2024 is the fifteenth anniversary of A. Lange & Sohne‘s authentic introduction of the Zeitwerk watch again in 2009. The Zeitwerk is a mechanical watch with a digital time show, and it has been produced in a collection of largely limited-edition variations through the years as one of many extra unique watches produced by the elevated Saxon model. In the present day, we’ll be discussing one limited-edition Zeitwerk model of 200 items, the reference 142.055 A. Lange & Sohne Zeitwerk Honeygold Lumen. The timepiece is steeped with narrative and high quality and stands as a legit “grail watch” for a lot of fanatics. Let’s uncover a number of the layers of the Zeitwerk and why I consider this A. Lange & Sohne mannequin household is so compelling.
Though many individuals affiliate digital (versus analog) shows to be trendy, the Zeitwerk is definitely a vintage-inspired watch. This difficult mechanical motion is A. Lange & Sohne’s effort to re-create (in wristwatch kind) a digital-style clock initially produced within the 1830s for opera audiences. The unique creator of the clock was a watchmaker referred to as Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes, who designed the clock on order from the royal courtroom in order that audiences would know when opera performances had been meant to start on the historic Dresden Semper Opera Home. It was too darkish within the room to see the fingers of a standard 12-hour clock, and thus a digital hours and five-minute show was created above the stage to be legible and never too distracting. The clock was rebuilt at the very least two occasions on account of cases the place the Semper Opera Home was destroyed (on account of hearth, or bombing throughout wartime). Since Dresden is the closest main city exterior Glashutte, there’s one other connection between the opera clock and A. Lange & Sohne. Ferdinand Adolph Lange — orignal founding father of A. Lange & Sohne — was the son-in-law of Gutkaes and likewise studied watchmaking beneath him.
In 2009, only a few months earlier than the discharge of the Zeitwerk, I visited the Dresden Semper Opera Home with the model and definitely seen the clock. I discussed to the representatives how acceptable it could be in the event that they constructed a wristwatch model of it and the A. Lange & Sohne workforce all smiled and nodded knowingly, with the notice that simply such a product was solely months away from being introduced. The first distinction between this “Lumen” model of the Zeitwerk and the unique is the dial and software of luminous materials. The Zeitwerk was the primary Lange watch to obtain the “Lumen” remedy (which has since been utilized to another fashions), which adjustments the look of the dial and presents the flexibility to learn the time at midnight. The principal innovation wasn’t simply the usage of luminous materials for printing the digits, however fairly the character of the smoked sapphire crystal dial. For the numerals to be sufficiently luminous once they leap into show of their respective home windows, they have to first be charged with mild. This may not be potential with a standard strong dial. To unravel this, A. Lange & Sohne has developed a semi-opaque sapphire crystal part for a lot of the face. The trick is to permit sufficient mild in to cost the SuperLumiNova materials, however not have an unattractive view of the discs which ought to for essentially the most half stay discreet. The end result may be very spectacular, and the Lumen has been an instantaneous hit with collectors since its first iteration.
This specific model of the Zeitwerk Lumen additionally is available in A. Lange & Sohne’s proprietary gold alloy mix it calls “honeygold.” So far as I do know, all Zeitwerk watches have had valuable metallic instances, however Honeygold is essentially the most distinctive to the A. Lange & Sohne model as a result of it has a barely distinctive hue. This distinctive alloy is especially stunning when paired with black or brown tones. Accordingly, the reference 142.055 watch has an 18k Honeygold case, a black-accented dial, and a deep brown alligator strap. It seems incredible on the wrist.
A. Lange & Sohne has created even bigger variations of the Zeitwerk through the years, because it has labored to flesh out the gathering with additional problems. The Zeitwerk platform has seen a chiming decimal minute repeater and a striker, and later, A. Lange & Sohne even launched a model of the Zeitwerk with a date show. Nonetheless, in some ways, the essential model is the very best, primarily due to its targeted performance and since the opposite variations of the Zeitwerk are bigger (and the musical ones are vastly dearer). The Zeitwerk Honeygold Lumen has a case about 42mm extensive, 12.6mm thick, and is water-proof to 30 meters. The crown of the watch is positioned on the 2 o’clock place in order to not stick into your wrist, and regardless of the dimensions, it is vitally comfy to put on.
