a. lange & sohne 1815 year 2005

Ludwig van Beethoven's prodigious reputation is due in large measure to his Symphony No. 5 with its four-note fanfare opening. The fate motif now ushers in a new chapter in the history of A. Lange & Sohne: the most recent sibling in the LANGE ZEITWERK family is endowed with a chiming mechanism that is visible in its face. It strikes the quarter-hours with high-pitched tones and the full hours at a lower pitch. Played fast-forward, the result is the famous leitmotif. The LANGE ZEITWERK STRIKING TIME is the first Lange wristwatch with an acoustic signature.Nearly two years ago, when A. Lange & Sohne announced the beginning of a new epoch with the LANGE ZEITWERK and its unusual design hallmarks, the declared objective was to depart from the beaten track. So it is no coincidence that the first chiming Lange watch is a "ZEITWERK" as well. Additionally, its mechanical design concept offers ideal prerequisites for the integration of a strike train. When the numeral discs are advanced, a sizeable force vector is unleashed, so after the switching cycle, enough energy remains for other purposes. These reserves are now used by the chiming mechanism to tension the springs that actuate the two hammers. They are made of black-polished steel and are integrated in the dial layout on either side of the subsidiary seconds. The one on the left strikes the hours, the one on the right the quarter-hours. The two gongs are also readily discernible: they are suspended in a recess between the dial and the bezel. In quarter-hour intervals, the mechanism triggers a strike on one of the two gongs. A higher-pitched tone signals the quarter-hours and a lower-pitched one sounds at the top of the hour.In precision watch***, the quarter-hour chime is a rare and decidedly useful function. The ability to turn it on or off is just as welcome: Actuating the push piece at 4 o'clock causes the chiming mechanism to remain mute. The mode is easy to verify, because a glance through the sapphire-crystal glass shows whether or not the hammers are deflected away from the gongs. Incidentally, the hammers are also retracted when the crown is pulled. This allows the time to be set in either direction without activating and inadvertently jamming the chiming mechanism.With its precisely jumping numeric display, the LANGE ZEITWERK STRIKING TIME also stands for uncompromising lucidity in style. The large hour and minute numerals in adjacent apertures always deliver an unambiguous reading of the current time. Accompanied by a soft click and hardly perceivable by the human eye, the numerals advance minute by minute, powered by the patented constant-force escapement. The grand jump takes place at the top of the hour when all three numeral discs advance simultaneously by exactly one increment. Now, the captivating progression of time is enriched by an acoustic accent every fifteen minutes.Needless to say, the manufacture calibre L043.2 inside the LANGE ZEITWERK STRIKING TIME fulfils all expectations that watch lovers around the world associate with the venerable marque A. Lange & Sohne, including the lavish manual decoration of all movement parts as well as the balance wheel with eccentric poising weights and Lange's proprietary balance spring. The sonorous timepiece comes in a 44.2-millimetre white-gold case with a black dial or in a limited edition of 100 platinum-cased watches with rhodiumed dials. With its bold design vocabulary and its exceptional quarter-hour chime, the third stroke of genius that bears the name LANGE ZEITWERK takes centre stage as a resonant masterpiece.

The Saxonia by A. Lange & Sohne is a midsize 18-karat gold dress watch available in yellow, white or pink gold. The engraved gold buckle and crocodile strap (in black or varying shades of brown) contrasts with the dials, which are available in champagne, gray and black. It also features a manually wound movement with stop seconds. Elegantly designed and finely constructed, the Saxonia -- named after the German state of Saxony -- may be one of the most exactingly finished watches available on the market. 88 Uniqueness Luxury goods may come with an over-the-top price tag, but you certainly don’t want them to look fussy or overdone. At their best, they define superior craftsmanship, exquisite detailing and bring you a sense of individuality. The Saxonia by A. Lange & Sohne will unquestionably turn heads at the gentlemens' club because of its exclusivity; each watch is finished and polished by hand, and production is limited. From levers to wheels, every moving part on this watch -- including those that are hidden -- has been decorated by hand. These unexpected details hit the right note. Read more 85 Durability At AskMen.com, we praise investment dressing -- but since when did *** an investment in your wardrobe come with a $16,000 price tag? Relax, it doesn’t -- scoring a classic and sophisticated watch for a fraction of this price is a no-brainer. However, the Saxonia goes well beyond an investment -- it is a first-order luxury proposition for the man who is not price-sensitive. Not only is the Saxonia splash-water protected, but the sapphire-crystal caseback also makes it strong and scratch-resistant. Top-quality craftsmanship aside, this classic design will pair equally well with a precisely tailored suit as it would with a worn T-shirt and jeans. All in all, if you’re a luxury goods shopper, this timepiece exudes an understated elegance that will last a lifetime.