A. Lange & Söhne Adds The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Limited Edition With A Pink Gold Dial To Its Collection
Whenever A. Lange & Söhne announces new timepieces, I am all ears. The brand from Glashütte always impresses with either completely new creations or new versions of existing models. The latest additions are part of the latter category. The first is a special 10th-anniversary limited edition of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar with a stunning pink gold dial. The second is a toned-down version of the Lange 1 Time Zone in platinum with a rhodium-colored dial. The first is an immediate visual standout, while the latter is a monochromatic, understated piece. But you know that both are stunning testaments to the brand’s brilliant watchmaking skills.
It’s no secret that A. Lange & Söhne is my favorite high-end watch brand. And it’s also one of my favorite watch brands, period. I have explained my love for the brand in an article about my grail watch, the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange.” It’s a combination of factors that makes it such a great brand for me. I adore the geometrical design approach, the breathtaking movements, and the impeccable finishing. But perhaps most of all, I love the level-headedness it is all presented with. It’s a mentality that feels comfortable to me. As a result, I connect to A. Lange & Söhne on a more personal level than most brands, and I follow every release with great interest.
The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Limited Edition
The first of the new releases is the 10th-anniversary edition of the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar. This special timepiece will be produced in a run of 100 pieces and will accompany the platinum and pink gold versions in the collection. But as it’s limited to 100 pieces with a popular pink gold “salmon” dial, I have no doubt it will sell out in no time. So, what is different about it? Essentially, the difference is all in the watch’s appearance.
Let’s go over some details. The new watch features a white gold case that measures 41.9mm in diameter and 14.7mm in thickness. The case features the brand’s famous three-piece construction with a brushed case band, brushed back, and a highly polished front. As you can see, the case is substantial, but from experience, I can tell you that the lugs play a great part in making sure the watch sits comfortably on your wrist.
Three large pushers grace the beautiful case to operate the split-seconds chronograph. The pusher at 2 o’clock starts and stops the chronograph, the pusher at 4 o’clock resets it, and the pusher at 10 o’clock activates the rattrapante hand. Between the two pushers on the right side, you will find the branded crown, allowing you to wind the watch and set the time. Lastly, a series of four recessed pushers lets you correct the perpetual calendar’s day, date, week, month, and moonphase indicators.
A stunning pink gold dial
The dial of the watch is executed in pink gold with black and blue accents. It is the third model in Lange’s history to get a beautiful pink gold dial, following the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon from 2019 and the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar from 2021. As you would expect, with the integration of the rattrapante chronograph and calendar indicators, the dial design is a thing of beauty. If you look closely, you will see that Lange expertly combined multiple displays in the sub-dials. The inspiration for the dial layout comes from earlier Lange pocket watches and works very well.
The readability of all the different functions is flawless, and the design looks aesthetically beautiful. The main dial shows a black railway minute track that features the characteristic three-dot markings for the quarters in black with a blue numeral. The big Arabic numerals and the majority of the numerals and displays are all executed in black. There are also little hints of blue here and there to spice things up. On top of that, they match nicely with the blued steel hands for the hour, minute, and rattrapante functions. The central chronograph hand is rhodium-plated steel, while the small hands in the sub-dials are gold, also with a rhodium finish.
The A. Lange & Söhne manufacture caliber L101.1
The movement that makes all of this possible is the Lange manufacture caliber L101.1 which consists of 631 parts. This manual-winding caliber operates at 21,600vph and provides a 42-hour power reserve. The movement indicates hours and minutes centrally and seconds in the sub-dial at 6 o’clock. Furthermore, it features displays for the month and leap year at 3 o’clock, moon phase at 6 o’clock, day and date at 9 o’clock, and chronograph minute counter and power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock.
