A Day Out With A. Lange & Söhne At The Concours Of Elegance

A photo report of the classic car show at Hampton Court Palace

September 28, 2024

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In late August, A. Lange & Söhne invited me to the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace, southwest of London. This was my third time attending this show and auction of rare classic cars, and this time had the best weather by far. Arriving early, we witnessed the opening parade of all the exceptional automobiles as the owners drove them to their designated spaces. The beautifully maintained vehicles lined up alongside the ancient yew trees within the Tudor palace gardens. As the backfires and rich fuel filled the atmosphere, I was transported to a time before computers on wheels. If only I could bottle that smell. While the purpose of my being there was for A. Lange & Söhne’s new Datographs, this article encapsulates the event.

One of the first dream cars that whisked by was the 1927 Bentley 3-Litre Boat Tail Speed Model. Lovingly restored over three years, this is one of the finest Bentley automobiles ever and features a teak-deck-inspired rear end. As I approached, the car stopped, and the owner hastily inserted the Union Jack on the boat tail, mimicking the flag posts on sailing yachts.

1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Speciale Aerodinamica

The Concours of Elegance and A. Lange & Söhne

Each car entered into relevant categories drives around the elliptical fountain to a small stage for judgment. However, there isn’t a small panel of judges like there is in many auto shows. Instead, the owners themselves submit their votes for the winning car. Like Eurovision, they cannot vote for themselves.

Unlike in previous years, the winners did not receive a special A. Lange & Söhne watch. As these cars’ families and private owners are already well off, each winner received a special plaque instead. Emphasized this year, rather, were A. Lange & Söhne’s charitable contributions to The Prince’s Trust, soon to become The King’s Trust. To that end, Lange has produced a unique Datograph Up/Down.

A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court Edition”

In November, Phillips will auction this one-of-a-kind Datograph Up/Down in Association with Bacs & Russo in Geneva. The 18K white gold case is complemented by an entirely white gold bracelet that has long been discontinued in the catalog. This bracelet’s welcome return brings a shine to this polished case and adds a certain sportiness. The watch’s red central chronograph seconds hand also takes cues from last year’s Odysseus Chronograph. Instead of painting the hand, Lange takes special care to heat-treat and anodize it within its Glashütte manufacture. Along with the gray base dial and black registers, the red contrasts against the luminous white gold hands.

You may be surprised to see an engraved white gold case back until you realize it’s a hunter-style back with a hinge, allowing you to view the sumptuously decorated hand-wound 451-part caliber L951.6. All the proceeds of this auction lot will go to The Prince’s Trust, and it’s a chance to own a one-off A. Lange & Söhne Datograph for the watch’s 25th anniversary. You can find more details on the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down “Hampton Court Edition” on the Phillips auction site here.

A wrist encounter with the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Handwerkskunst

While I was at the Concours of Elegance, I also got the chance to see and try the new Datograph Handwerkskunst. This is a 25-piece limited edition in yellow gold with a delicately adorned dial and tremblage engraving, and what a stunner it was. From the heft and design of the precious metal case to the immaculate craftsmanship apparent in the dial and movement, the Datograph Handwerkskunst is an awe-inspiring timepiece.

I also wrote the introduction article for this watch, which you can read here to learn more about it.

1928 Alta Supercharged Sports Prototype

The cars

Below, you’ll find a sampling of some of the fantastic automobiles present at this year’s Concours of Elegance. While truly classic cars are the event’s main attraction, as you’ll see, there is space for modern classics too.