The renowned German watch brand A. Lange & Söhne comes with a new piece featuring a spectacular complication, the split seconds: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 RATTRAPANTE. Featuring a superb silver dial and a platinum case, the watch brings the same excellence in execution that we expect.
Following the strict set of rules imposed by the 2020’s A. Lange & Söhne 1815 RATTRAPANTE HONEYGOLD “Homage to F. A. Lange”, the new piece imposes with a much more classic style due to the choice of visuals. All the known elements (clean presentation, exceptional finishes) are present for the joy of the connoisseurs.
Since the pandemic started, I was not able to see the ALS watches in the metal, but the brand organised a series of online meetings to get to know the watch and to create a set of photographs especially for Watch I Love Magazine. The same happened with the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 RATTRAPANTE that will be presented together with the official images.
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 RATTRAPANTE – a familiar look
The curse and the blessing of the A. Lange & Söhne‘s timepieces are the rigorous characteristics that make the brand so loved and recognisable. Simple lines backed by geometrical proportions, a restrained but rich in details elegance. The details are not full of flourishes but with fine touches that established the brand as the creator of some of the most well-finished timepieces out there.
The watch presented today follows those strict classic lines: a well-proportioned platinum case measuring 41.2 millimetres in diameter with a height of 12.6 millimetres that will make its weight clearly present on the wrist. We can recount the familiar notes: a mirror polished round bezel enthroned on a brushed caseband.
The simple crown presents itself with a polished bombe surface on which the name of the brand was embossed. The pushers are satin-brushed and received a subtle polish on their chamfered edges. While I didn’t have the pleasure to test the watch, I am expecting the balanced feedback encountered at the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Honeygold version.
The short lugs are another set of elements characteristic of the Saxon brand: quite angled with a mirror polish and a perdue bevelling: starting with strong angles at the baseband side, the lugs bent strong enough to create a natural look on the wrist. The watch tends to wear a bit smaller, being a well-proportioned presence even for small wrists.
A gorgeous dial
The specific shine of platinum is accompanied by a bright argenté-coloured dial. Manufactured in solid silver, the dial was milled two steps down to emulate the traditional look of the pocket watches from a century ago. Note the three well-defined areas of the dial: the outer tachymeter scale with the brand’s name, the central part with time-telling elements and the recessed chrono sub-dials.
All the elements are printed in black, contrasting nicely with the matt background. Ruling the dial, the blued hands offer exceptional legibility. Together with the large Arabic numerals, they create a recognisable and sought appearance.
The split second hand is also manufactured in steel but received a rhodium plating for increased contrast. Instead of using a “traditional” layout with counters placed horizontally at 9 and 3 o’clock, the watchmakers at Lange opted to use the benefit of inhouse development and have the counters placed at 12 and 6 o’clock, offering, in my opinion, a nicer look for the watch glimpsing partially from under the shirt.
Eclipsing all the rest – the Manufacture calibre L101.2
While the dials of A. Lange & Söhne could be considered a matter of personal (or acquired) taste, we can all agree that the movements of the German brand unite us all in a collective gasp – gorgeous. And while the Calibre L101.2 does not feature the proverbial three-quarter plate, the view of the split-second chronograph movement is spectacular and makes us forget about the above-mentioned detail.
Being their own masters in the matter of development, ALS watchmakers configured the rattrapante to be visible in the entire splendour under the caseback crystal. Manufactured in untreated German silver (a particular brass alloy), the movement is enriched by the contrast of the brass with steel and blued screws.
Some nonchalant jewels rest inside gold chatons that received a mirror polish to their sink and, moreover, were fixed with the thermally blued steel screws (that also received that watchmaker’s touch for the bevelling and polishing of the heads). As accustomed by now, the balance cock was hand engraved. The same skilful details can be observed on the chronograph’s cock.
Exclusivity, excellency for the watch lovers
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 RATTRAPANTE is for a lady or gentlemen that enjoy some quality fun and require a superb and reliable chrono. Lange does not disappoint and continues the road dedicated to the most exquisite timepieces on the market.
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 RATTRAPANTE Technical Specifications
Ref. 425.025 – 200 watches limited edition, boutique exclusivity
Movement
- Lange manufacture calibre L101.2, manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates made of untreated German silver; balance cock and chronograph bridge engraved by hand
- Movement parts: 365
- Jewels: 36
- Screwed gold chatons: 4
- Escapement: Lever escapement
- Oscillation system: Shock-resistant screw 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: 58 hours when fully wound
- Functions: Time display with hours and minutes as well as subsidiary seconds with stop seconds; rattrapante chronograph with 30-minute counter, tachometer scale
- Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time; two chronograph pushers, one pusher to operate the rattrapante mechanism
- Diameter: 32.6 millimetres; height: 7.4 millimetres
Case
- Case: 950 platinum
- Diameter: 41.2 millimetres; height: 12.6 millimetres
- Crystal and caseback: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
Dial & Hands
- Solid silver, argenté
- Hands: Hours, minutes, and subsidiary seconds: blued steel; 30-minute counter: blued steel; centre chronograph hand: rhodiumed steel; centre rattrapante hand: blued steel
Strap & Buckle
- Hand-stitched alligator leather, black
- Buckle: Prong buckle in 950 platinum