It goes without saying that the architecture and the finishing of the movement are a joy to behold. The movement features plates and bridges made of untreated German silver, while the balance cock is engraved by hand. Furthermore, it features screwed gold chatons and blued screws, resulting in a movement that is beautiful in all its aspects. It is completely in line with this stunning new piece. From the design to the movement to the execution, it’s nothing short of impressive. As mentioned, the watch is limited to 100 pieces, and it is exclusively available at A. Lange & Söhne boutiques. The price is available upon request.
The Lange 1 Time Zone in platinum
The second timepiece is the beautiful Lange 1 Time Zone in platinum. This new release is not limited, so it is a regular addition to the lineup that already consists of a pink gold version with an argenté-colored dial and a white gold version with a black dial. This new one might be the most exclusive of the three, but it certainly has a certain understated look. The combination of a 950 platinum case with a rhodium-colored dial creates a beautiful monochromatic look. Zoom in a bit, and you’ll quickly find out that the details are stunning.
The watch is in line with the second-generation Lange 1 Time Zone models introduced in 2020. The first models debuted in 2005, making the series one of the brand’s oldest in the collection. This new watch features a 41.9mm platinum case that is 10.9mm thick. Just like the 1815, it also features a three-piece construction with a mix of finishes to create a dynamic overall profile.
The platinum case is combined with a dial in solid silver with a rhodium finish. If you are familiar with Lange’s Time Zone models, you know that this is the brand’s version of a GMT watch. The wearer’s home time is displayed on the larger of the two displays and is graced with Roman numerals at 9 o’clock. The second time zone is displayed in the smaller of the two displays. Additionally, the triangular indicator shows what time zone is displayed on the outer ring containing all the different cities. But it would not be a Lange 1 without the large date and the power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock.
The dial design is a work of geometrical art
If you know anything about the dial design of the Lange 1, you probably know it is based on the rule of thirds. As a result, despite its off-center layout, it is very balanced indeed. The rhodium-colored dial is combined with black indications for the cities, other text, and numerals in the second time zone display. Additionally, you get blue accents in the two time displays with the ingenious day/night indicators and a hint of red thanks to the red GMT indication on the outer ring. The ring moves by operating the corrector button at 8 o’clock. When rotating the ring, you will also see the hour hand on the smaller display move.
Additionally, a segment within the arrow that points to the city also indicates if that time zone observes daylight saving time. To do this, it changes from white to red. In another ingenious move, Lange has designed a mechanism that allows the wearer to synchronize the time on the bigger display with that on the smaller one. As a result. the wearer can set a new main time as the home time.
The A. Lange & Söhne Manufacture calibre L141.1
When you pull the crown out to the second position, you can adjust the offset time of both zones simultaneously. However, if you press and hold the corrector button at 8 o’clock and turn the crown clockwise, the hour hand of the smaller display stops. This allows you to adjust the difference between the time zones or synchronize them. In the last step, you might need to correct the date, which is connected to the larger display, with the date corrector at 10 o’clock. This magic is all possible thanks to the in-house caliber L141.1. The manual-winding movement consists of 448 parts. It operates at 21,600vph and comes with 70 hours of power reserve.
The movement is finished to the highest levels in the industry. It features the signature hand-engraved floral pattern on the balance cock, screwed gold chatons, blued screws, and a series of incredible finishes that make for a stunning movement. The watch comes on a black, hand-stitched alligator leather strap with a prong buckle in 950 platinum to match the case. As with the previous model, the price is on request, and the watch is a boutique exclusive.
Thoughts on the new A. Lange & Söhne introductions
These two pieces are not completely new models. Despite that, seeing these two new additions to the impressive lineup is great. I especially love the new 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar with its stunning dial and blue and black accents. It’s a color combination that works wonderfully well. Additionally, the Lange 1 Time Zone in 950 platinum is surprisingly understated at first glance. But if you zoom in, you will see the same meticulous attention to detail, inspiring in the same respect and awe as the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar. The two watches are simply a great testament to A. Lange & Söhne’s brilliance in watchmaking.
For more information, visit the official A. Lange & Söhne website, and tell us your favorite of these two new models in the comments.
