The RICHARD LANGE JUMPING SECONDS encapsulates the ceaseless endeavour of A. Lange & Söhne to set new standards in horological precision while maintaining a dignified elegance. The latest edition comes forth as a synthesis of technical mastery and aesthetic refinement, available in a strictly limited run of just 100 pieces. It places the seconds in the starring role, underpinned by a constant-force escapement, a jumping seconds mechanism and the signature ZERO-RESET function – all housed within an evocative white-gold case contrasted vividly by a subtle pink-gold dial.
The Model’s Historic Roots
This timepiece draws its conceptual inspiration from chronometer No. 93 by Johann Heinrich Seyffert, an eminent Dresden watchmaker. In the late 18th century, Seyffert redefined precision timekeeping in Germany and influenced none other than Ferdinand Adolph Lange. Alexander von Humboldt, the celebrated scientist and explorer, chose a Seyffert chronometer for his trailblazing venture through Latin America, signifying the tool’s importance for pioneers of accuracy and discovery. Thus, the spirit of scientific exploration and horological rigour forms the core of the RICHARD LANGE JUMPING SECONDS and endows it with a singular pedigree among contemporary timepieces .
A Study in Legibility and Proportion
Adequate praise must be reserved for the dial: an element where the elegant warmth of 750 pink gold is thrown into relief by crisp black markings, lending both modernity and timelessness. The design prioritises clarity, with its largest subdial devoted wholly to the seconds, a direct nod to the model’s raison d’être. Flanking this central stage, two lesser circles display the hours and minutes, arranged with symmetry below and to either side.
An ingenious triangular aperture sits at the intersection, serving as a power-reserve warning; it shifts to red ten hours before the watch exhausts its reserve, a discreet cue to rewind. Each aspect of the dial echoes precision measuring instruments of yesteryear, yet it resonates with unmistakably contemporary craftsmanship.
Calibre L094.1 – deadbeat seconds masterpiece
At the heart of this creation lies the manually wound calibre L094.1, an assembly of 390 finely crafted parts. The movement is a convergence of three mechanisms: a remontoir-equipped constant-force escapement ensures unwavering delivery of energy throughout the watch’s 42-hour power reserve, the jumping seconds mechanism translates this regular impulse into the eponymous “tick” each second, while the ZERO-RESET feature allows the seconds hand to snap to zero when the crown is pulled, thus permitting time setting to exact seconds. The thorough choreography of these mechanisms is visible through the sapphire-crystal caseback. One may observe the remontoir spring replenished every second, the star wheel controlling the jump of the seconds hand, and the arresting spring halting the balance during precise reset.
Committing to Lange’s exemplary standards, the movement is decorated with blued screws, eight screwed gold chatons holding jewels, and the iconic hand-engraved balance cock. The bridges and plates are fabricated from untreated German silver and lavishly finished with an array of traditional techniques, punctuating the manufacture’s reputation for artisanal perfection. The balance wheel is both shock-resistant and equipped with eccentric poising weights, regulated by a lateral setscrew and whiplash spring, achieving superior rate accuracy at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour. Critical to its pedigree, both the remontoir spring and the balance spring are produced in Lange’s own workshops and thus paired for optimal performance. The entire movement is assembled twice, underscoring the dedication to longevity and precision .
Proportion and Materiality
The casing of the RICHARD LANGE JUMPING SECONDS is machined from 750 white gold, set with a sapphire crystal. Its dimensions, unaltered from previous iterations, are delicately balanced for comfort and presence: a diameter of 39.9 millimetres with a slender height of 10.6 millimetres. The matching prong buckle in white gold complements the hand-stitched, dark-brown alligator leather strap, underscoring a fusion of warm and cool tones that accentuates the watch’s unique character. Each edition’s number is engraved, marking its place within an exclusive release.
Beauty and precision
The RICHARD LANGE JUMPING SECONDS stands as a paragon of innovation, forging a nexus between the traditions of Saxon watchmaking and contemporary ingenuity. By harnessing historic references and distilling them through technical enhancement, A. Lange & Söhne gives the seconds hand an unprecedented prominence, championed by a mechanism that remains rare in modern mechanical watches. This new edition, with its evocative pink-gold dial set within luminous white gold, does more than keep time; it elevates precision and aesthetics to the rank of high art, offering collectors a watch that radiates both mastery and soul. In the spirit of continuous improvement and daring creativity – qualities once exemplified by Richard Lange himself – this timepiece quietly asserts its authority, a tribute to heritage allied with the pursuit of new heights .
A. Lange & Söhne RICHARD LANGE JUMPING SECONDS Technical Specifications
Ref. 252.056 – Limited edition of 100 watches, edition number engraving – Price upon request
Functions
- Time indicated in hours, minutes, jumping seconds with stop seconds and ZERO-RESET function;
- End-of-power indication
Movement
- Lange manufacture calibre L094.1, manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand;
- Precision-adjusted in five positions;
- Constant-force escapement with remontoir spring crafted in-house;
- Plates and bridges made of untreated German silver;
- Balance cock engraved by hand
- No. of movement parts: 390
- No. of jewels: 50
- No. of screwed gold chatons: 8
- Escapement: Lever escapement
- Oscillation system:
- Shock-resistant balance wheel with eccentric poising weights;
- superior-quality balance spring manufactured in-house, frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring
- Power reserve: 42 hours when fully wound
- Movement dimensions
- Diameter: 33.6 millimetres;
- Height: 6.0 millimetres
Case
- Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time
- Case dimensions
- Diameter: 39.9 millimetres;
- Height: 10.6 millimetres
- Crystal and transparent caseback: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
- Material: 750 white gold
Dial
- 750 pink gold
- Hands: Hour and minute hands: 750 gold, rhodiumed; seconds hand: steel, rhodiumed
Strap
- Hand-stitched alligator leather, dark-brown
- Buckle: Prong buckle in 750 white gold
