From Datograph to Odysseus: A. Lange & Söhne's Chronographs 1999-2023

1 0 Sunday, 11 June 2023 Edit this post

In March 2023, A. Lange & Söhne added another significant milestone to its portfolio of high-end chronographs with the introduction of the Odysseus Chronograph, an achievement that is part of a remarkable chronograph legacy that began in 1999 with the widely acclaimed premiere of the Datograph.

Since then, the Saxon watchmaker has consistently demonstrated its expertise in this domain, developing a total of 13 outstanding models with stopwatch functions.

The quest for a proprietary chronograph calibre was a top priority at A. Lange & Söhne after the successful presentation of the first four wristwatches in October 1994. In fact, chronographs hold a long-standing tradition at Lange, rooted in Ferdinand Adolph Lange's craftsmanship, who crafted his inaugural chronograph in 1868 featuring a single pusher for starting, stopping, and resetting the chronograph hand.

This ambitious benchmark inspired the creation of the Datograph, a movement regarded by industry experts and connoisseurs as one of the most beautiful chronograph calibres ever designed.

DATOGRAPH

With its classic column-wheel configuration, precisely jumping minute counter, flyback function and iconic Lange outsize date, the Datograph merges sophisticated technology and eloquent design.

The column wheel ensures that all chronograph functions are reliably controlled. The jumping minute counter always delivers a precise reading of the stopped times up to 30 minutes. And the flyback feature allows instantaneous consecutive measurements of event durations.

Picture courtesy of Christie's

Case dimensions

Diameter: 39.0 mm Height: 12.8 mm

Movement

L951.1, manually wound

405 parts

36 hours power reserve

Functions

Flyback chronograph

Precisely jumping minute counter

Outsize date

Tachymeter scale

References

403.035 in platinum with black/argenté dial (1999)

403.031 in pink gold with black/argenté dial (2003)

403.032 in pink gold with argenté/rhodié dial (2005)

403.041 in yellow gold with black/argenté dial (2008)

Following the successful debut with the Datograph, A. Lange & Söhne continued to push the boundaries of chronograph design establishing a series of milestones that we list below.

DOUBLE SPLIT

For the first time ever in mechanical timekeeping, the Double Split enabled comparative time measurements of events that lasted up to 30 minutes. With a separate rattrapante hand above the minute counter hand, A. Lange & Söhne added a fascinating dimension to the stop-watch principle.

Additionally, the L001.1 manufacture calibre is the first Lange movement to be equipped with a balance spring developed and manufactured in-house.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 43.2 mm Height: 15.3 mm

Movement

L001.1, manually wound

465 parts

38 hours power reserve

Functions

Flyback chronograph

Rattrapante function

Precisely jumping minute counter

Power-reserve indicator

Tachymeter scale

References

404.035 in platinum with black/argenté dial (2004)

404.032 in pink gold with argenté dial (2010)

1815 CHRONOGRAPH

The design of this model reflects the style of the historic pocket watches crafted by the founder of the brand, Ferdinand Adolph Lange, whose birth year is part of the name of this timepiece. The flyback chronograph function is integrated by a pulsometer scale.

Since 2010, the hand-wound L951.5 movement has been endowed with an extended power reserve of 60 hours (instead of the 36 hours of the earlier L951.0) and the proprietary Lange balance spring.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 39.5 mm Height: 10.8 mm (414.049: 11.9 mm)

Movement

L951.0, manually wound

320 parts

36 hours power reserve

Functions

Flyback chronograph

Precisely jumping minute counter

Pulsometer scale

References

401.026 in white gold with argenté dial (2004)

401.031 in pink gold with black dial (2004)

402.026 in white gold with argenté dial (2010)

402.032 in pink gold with argenté dial (2010)

414.026 in white gold with argenté dial (2015)

414.028 in white gold with black dial (2017)

414.031 in pink gold with black dial (2018)

414.032 in pink gold with argenté dial (2018)

414.047 in white gold with black dial (2022)

TOURBOGRAPH “Pour le Mérite”

Lange’s highly complicated L903.0 calibre is the first to combine a split-seconds chronograph with a one-minute tourbillon as well as a fusée-and-chain transmission. Thus, two of the most elaborate mechanisms for improving rate stability and rate accuracy are integrated into a single watch. It is the second Lange timepiece with the designation “Pour le Mérite”, a hallmark reserved by Lange for extraordinary complications equipped with a fusée-and-chain transmission.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 41.2 mm Height: 14.3 mm

Movement

L903.0, manually wound

1,100 parts (incl. chain)

36 hours power reserve

Functions

One-minute tourbillon

Fusée-and-chain transmission

Chronograph

Rattrapante function

Power-reserve indicator

References

702.025 in platinum with argenté dial (2005)

712.050 in honey gold with argenté dial (2010)

DATOGRAPH PERPETUAL

As the name suggests, this model combines two of the most appreciated watchmaking complications, a flyback chronograph and a perpetual calendar. Apart from the day of the week, the month, the four-year/leap-year cycle and the moon phases, the watch also indicates the day/night transition.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 41.0 mm Height: 13.5 mm

Movement

L952.1, manually wound

556 parts

36 hours power reserve

Functions

Flyback chronograph

Precisely jumping minute counter

Perpetual calendar

Moon-phase display

Outsize date

Tachymeter scale

References

410.025 in platinum with rhodié dial

410.030 in white gold with grey/rhodié dial

410.032 in pink gold with argenté dial

410.038 in white gold with grey/rhodié dial

DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN

The black solid-silver dial of the Datograph UP/DOWN forms the ideal contrast-enhancing backdrop for the bright argenté subsidiary dials and the Lange outsize date.