Regardless of the Semper Opera Home historical past of the Zeitwerk’s show system, the watch feels far more related to modern machines and autos. A. Lange & Sohne hasn’t actually discovered something apart from classic high-end vehicles as a theme to attach the Zeitwerk with. Accordingly, in case you are into the design and building of such driving machines, you may see numerous appropriate philosophies at play. The dial of the Zeitwerk feels far more like a dashboard instrument show than a standard timepiece dial. I might have an interest to listen to what readers affiliate mentally when seeing the Zeitwerk. What does this A. Lange & Sohne watch remind you of?
Since A. Lange & Sohne launched the Zeitwerk a very long time in the past, the worth has elevated fairly a bit. The model’s status and demand have gone up, too, and I feel A. Lange & Sohne merely determined that the restricted manufacturing and area of interest nature of the Zeitwerk enable it to worth every a bit extra. That’s in all probability true and even with the upper value the Zeitwerk nonetheless feels comparatively aggressive. With that mentioned, that is an costly watch and constructed as such. High quality oozes from all angles of the timepiece whether or not you examine the finely polished surfaces of the in-house mechanical motion or admire the intense precision with which the digital indicators change on the minute, or on the hour.
On the dial of the Zeitwerk are two giant home windows for indicating the time digitally. That features a single disc for the leaping hours and two overlapping discs (just like the model’s huge date show) that point out the minutes. The dial additionally has a standard analog subsidiary seconds dial, and an influence reserve indicator. This latter characteristic is extraordinarily essential for this watch as a result of it isn’t solely manually wound but in addition very power-hungry. Having mentioned that, because the authentic launch of the Zeitwerk, Lange has improved the motion together with rising the ability reserve. I consider the unique Zeitwerk solely had about 36 hours of energy reserve, whereas the most recent variations have elevated that to a extra aggressive 72 hours.
Why is the motion so power-hungry? Contained in the A. Lange & Sohne Zeitwerk is the caliber L043.6. Manually wound and comprised of 462 elements, the motion operates at a gradual 2.5Hz fee (18,000 bpm) and has an influence reserve of 72 hours. In an effort to be sure that the power-intensive transferring discs function appropriately (and rapidly) the L043.6 additionally has an advanced fixed drive escapement system. That is the place a lot of the ability goes. This technique is critical as a result of a drive accumulator was discovered to be the very best system to make sure that sufficient energy is used to maneuver the discs, however that the watch additionally stays correct. The fixed drive methods are designed to slowly accumulate vitality, which is then utilized in one giant burst when some or all the discs want altering. Essentially the most power-intense operation happens when an hour adjustments and all three discs must shift on the similar time. This operation would completely destroy isochronism, with out the applying of a relentless drive mechanism enjoying as an middleman within the motion. Visually, you may see a lot of this via the sapphire crystal caseback whereas admiring the really stunning mechanical motion in motion.
The motion is completely adorned (even the elements you may’t see) and features a mixture of polishes completed completely by hand or through hand-operated machines (equivalent to perlage or striping). As is the case with all Lange actions, the three/4 mainplate is produced from an alloy referred to as German silver. What makes it particular is that it doesn’t corrode, though it “patinates” within the sense that the colour deepens a bit over time. This enables for extra precision machining and sharpening with out having to coat or deal with the metallic elements later for long-term environmental resistance. The mix of well-made elements and Lange’s love of huge proportions and flourish on the actions offers A. Lange & Sohne mechanisms that particular standing I discussed above.
As you may see, there’s a lot to “nerd out” on in the case of the Zeitwerk whether or not you’re discussing the historical past of watchmaking in Germany’s Saxony area, unique high-end horology, attention-grabbing mechanical mechanisms, or authentic manifestations of “trendy traditional” design. In a whole lot of methods, a watch like this provides infinite room for dialog (or debate), and for that purpose, it turns into so interesting as a grail extra so than only a high-end watch. Each time I see somebody carrying an A. Lange & Sohne Zeitwerk watch in particular person, I get comfortable due to how neat these watches are. The wearers are all assured, mature of their watch information, and, after all, playful in persona. Clearly, a sensible choice for his or her wrists. Your wrist, too? All you want now’s to have the ability to afford and purchase considered one of these uncommon beauties. Worth for the A. Lange & Sohne restricted version of 200 items reference 142.055 Zeitwerk Honeygold Lumen watch when it debuted in 2021 was $145,000 USD (however has reportedly elevated in retail value since then). Study extra on the A. Lange & Sohne web site.
