Thursday, February 26, 2015

Press Release: A. Lange & Söhne, 200 years of Ferdinand Adolph Lange

The 1815 “200th Anniversary F. A. Lange”


With a limited 200-watch edition of the 1815 in platinum with a black dial, A. Lange & Söhne salutes the founder of Saxon precision watchmaking who was born 200 years ago. The new 1815 “200th Anniversary F. A. Lange” in a limited edition of 200 watches stands out with purity and perfection. It is a horological monument created by A. Lange & Söhne to commemorate the anniversary of an eminent and charismatic founding father.

Each detail of the timeless design and artisanal immaculacy of the L051.1 manufacture calibre pays tribute to the great Saxon watchmaking pioneer. Apart from the threequarter plate made of untreated German silver, key hallmarks include the hand-engraved balance cock, the classic screw balance, the whiplash spring, the gold chatons that secure the bearing jewels, and the thermally blued screws. The serial number engravings on the case from 001/200 to 200/200 identify each watch as a proud exemplar of the anniversary edition.

The 40-millimetre platinum case and the black solid-silver dial emphasise the sleek elegance of this timepiece. With its three levels and the subsidiary seconds at six o’clock, the face is reminiscent of the legendary pocket watches crafted by Ferdinand Adolph Lange.

His objective, he wrote in 1843 to the Saxon government when he was 28, was “to imbue the watch itself with the great and important flawlessness and simplicity that originate from my considerations and diligence”. In the letter, he expounded on his plan to produce pocket watches in Saxony. This vision began to materialise two years later in his newly established manufactory. The former mining town of Glashütte had become a hub of fine watchmaking.

But before Lange laid the foundation for the global fame of A. Lange & Söhne with trailblazing chronographs and pocket watches with jumping seconds, remontoirs and quarter repeaters, he initially focused on the simple pocket watch. With continual design improvements, he achieved a superb degree of precision and reliability that buoyed his fledgling business. One good example is the three-quarter plate which evolved over
several stages until its final form was developed in 1864. It was responsible for the stability of Lange’s movements and defined the style of Saxon watchmaking.

The latest-generation A. Lange & Söhne wristwatches are also endowed with this prominent component, an inimitable style and design element that can be admired through the sapphire-crystal caseback. 



Movement:  Lange manufacture calibre L051.1; 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: 188

Jewels: 23

Screwed gold chatons: 5

Escapement: Lever escapement

Oscillator: Shock-resistant screw balance; Nivarox® balance spring* with a frequency 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring

Power reserve: 55 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time indicated in hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds with stop seconds

Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time

Case dimensions: Diameter: 40.0 millimetres; height: 8.8 millimetres

Movement dimensions: Diameter: 30.6 millimetres; height: 4.6 millimetres

Crystal and back: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)

Case: Platinum

Dial: Solid silver, black

Hands: Rhodiumed gold

Strap: Hand-stitched alligator leather strap, black

Buckle: Platinum prong buckle

Limited edition: 200 watches, engraved 001/200…200/200

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