a lange & sohne 1815 206.021

A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour le MeriteIn January, 2011 the renowned German watch Manufacture will officially reveal the new member of the highly exclusive Pour le Merite series, the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour le Merite hand-wound watch.Available both in limited edition platinum or unlimited rose gold case, the watch will be equipped with Lange’s signature fusee-and-chain transmission.The transmission allows for more uniform transfer of energy from the mainspring barrel to the going train, but, consisting of whole 636 parts, is difficult to build and is therefore reserved only for the high-end pieces of the brand.Another interesting feature of the upcoming model is a one-minute tourbillon with stop-seconds function. Simply put, the tourbillon stops and the second hand switches to a “0″ position every time you want to adjust the watch, thus allowing for more accurate setting of the timekeeper.A. Lange & Söhne would not be true to its roots if it didn’t equip the watch with one more function, which is more about pleasing the eye, rather than about function.As you can see on the pictures, there is a cutaway at the subsidiary seconds subdial, which is located between 7 and 8 o’clock and overlaps the hours display standing between 4 and 5 o’clock.When the hour hand comes past 6 o’clock, there instantly appears a pivoting segment of the subdial with VIII, IX and X numerals printed on it. The segment stays on its place until the hour hand reaches the 12 o’clock position and then again disappears in a blink of an eye.Of course, such a complication requires a great deal of energy to accomplish four times a day, but the manufacture-made Calibre L072.1 manual-wind movement still features a pretty decent power reserve of 36 hours.Built of 351 parts (not including the fusee-and-chain mechanism,) the movement features three screwed gold chatons, Glucydur screw balance and an in-house balance spring.This relatively slow movement beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour.As usual for the German brand, the watch is supplied in a very elegant and refined case that measures 41.90 mm in diameter and only 12.20 mm high.If the timepiece was not that expensive, it would be the first on my wish list.

Looking at the 2011 A. Lange & Sohne collection, I find little not to like.? Of course Lange’s watches tend to appeal to watch aficionados with more traditional tastes, and of this is fully by design.? A strong sense of tradition across all aspects of the Lange manufacture is quite evident — and it is what makes A. Lange, A. Lange, at least for me.? Like many of A. Lange’s watches, this new Saxonia Dual Time watch seems flawless in every way.? Clean, uncluttered dial with meticulously placed markings and lettering, a modest case size (40mm), and of course impeccable finishing.? The watch is perfectly traditional in every way.