In the blink of an eye, ten years have passed, A.Lange & Söhne brings back the Homage to F.A.Lange series of watches, celebrating the brand’s 175th anniversary. At the opening of Watches & Wonders in Shanghai, this year A.Lange & Söhne has brought limited edition commemorative pieces, aiming to honor founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange who opened the first pocket watch workshop in Glashütte, Germany in 1845. The three watches presented this time are quite special, all crafted in Lange’s unique 18K honey gold, and equipped with special movement decorations and dials, with models including the Tourbograph Perpetual “Pour le Merite” Honeygold, 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold, and 1815 Thin Honeygold.
Perhaps first explain the characteristics of honey gold. This time, it continues the application of the Homage series from ten years ago. Lange launched it at that time, immediately causing a sensation in the watch industry; the title of honey gold is derived from the interesting process of honey collection, because the color differences are rich and delicate due to the variations in the plant combinations from which the nectar is collected; Lange’s 18K honey gold is a type of gold with a purity of 75%, with a hardness of up to 300-350HV, which is more than twice as hard as white gold, 18K, and 24K gold, and it has extremely high wear resistance, making it the most suitable for making watches. However, honey gold is not without its flaws. The high level of difficulty in processing often becomes a major reason why many watch manufacturers choose not to use it, even though Lange has patented its own honey gold and has only released seven models in the past.
As for the three new honey gold models this year, the first one to be introduced is the most minimalist one, the 1815 Thin Honeygold with a case diameter of 38mm and a two-hand design. Although the case is lightweight with a thickness of 6.3mm, it is equipped with the micro hand-wound L093.1 movement with a 72-hour power reserve. The design leans towards a minimalist style, but still features Arabic numerals and railroad minute markers. The two hands are also made of honey gold, showcasing the taste of Lange’s pocket watches in the exquisite enamel dial. In terms of price, this minimalist honey gold model is priced at HK$272,000 and is limited to 175 pieces.
Another new work presented by Lange for the first time – the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold, featuring a complex timepiece with an 18K honey gold case contrasting with a black solid silver dial. This watch, equipped with a “split-second” function, comes with a 41.2mm diameter case and a brand new in-house manual winding movement L101.2, with a transparent sapphire crystal case back that fully showcases the intricate mechanics and operation of the movement. As for its split-second function, during the timing process, the overlapping sweep second hand and the split-second hand can perform segmented timing within one minute indefinitely. The operation of the central split-second hand and the central chronograph second hand, as well as the split-second chasing function, are controlled by buttons located at 2 o’clock and 10 o’clock respectively, and the segmented timing process can be repeated as needed. As for this complex timepiece, Lange displays a selling price of HK$1,053,000, and it is also limited to only 100 pieces.
The last one to be introduced is the most anticipated among the three new works, with the highest value and weight, and at the same time, it is also the most complex and limited among the three new works.
The new Tourbograph Perpetual is a watch that combines five major functions in one: chain transmission system, chronograph, tourbillon, perpetual calendar, and moon phase. The manual winding device of the movement that supports these five functions, model L133.1, is composed of 684 parts, and its structure is the same as the previous movement that first introduced the five major functions in 2017. Details such as the column wheel system required for the chronograph, the screw balance wheel, and the decoration on the bridge of the tourbillon corresponding to the grainy clamp plate have become highlights of the movement.
The Tourbograph Perpetual features a 43mm diameter case, with an 18K honey gold dial paired with a black rhodium coating. The numbers and markers are treated with a 0.15mm raised effect, creating a three-dimensional effect that surpasses typical embossed designs. To create such a stunning new piece, the quantity is extremely limited. Lange stated that the Tourbograph Perpetual is limited to only 50 pieces, each priced at HKD $3,900,000.
After seeing the new pieces in the Homage to F.A. Lange series above, which one do you find most attractive?
