a. LangE & söHnE

a dazzling up-To-THE-minuTE dEligHT

Benjamin Teisseire

A. Lange & Söhne’s Zeitwerk collection, launched in 2009, is without a doubt the most intriguing as it is surprisingly different from the Glashütte manufacture’s traditional watchmaking. Its double digital jumping hour and minute THE lumEn TrEaTmEnT display would create a little revolution and fuel a great many discussions. Was it appropriate for a brand known a rE Endows iT wiTH soluTEly fuTurisTic for its Germanic classicism? Would cHaracTEr THaT EnHancEs collectors be convinced? Well, the iTs appEal. answer was immediately: yes and yes again. The collection has its fans and illustrates that drastic design-level innovation paves the way for new perspectives, even in traditional fine watchmaking. With this in mind, A. Lange & Söhne have chosen to issue a 200-piece limited series that embraces two other brandproprietary innovations. To begin with, the watch boasts a 41.9 mm-diameter case crafted in Honeygold, the firm’s own gold alloy, which harmoniously blends subtle elegance and distinctive charm with its warm, delicately-amberhued tones. But, it’s above all the use of the “Lumen” transparency technique on this model that makes it ever-so one-of-a-kind. Zeitwerk was already very modern looking. The Lumen treatment endows it with a resolutely futuristic character that enhances its appeal. The pleasure to watch the luminescent jumping digits on the slightly-smoky dial is undeniable and boosts the uniqueness of its look even more. The readability of the hours and minutes – already excellent before – is also centre staged in an outstanding way. The digits jump literally as you gaze on in the middle of the ballet performed by their peers shaded-down under the

zEiTwErk HonEygold lumEn nigHT-TimE Hour and minuTE display.

semi-transparent sapphire crystal. It’s impressively effective.

But, there’s more to come as the Saxonybased manufacture has also rolled out a brand new fine-watchmaking calibre to drive this new Lumen opus: the L043.9. We discover the usual untreated German silver 3/4 plate even though its look differs slightly with the minute winder visible and the large double barrel. The brand’s proprietary decorations, such as the hand-engraved escape-wheel cock and the mirror-polished angles, are meticulously created. Moreover, the power reserve has been doubled thanks to this double barrel and now delivers 72 hours. The escapement is still the patented constant-force one that offers optimal precision. In the great tradition of state-of-the-art watchmaking designed to be easy to use, a new pusher is set at 4 o’clock to adjust the hours independently from the minutes. The jump of the hours and minutes is valued for its instantaneousness as well as for the characteristic muted sound of the totally-Germanic “click”. A handwound digital watch like few others.

With this Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen”, A. Lange & Söhne unconditionally carves out its own route in the fine watchmaking scenescape. Collectors will definitely not be mistaken and the series will be clearly sold out in no time at all. Lovers of dazzling up-to-theminuteness and world-class calibres, you’ve been warned!