder than other 18k gold, with a Vickers hardness of 300 HVI versus about 190 HVI for pink gold and white gold and 160 HVI for yellow gold. Note that this hardness is quoted for 18k gold, which have a guaranteed gold content of 75% (18 parts out of 24 must be gold, the remainder is other metals in an alloy)
The Lange 1 Timezone Honey Gold’s case has a subtle hue which is quite beautiful, and different from either pink gold or yellow gold.
What’s changed from the regular Lange 1 Timezone?
The new Dresden Edition is cased in honey gold and remains at 41.9mm, and the indicators make full use of the large dial without making the dial looking more cluttered than it has to be.
The dial remains the same well loved Lange 1 Timezone with the exception of the following:
- use of blue dots on the cities dials
- use of blue semi-circles on the power reserve indicator and the day/night indicator on the second timezone
- use of blue for GMT on the city dial
- use of Dresden instead of Berlin as the city for Central European Time on the city dial
The dial in its magnificence. Subtle color cues are used to distinguish the watch.
Travel Operations
The operations of the world travel time requires the owner to understand how to operate it. Once understood it is fairly intuituive.
The dial delivers at a single-glance reading of home time and the time in a second time zone. The time zone is set with a lateral pusher. It advances the rotating city ring with the 24 place names from west to east. On the ring, Dresden – instead of Berlin as in the standard version – represents Central European Time. Additionally, the hour hand on the small subsidiary dial moves forward by one step with each actuation of the pusher. A synchronisation mechanism also makes it possible to transfer the zone time on the subsidiary dial to the main dial for use during travel.
Dresden on the cities dial in place of Berlin in the regular edition is one of the distinguishing features of the Lange 1 Timezone Honey Gold.
Other special editions for the Lange 1 Timezone
Lange have used various cities for special editions of the Timezone. We do not have an exhaustive list, but we are aware of special editions with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur representing GMT +8 have been issued for their partner for Singapore and Malaysia: Sincere Fine Watches. A special edition with Como as CET is also issued once a year to the winner of the Concorsa Eleganza della Villa D’Este (link to the first event in 2012. Do drop over to see some gorgeous cars. Lange sponsors the watch presented to the winner annually since)
The L031.1 remains at the helm doing movement duties.Photo edited to remove serial numbers.
Movement: L031.1
The movement remains unchanged since 2010 with the caliber L031.1 doing the heavy lifting. The movement is certainly very lavishly decorated in typical Lange style, but two standouts for the L031 are the two transmission wheels for the second timezone which is beautifully sculptured in sekeletonised style and the magnificent cocks which hold them.
The transmission wheel for the second timezone is very aesthetically attractive.
the wheel is skeletonised using the motif of a topping tool and held by its own hand engraved cock.Photo edited to remove serial numbers.
Another look at the superbly finished movement.Photo edited to remove serial numbers.
Price and availability
On the wrist, the Lange 1 Timezone Honey Gold wears beautifully and comfortably.
On the wrist. Nice and understated and a good tool for the world traveler.
The watch is available only in Lange Boutiques worldwide. Currently there at 17 Boutiques and is available now. Only 100 examples will ever be made. The price is S$ 84,200 (inclusive of GST) against the regular editions in pink gold and white gold at S$ 69,700 (inc of GST). The price is the same as the regular Lange 1 Timezone in platinum.
Lange 1 Timezone Honey Gold.
Lange 1 Timezone Honey Gold Ref. 116.050 Technical Specifications
Movement
Lange manufacture calibre L031.1, manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; twin mainspring barrel; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock and intermediate-wheel cock engraved by hand
Movement parts: 417
Jewels: 54
Screwed gold chatons: 4
Escapement: Lever escapement
Oscillator: Shock-resistant screw balance with a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, whiplash precision index adjuster with beat-adjustment mechanism
Power reserve: 72 hours when fully wound
Functions
Home time with day/night indicator (hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds), zone time (hours, minutes) with day/night indicator and city ring, outsize date for home time, UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator
Operating elements
Crown for winding the watch and setting the time; two pushers for switching the outsize date and advancing the city ring
Case dimensions
Diameter: 41.9 millimetres; height: 11.0 millimetres
Movement dimensions
Diameter: 34.1 millimetres; height: 6.7 millimetres
Crystal and back
Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
Case: Honey gold
Dial: Solid silver, argenté; appliques in honey gold
Hands: Honey gold
Strap: Hand-stitched alligator leather, dark brown
Buckle: Prong buckle in honey gold
Limited edition: 100 watches
