We are very excited for a marvellous weekend with exceptional and stunning classic cars at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The eagerly awaited event will once again feature the Trofeo BMW Group “Best of Show” Award which honours the winner in the main category. A. Lange & Söhne, our long-standing partner, has created a unique timepiece for this occasion, the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH. While the vehicles showcased at the Concorso represent the finest in automobile history, the timepieces of the German manufactory are a symbol of pioneering craftsmanship and engineering in the world of high horology. And they have even more in common: Similar to classic cars, A. Lange & Söhne timepieces are powered by refined “engines” – their movements. We invite you to have a closer look at what is hidden inside a precious case of a Lange watch.
The following four models provide a glimpse into the technical prowess of A. Lange & Söhne and how the manufactory has continually raised the bar in terms of the functionality and aesthetics of its genuine movements. Since the re-founding of A. Lange & Söhne in 1990, the development and production of its own calibres has been the most important competence of the Saxon manufactory. Each individual part of these mechanical marvels is elaborately finished by experts’ hands. In addition, A. Lange & Söhne is one of the very few manufactories in the world that produce their own balance springs. In automotive terms, this is the component that “sparks” the engine. Like their larger counterparts, the horological motors are brought to life thanks to an ingeniously orchestrated interaction of levers, rockers, and wheels. A. Lange & Söhne has created 71 distinctive movements in a comparatively short time. They are all characterised by traditional elements, ground-breaking innovations, and an unparalleled level of craftsmanship.
Chronographs and their manufacture movements have been a special hallmark of A. Lange & Söhne since 1999. They allow for measuring elapsed times down to the fifth or sixth of a second.
The 1815 CHRONOGRAPH, of which a unique edition will be given to this year’s winner of the Trofeo BMW Group “Best of Show” champion, is a stunning example of the brand’s expertise. Driven by the manually wound calibre L951.5, it is equipped with a column-wheel control, a snail for the precisely jumping minute counter, and a refined flyback function. First introduced in 2010, this cutting-edge calibre has a power reserve of 60 hours. A large cam-poised balance wheel driven by a freely oscillating hairspring crafted in-house assures superior rate accuracy. The sapphire-crystal case back reveals the lavishly hand-finished chronograph mechanism, with the critical switching processes on full display.
As one of four wristwatches of the very beginning, the LANGE 1 not only heralded a new era for the manufactory in 1994, but its manufacture calibre also established the unparalleled high-quality standard for all future models from A. Lange & Söhne. Since 2015, the unique asymmetric dial with the outsize date display and the prominently positioned power-reserve indicator has concealed the updated manually wound calibre L121.1.
In 2012, the DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN set a new benchmark in chronograph design. The outsize date and the two subsidiary dials form an equilateral triangle; this endows the watch face with balanced poise and assures excellent legibility.
The designation “UP/DOWN” refers to the power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock that reliably indicates how much of the extended 60-hour running time of the manually wound calibre L951.6 remains available. Among many other technical refinements, this state-of-the art chronograph movement features the technically complex flyback function that allows for consecutive time measurements without delay.
With its ingenious digital display concept which indicates the hours and minutes at a glance, the ZEITWERK took the world of fine watchmaking by storm when unveiled in 2009. While the first generation of this mechanically digital masterpiece with large and precisely jumping numerals was already unrivalled, the second one, introduced last year, pushed the boundaries again.
Thanks to the evolved calibre L043.6, this exceptional timepiece now has a power reserve doubled to 72 hours despite the huge amount of energy needed to precisely advance and stop the numeral discs that are very heavy by watchmaking standards.
We invite you to learn more about how the inhouse-built movements of A. Lange & Söhne are crafted. Be it a simpler model or a highly sophisticated timepiece – at A. Lange & Söhne, every movement is assembled twice by hand to ensure the highest quality.
If you would like to learn more about A. Lange & Söhne, the unique history of the manufactory and its craftsmanship, or if you want to be among the first to hear about new timepieces and events, we invite you to subscribe to the Lange newsletter.