The L951.6 calibre has been endowed with an extended power reserve of 60 hours (instead of the 36 hours offered by the Datograph) and the proprietary Lange balance spring. The classic designation “UP/DOWN” in its name refers to an additional function, a power-reserve indication at 6 o’clock.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 41.0 mm Height: 13.1 mm (405.034: 13.4 mm)

Movement

L951.6, manually wound

451 parts

60 hours power reserve

Functions

Flyback chronograph

Precisely jumping minute counter

Outsize date

Power-reserve indicator

Tachymeter scale

References

405.035 in platinum with black/argenté dial (2012)

405.031 in pink gold with black/argenté dial (2015)

405.034 “Lumen” in platinum with black/luminous dial (2018)

1815 RATTRAPANTE PERPETUAL CALENDAR

Evoking the tradition of A. Lange & Söhne in pocket watches, this exceptional model brings together a split-seconds chronograph, a perpetual calendar, a moon-phase display and a power-reserve indicator while maintaining a clean and easily readable dial.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 41.9 mm Height: 14.7 mm (421.048: 15.8 mm)

Movement

L101.1, manually wound

631 parts

42 hours power reserve

Functions

Chronograph

Rattrapante function

Perpetual calendar

Moon-phase display

Power-reserve indicator

References

421.025 in platinum with argenté dial (2013)

421.032 in pink gold with argenté dial (2013)

421.048 "Handwerkskunst" in white gold with white gold, enamelled dial (2017)

GRAND COMPLICATION

With its seven complications, the Grand Complication is one of the most sophisticated timepieces ever crafted in Germany. It features a split-seconds chronograph with a minute counter and flying seconds, a chiming mechanism with a grand and small strike, a minute repeater and a perpetual calendar with a moon-phase display.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 50.0 mm Height: 20.3 mm

Movement

L1902, manually wound

876 parts

30 hours power reserve

Functions

Chronograph

Rattrapante function

Flying seconds

Chiming mechanism with grand and small strike

Minute repeater

Perpetual calendar

Moon-phase display

References

912.032 in pink gold with a white enamelled dial (2013)

DATOGRAPH PERPETUAL TOURBILLON

A. Lange & Söhne achieved an exceptional accomplishment with the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon, seamlessly combining a flyback chronograph, a precisely jumping minute counter, an instantaneously jumping perpetual calendar with a moon phase display and outsize date, as well as a one-minute tourbillon with a stop-seconds mechanism, all elegantly showcased within a dial that remains effortlessly readable.

A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Calendar Tourbillon

Case dimensions

Diameter: 41.5 mm Height: 14.6 mm

Movement

L952.2, manually wound

729 parts

50 hours power reserve

Functions

One-minute-tourbillon with stop seconds

Flyback chronograph

Precisely jumping minute counter

Perpetual calendar

Outsize date

Moon-phase display

Power-reserve indicator

Day/night indicator

Tachymeter scale

References

740.036 in platinum with black dial (2016)

740.056 in white gold with pink gold dial (2019)

TOURBOGRAPH PERPETUAL “Pour le Mérite”

One of the manufactory’s most elaborately crafted and precise calibres, the Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange” is a unique combination of five complications: a fusée-and-chain transmission with a one-minute-tourbillon, a classic chronograph, a rattrapante function and a perpetual calendar with moon phase display and leap year indication.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 43.0 mm Height: 16.6 mm

Movement

L133.1, manually wound

36 hours power reserve

Functions

One-minute tourbillon

Fusée-and-chain transmission

Chronograph

Rattrapante function

Perpetual calendar

Moon-phase display

References

706.025 in platinum with argenté dial (2017)

706.050 “Homage to F. A. Lange” in honey gold with grey dial (2020)

TRIPLE SPLIT

The first mechanical split-seconds chronograph in the world enabling multi-hour comparative time measurements. Additional rattrapante hands on the minute and hour counters make it possible to stop lap and reference times of events that last as long as twelve hours. For instance, you can compare the times of two opponents in a Formula One race, a Tour de France leg or a marathon.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 43.2 mm Height: 15.6 mm

Movement

L132.1, manually wound

567 parts

55 hours power reserve

Functions

Flyback chronograph

Triple rattrapante function

Precisely jumping minute counters

Power-reserve indicator

Tachymeter scale

References

424.038 in white gold with grey/argenté dial (2018)

424.037 in pink gold with blue/rhodié dial (2021)

1815 RATTRAPANTE

This model places the classic complications of timekeeping – chronograph and rattrapante – in the spotlight. The control of elapsed or lap-time measurements is handled with two column wheels.

Case dimensions

Diameter: 41.2 mm Height: 12.6 mm

Movement

L101.2, manually wound

365 parts

58 hours power reserve

Functions

Chronograph

Rattrapante function

Tachymeter scale

References

425.050 “Homage to F. A. Lange” in honey gold with black dial (2020)

425.025 in platinum with argenté dial (2022)

ODYSSEUS CHRONOGRAPH

With the Odysseus Chronograph, A. Lange & Söhne introduced the newly developed L156.1 calibre, the first self-winding chronograph movement of the brand. To retain the characteristic dial design of this model, the brand developed a customised movement that positions both chronograph hands in the centre. As a consequence, the totalisers, which are conventionally arranged at 3 and 9 o’clock, could be dispensed with, and the style-defining positions of the outsize date and day of the week could be maintained.