A. Lange & Söhne introduced two new limited-edition timepieces on the occasion of the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace.
A. Lange & Söhne introduced new limited-edition timepieces on the occasion of the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace. The new Triple Split watch is crafted of platinum, while the 1815 Up/Down is now offered in pink or white gold in a smaller case size. While an automobile concours might seem an unlikely venue for launching luxury watches, for A. Lange & Söhne’s CEO, Wilhelm Schmid, it makes perfect sense. “The cars have heritage, craftsmanship and design that survives the odds of time,” Schmid said in a previous interview with Superfluity. “Heritage craftsmanship and design that survives the odds of time is very much what we think is also true for Lange’s language, so that’s why we like this platform. The people who attend Concours d’Elegance share this set of values, even though cars are a lot bigger than watches.”
Platinum Perfection
Lange’s Triple Split was first launched in 2018 and is the only split-seconds chronograph in the world that can measure intermediate, comparative and overall times for up to 12 hours. Following iterations in white gold with a gray dial and pink gold with a blue dial, the new Triple Split is crafted of platinum with a rhodié-colored dial and darker gray auxiliary dials. The production of the 43.2-millimeter watch is limited to 100 pieces.
Movement Magic
“Behind the triple rattrapante mechanism for seconds, minutes and hours lies the L132.1 calibre that was entirely developed in our manufacture, one of our most elaborate and equally most beautiful movements,” said Anthony de Haas, A. Lange & Söhne’s director of product development. “The depth of the architecture calls for the utmost expertise, patience and dexterity, creating an extraordinary bond between the watchmaker and the movement.” Like all A. Lange & Söhne timepieces, the movement is assembled at least twice for the highest quality and precision.
Saxon Tradition
The new 1815 Up/Down watch measures 37.5 millimeters, the smallest case size to date for this iconic hand-wound model, which was first introduced in 1997. The watch is named for its power reserve indicator, harkening back to traditional Saxon pocket watches. The AUF (which is German for up) on the subdial indicates the watch is fully wound, and the AB (German for down) means the watch is unwound. The timepiece, which is available in pink or white gold, features A. Lange & Söhne’s calibre L051.2 manually wound movement (pictured left) with a power reserve of 72 hours.
A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 collection is named in honor of founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s birth year. “It was his vision to build pocket watches that harmoniously combine precision, functionality and elegance,” according to the brand. After World War II, his company was expropriated. Lange’s great-grandson Walter Lange relaunched the brand in 1990, and the Glashütte-based manufacturer continues to fulfill his great-grandfather’s vision with an unwavering dedication to the highest level of watchmaking. He famously said, “There’s something one should expect not only of a watch but also of oneself: to never stand still.” And the brand is doing just that.