When A. Lange & Söhne presented the TRIPLE SPLIT in 2018, it was lauded as a global premiere by the international trade press. The only split-seconds chronograph in the world to date that can measure additive and comparative times for as long as twelve hours is in a league of its own. Now, it is followed by a model with a pink-gold case and a blue dial.
Introduced in 2018, the A. Lange & Söhne TRIPLE SPLIT is the world’s only mechanical split-seconds chronograph that allows the measurement of intermediate and reference times for durations of up to twelve hours. The former edition in white gold with a grey dial is now followed by a second version – also in a limited edition of 100 timepieces – in pink gold with a blue dial and rhodié-coloured subsidiary dials. Despite the wealth of displayed information, an ingenious material and colour concept make it easy to clearly assign each of the ten hands to a specific function.
There is no other watch in the world that compares with the A. Lange & Söhne TRIPLE SPLIT. It is a logical evolu-tion of the DOUBLE SPLIT introduced by A. Lange & Söhne in 2004. With a precisely jumping rattrapante minute counter, it was no doubt already an impressive milestone in the development of modern rattrapante mechanisms conceived by the Saxon watchmakers.
Applications handled by the TRIPLE SPLIT
Stopping times of up to twelve hours is possible with the TRIPLE SPLIT – that alone is a rarity in a mechanical chronograph. The extension of the rattrapante function to the hour counter of-fers a multitude of further possibilities. For instance, the A. Lange & Söhne TRIPLE SPLIT can compare the times of two opponents in a Formula One race, a Tour de France stage, or a marathon. It is also pos-sible to stop the times of consecutively starting events or add together the times of multiple-hour events such as the duration of the individual Ironman disciplines. Any number of lap times can be stopped during additive time measurements.
Measuring lap times with the TRIPLE SPLIT
In the starting position, the three rhodiumed rattrapante hands are superposed on the respec-tive chronograph hands. The time measurement is started by pressing the chronograph pusher at 2 o’clock. The pairs of hands now run synchronously until they are separated by pressing the rattrapante pusher at 10 o’clock to perform a lap-time measurement. The three rhodiumed hands will then stop to display the lap time. All the while, the previously concealed chronograph hands in gold-plated steel or pink gold continue the time measurement. As soon as the rat-trapante pusher is pressed again, the rattrapante hands catch up with the chronograph hands and from then on run together with them again.
The movement is also endowed with a flyback function that involves all three hand pairs as well. Thus, the chronograph can be reset to zero by pressing the chronograph pusher at 4 o’clock during an ongoing time measurement. Releasing the pusher instantly starts a new time measurement.
Technical features of the manufacture calibre L132.1*
The Lange calibre L132.1 is a movement that stands out with its three-dimensionality, complexi-ty, and architecturally pleasing design. It highlights the finissage that is typical of the individual Lange components. Overall, 567 tiny parts are perfectly adjusted for flawless interaction. This complexity is not a show, it is mechanically necessary to enable this unique A. Lange & Söhne TRIPLE SPLIT function.
The creation of a mechanism which makes it possible to collectively or separately control three hand pairs represented a formidable technical challenge for Lange’s developers. Even a simple rattrapante mechanism has two hands attached to arbors that run one inside the other. In the calibre L132.1, this pairing exists three times. During the assembly of the movement, the multiple-function axes call for the utmost precision and virtuosity.
A glance through the sapphire-crystal caseback reveals the chronograph movement that is fin-ished to the strictest Lange standards and adjusted to assure the perfect interaction of column wheels, clutches, rockers, levers, springs, and jumpers. Five gold chatons, traditionally secured with screws on bridges decorated with Glashütte ribbing as well as the hand-engraved balance cock round off the stylish prominence of the movement. Thus, the TRIPLE SPLIT is an excep-tional timepiece, not only technically but also as regards its flawless artisanship; in the chrono-graph class, it plays in a league of its own.
A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split Ref. 424.037F Technical Specification
Functions
- Time indicated in hours, minutes, and subsidiary seconds with stop seconds;
- flyback chronograph with triple rattrapante for addi-tive and intermediate time measurements between one sixth of a second and twelve hours,
- precisely jumping chrono and rat-trapante minute counter,
- continuous chrono and rattrapante hour counter,
- tachymeter scale,
- UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator
Movement
- Lange manufacture calibre L132.1,
- manually wound,
- crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and as-sembled by hand;
- precision-adjusted in five positions;
- plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand
- Movement parts: 567
- Jewels: 46
- Screwed gold chatons: 5
- Escapement: Lever escapement
- Oscillation system:
- Shock-resistant cam-poised balance;
- balance spring crafted in-house,
- frequency 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour,
- precision beat-adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring
- Power reserve: 55 hours when fully wound
Operating elements
- Crown for winding the watch and setting the time; two pushers for operating the chronograph, one pusher to operate the rattrapante mechanism
Case dimensions
- Diameter: 43.2 millimetres; height: 15.6 millimetres
Movement dimensions
- Diameter: 30.6 millimetres; height: 9.4 millimetres
Case
- 18-carat pink gold
- Crystal and caseback
- Antireflective sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
Dial
- Solid silver, blue;
- subsidiary dials, rhodié
Hands
- Hour and minute hands (luminous),
- seconds and power-reserve hands as well as chronograph minute counter in pink gold;
- chrono sweep-seconds hand and chronograph hour counter in gold-plated steel;
- rattrapante sweep-seconds hand and rattrapante hour counter in rhodiumed steel;
- rattrapante minute-counter hand in rhodiumed gold
Appliques
- Pink gold at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock, luminous
Strap
- Leather strap, dark blue with grey seam
Buckle
- Deployant buckle in 18-carat pink gold
Limited edition 100 watches