Introducing: New Additions To The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Collection

The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 line represents the classical, traditional collection within the German brand’s catalog. Named after the birthyear of Ferdinand Adolf Lange, the lineup features one of my all-time favorite watches, the 1815 Chronograph. So whenever new models are added, the Saxon house has my attention. Today, we see the introduction of the 34mm A. Lange & Söhne 1815 and the 1815 Minute Repeater Perpetual.

As those names suggest, one is relatively simple, while the other is mind-bendingly complicated. We’ll have a quick first look at both! Well…actually, I should say “all three” since the 1815 comes in two case materials, bringing the total number of new 1815 references to three. In any case, let’s dive in!

The 34mm A. Lange & Söhne 1815

Let’s start with the simple ones just to warm up the part of our brains that facilitates the understanding of horological micro-mechanics. I am not sure where that is, but from the anxiety that the Minute Repeater Perpetual’s complexity triggers, I’d guess it’s the amygdala. Jokes aside, the new 1815 might look comfortably familiar. However, the case size is where the news is to be found.

A. Lange & Söhne made a smaller 1815 three-hander, apparently by popular demand from collectors. It measures 34mm in diameter by a mere 6.4mm thick. How’s that for under-the-radar and under-the-cuff-wearing pleasure? The svelte new case comes in your choice of 18K pink or white gold. Both versions come with a lovely dark blue dial with the characteristic oversized, pocket-watch-inspired sub-seconds register at 6 o’clock.

Downsizing watches is a frequently underestimated art. For starters, there is the aesthetic side where proportions must be reworked entirely to maintain balance. Full points on that front here. Second, the original caliber wouldn’t fit in such a slender case, so Lange developed the completely new caliber L152.1. This hand-winding movement offers an ample 72-hour power reserve and comes with all the lovely hand finishes and the signature three-quarter plate you expect from Lange.

The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Minute Repeater Perpetual

Okay, are you properly warmed up? Here we go, then! The next addition to the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 collection is a minute repeater. Oh, and it’s also a perpetual calendar. Its modest 40.5mm by 12.1mm platinum case holds a whopping 640 movement parts. These parts comprise yet another brand-new caliber, by the way, bringing the total count to 75 in-house calibers since ALS’s reestablishment.

Of course, Lange did not stop at “merely” building a minute repeater with a perpetual calendar. You will find all sorts of Haute Horlogerie goodness if you look closer. These include lever protection mechanisms on the minute repeater, a pause-skip function to prevent the awkward silence between hours and minutes when no quarters need chiming, and a clever hammer-blocker to keep the chimes as clean as a master pianist’s strike.

And that’s just the minute repeater. The calendar is similarly impressive. How about a handy single-set function to adjust all the calendar elements simultaneously? How about an outsized date and a moonphase indicator that will be accurate for 122.6 years until it requires a single day of correction?

A feast for the eye

Naturally, A. Lange & Söhne brings the heat when it comes to execution and finishing too. The black dial is enameled and fitted with white gold dividers in the three sub-dials. The two 18K moons come surrounded by no less than 100 hand-engraved stars.

Upon turning the watch around, an untreated top plate of German silver greets you. Adorning its surface are black rhodium-filled inscriptions and gold chatons for the jewels. The minute repeater’s hammers might appear black at times thanks to their black-polished surfaces. This technique of fine polishing results in a surface reflecting light in only one direction. The parts appear black from one specific angle while serving as perfect mirrors in all others.

The 1815 Minute Repeater Perpetual is limited to 30 pieces.

Initial impressions

You probably detected the thinly veiled excitement in my tone already. I love this stuff. I am a big fan of the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 collection, and these new versions are strong additions to it. Going hands-on with the new 34mm 1815 models would be great. I am curious to see whether the size makes them dainty or if they came out just right. It is impossible to judge from the numbers alone.

The Minute Repeater Perpetual is an absolute stunner. I love its looks, and the watchmaking is even more impressive. Upon seeing the pictures, my first thought was, “Ah, that’ll probably be 44mm by 17mm thick.” To see it in such a wearable package somehow makes it more real and certainly more appealing.

All three new references are labeled “Price upon request.” We’ll do some digging and certainly try to come up with some hands-on experiences with these new models over the coming days.

What do you think of the new 34mm A. Lange & Söhne 1815 three-hander and Minute Repeater Perpetual? Let us know in the comments section below!