A Lange & Sohne White Gold Watches

Just like its famous namesake, the RICHARD LANGE watch family is fully devoted to the scientific facets of horology with a focus on the utmost degree of precision. It has its origins in the understanding that the accuracy of a timepiece reflects the competence of the master. At A. Lange & Sohne, this insight dates back far into the 19th century. With its resettable subsidiary seconds, the RICHARD LANGE "Referenzuhr" continues this tradition. The actuation of a push piece above the crown causes its seconds hand to jump to zero and wait there as long as the push piece is depressed. During that time, a vertical disc clutch assures that the ongoing measurement of time is not interrupted �C the movement keeps running. When the push piece is released, the seconds hand restarts instantaneously.This ZERO-RESTART function is very useful for stopping events of short durations. It is also ideal for synchronising watches and clocks at different locations: the actuation of the push piece synchronises the seconds hand of the instrument with that of a reference clock exactly when its hand passes the 60-seconds mark ("zero"). This action "stores" the time of the reference clock and allows it to be transferred to other timekeeping instruments. The RICHARD LANGE "Referenzuhr" pays homage to a stronghold of time measurement that played in important role in 19th-century Dresden: the timekeeping service of the Mathematics and Physics Salon.Keeper of timeAs the "keeper of time", this scientific institution was responsible for precisely determining the local time and *** it available to the city's population. So in a sense, it was the predecessor of present-day atomic clocks and time signal transmitters. But in those days, the correct time had to be calculated on the basis of astronomical observations. The result was then transferred to a high-precision pendulum clock in the salon. Thereafter, this reference time was saved with especially accurate pocket chronometers and then "carried" to the public clocks. It was also communicated to persons and authorities who needed to know the precise time. Subscribers of the timekeeping service included astronomers and watchmakers as well as officials of the nascent railway system.With its off-centre subsidiary seconds, the dial of the RICHARD LANGE "Referenzuhr" is reminiscent of a historic precursor made in 1811 �C a pocket chronometer known to have been used for synchronisation purposes by the timekeeping service. It was crafted by Johann Heinrich Seyffert who did more to promote precision horology in Dresden than any other watchmaker. His most prominent customer, naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt, purchased one of Seyffert's chronometers for his now acclaimed Latin American expedition.The RICHARD LANGE "Referenzuhr" features a large balance wheel with eccentric poising weights and a Lange balance spring developed and manufactured in-house. Beating at a frequency of six semi-oscillations per second, it delivers the precision that can be legitimately expected of an instrument designed to serve the sciences. A glance through the sapphire-crystal caseback is a feast for the eyes of those who delight in technical finesse: both the ZERO-RESTART lever mechanism and the winding train are visibly arranged above the three-quarter plate. The strictly limited edition �C 50 watches in platinum and 75 in pink gold �C underscores the exclusivity of this coveted collector's item.

I am in Germany maybe 10 minutes and the signs of watch insanity are in my face. On my 4 hour layover in Munich to Dresden I am surprised to see that Munich's domestic terminal is basically one big watch store. There is a huge open watch store in the middle with tons of rare brands, and those that you don't even see in America at all, such as Certina and Union Glashutte. There is certainly an air of haute horology already. The first picture is of a magazine and gift store display. They actually highlight their collection of watch magazines! This is just too much good stuff, and I am on my way to being prepared for A. Lange & Sohne's upcoming spectacular display.I spent most of my first day in Glashutte where A. Lange & Sohne is headquartered visiting their factory and seeing some new watches (as well as existing watches). There is so much to admire in this brand in each place I look. Regardless of the snow falling outside, I was warm and excited as I entered each new room of their exclusive manufacture. The brand makes all of their own watch movements, a very difficult feat. This isn't the type of thing just any watch company can pull off. The process takes a long time too, with literally dozens of people working on any watch. So you say their watches can cost as much as a house? They also take as long to built and will last a lot longer. An A. Lange & Sohne watch can take from 6-14 months to be ready for market. This is from the time the individual pieces are put cut from metal, to after all the decorating, andf then final testing is complete. The watch really epitomize the German production ethic. Slow, steady, and correct the first time.I can't show you all the images I took right away. But here are a few from the trip so far. This movement is of an A. Lange & Sohne Double Split Flyback Chronograph. It was attached to a microscope where I could see the movement in operation. It was perhaps of the most beautiful and amazing mechanical visions I have ever seen. There is just so much the naked eye can show you. Viewing it under magnification gives you a whole new appreciation for the craft. In fact, you should know that most of the components of a watch are made and handled under magnification is well. That is the secret to creating such precise levels of perfection. The image above this is of the Lange Tourbillon Pour Le Merite watch getting close to leaving the factory. Perhaps only a fre more weeks of testing. The platinum cased watch still have a special red plastic covering (as seen) to protect it during the rest of the testing period. This was one of the first time I'd handled a platinum watches (arguably the most exclusive of watch metals). Platinum weighs more than gold or steel, so it really feels admirably hefty in your hand. . Check out aBlogtoRead.com and my articles on Luxist.com for the SIHH 2009 A. Lange & Sohne product releases and more information about Glashutte's own master watch maker. Watch out for a lot more pictures and further stories on new A. Lange & Sohne education.