‘Never stand still’ is a saying famously attributed to Walter Lange, and even for what is considered a quiet year for A Lange & Sohne, that philosophy remains evident. ‘Quiet’ is a relative term, but the German manufacture is the one that brought us modern icons such as the Lange 1, Datograph, and Zeitwerk. The novelties of 2022 are not quite so landscape-changing, and their full appeal lies in the details.
Of course, details are exactly what fans of the brand look for. For example, the main draw of the new Grand Lange 1 (€45,900) is that it is 0.6mm slimmer than the previous model – barely perceptible some would say, but to a watchmaker it represents a lot of work. It is quite a straightforward motivation, according to Tino Bobe, the Head of Manufacturing for A Lange & Sohne – the Lange 1 may have been a brand icon since 1994 but the desire to improve is ever-present. “It is normal that you learn everyday by doing your job,” Bobe explains. “If someone tells you that we can make this watch still more elegant… we try it, and maybe it’s worth it.”
As a result, the new Grand Lange 1 has a thickness of just 8.2mm, to go with its 41mm diameter. The slimness is a result of changes to the dial and bezel design, as well as the height of the applique numerals being reduced by half. “During the years, we learned we can do things thinner, and our partners are able to optimise things,” Bobe says. “If we talk about improving the dial, it means together with our dial supplier, finding solutions to bring the thickness of these appliqués to half.” It is a whole-team effort, he adds, including that of the manufacture’s movement team – even if, in the end, the proven L095.1 calibre needed no alterations beyond the gears for the hands being slightly shorter. “Everyone has to come together at the end, you put in lots of effort – but then you have a wonderful new model,” he says.
Another first is found in the limited-edition titanium Odysseus (limited to 250 pieces). When the sports watch was introduced in 2019, it was A Lange & Sohne’s first outing in steel. This year’s edition is the first time it uses titanium. “For us, the Odysseus family is where we can try out new things,” Bobe says. Titanium is a well-established material in watchmaking, but an intellectual understanding of its properties – for example, it is lighter than steel and more corrosion-resistant – helps when working it for the first time. “How to work on it, how to realise the beautiful finish – you have to find out for yourself,” Bobe says “The material gives completely different optics if you change things just slightly.” It took over a year to finalise the process. “To bring the case and bracelet to the same level of perfection… it was a long way for us to find out how to do it,” he adds. “It was not easy, but it was interesting for us, to discover a new material.” The result is a case and bracelet that has an almost pearlescent appearance, paired with a new, blue dial colour.
A new striking watch, as in the Richard Lange Minute Repeater (limited to 50 pieces), would be head-turning for most, but A Lange & Sohne has long distinguished themselves in the chiming department with the likes of striking grand complications and the Minute Repeater and Striking Time in the Zeitwerk collection. But none of them were singular minute repeaters in the traditional sense. “It was clear for us that one day, we would do a classical minute repeater,” Bobe says. “We chose the Richard Lange family, because it’s one our two classical families along with the 1815 – but at the same time, it has state-of-the-art functions.” These include a security system that prevents the crown from being pulled out when the striking mechanism is sounding, and it is water resistant to 20m – a rarity for a minute repeater. “It’s an expensive watch,” Bobe notes matter-of-factly. “If we can protect this great mechanism, why shouldn’t we?” The brand, he also says, is in the habit of surprising its clients, in a good way. “They know us, they know our quest for perfection. It is always nice to have ideas, and then realise these ideas,” he adds.
