The new 1815 TOURBILLON in platinum is the latest chapter in A. Lange & Söhne’s legacy for uncompromising precision, technical clarity and refined craftsmanship. With only fifty pieces to be made, it stands as a beacon of what the Saxon manufacture can achieve when tradition and innovation are brought together under one grand-feu enamel dial. This piece is a tribute to the legacy of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, in a dynamic and contemporary interpretation, where every detail reveals an unwavering dedication to the pursuit of horological perfection.
A short introduction of the 1815 model
1815, A. Lange & Söhne’s emblematic model line, draws its name from the birth year of its legendary founder, Ferdinand Adolph Lange. Rooted in the golden age of precision timekeeping, the 1815 family references both the technical and aesthetic cues of nineteenth-century pocket watches that first established Saxony’s credentials as a centre of mechanical watchmaking. In the modern era, the 1815 has continually served as the canvas upon which Lange has demonstrated its mastery of complications and finishing. The original 1815 TOURBILLON, launched in 2014 in platinum and pink gold, set a new benchmark with its combination of stop seconds and ZERO-RESET, a technical feat that responded directly to the need for precise time-setting – long the holy grail of tourbillon design. Subsequent editions, including the HANDWERKSKUNST variant and models featuring enamel dials, have deepened the family’s reputation among collectors and connoisseurs for blending classic design with contemporary technical advances.
Tourbillon on black
At the heart of the new platinum 1815 TOURBILLON lies a jet-black, grand-feu enamel dial, the twelfth such from Lange’s workshops. Enamel dials of this calibre are rare in haute horlogerie, demanding time, patience and immense skill. The process begins with a base of white gold, upon which enamel pigments are crushed, applied and fired multiple times to achieve a surface of profound depth and flawless lustre. The result is a dial that not only possesses a brilliant, near-endless surface but also allows crisp markings and details to shine in sharp relief.
A generous aperture at six o’clock frames the tourbillon in full view, reinforcing the technical heart of the watch while inviting inspection of Lange’s finishing techniques. Traditional yet eminently readable Arabic numerals anchor the dial – a design cue that harks directly to the pocket watches of Ferdinand Adolph Lange. Around the periphery, the railway-track minute scale is rendered with absolute precision, evoking the age of punctual railway travel and the spread of mechanical timekeeping in nineteenth-century Europe. Each marker and numeral is flush with the enamel, thanks to an exacting final treatment, while the circular tourbillon aperture is chamfered by hand, requiring the highest degree of dexterity to avoid fracturing the delicate enamel layer. The entire process for each dial comprises well over one hundred individual procedures, with the final product displaying both radiant gloss and intriguing depth – a true showcase for the art of dial making.
The mighty Calibre L102.1
Within the platinum case beats the Lange manufacture calibre L102.1, a movement that provides an unparalleled demonstration of technical ingenuity and artisanal finishing. Manually wound and assembled to Lange’s strictest standards, it comprises 262 individual components, with escapement adjusted in five positions and finished by hand. The plates and bridges are crafted in untreated German silver, instantly recognisable by their warm, matte hue and treasured for their ability to develop a delicate patina over time. The three-quarter plate, a direct legacy from Lange’s pocket watches, provides both structural stability and a glorious canvas for finishing, while screwed gold chatons and a diamond endstone at the centre of the tourbillon recall the 1A-quality pieces from the company’s earliest years.
The escapement is Lange’s lever type, with the oscillation system comprised of a shock-resistant screw balance and a superb-quality balance spring, manufactured entirely in house. Operating at 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, the calibre delivers a dependable 72-hour power reserve. Finishing is exacting throughout: the seconds bridge is engraved by hand, while the upper section of the tourbillon cage and the tourbillon bridge bear extraordinary black polish – a technique requiring hours of uniform polishing with special pastes, resulting in a surface that alternates between mirror gloss and black sheen, depending on the angle viewed. The movement’s 21 jewels, supported by four screwed gold chatons and a diamond endstone, complete a scheme dedicated to minimal friction and maximum longevity.
The technical highlight, however, remains the one-minute tourbillon equipped with Lange’s singular stop-seconds mechanism and ZERO-RESET function. These allow for the movement to be halted at any precise moment by pulling out the crown, with the seconds hand instantly jumping to zero, enabling the time to be set with immaculate accuracy. Such a complication, particularly as applied to a tourbillon, is found only in the rarest echelon of watchmaking, and positions the 1815 TOURBILLON among the world’s most technically advanced wristwatches.
Just under 40 mm – a perfect size
Enclosing this mechanical spectacle is a platinum case that measures 39.5 millimetres across and 11.3 millimetres in thickness, ensuring both presence and comfort on the wrist. The case’s proportions are a considered blend of strong, modern lines and classic elegance, suited perfectly for formal wear yet robust enough for everyday use. A sapphire-crystal glass, rated at Mohs hardness 9, protects the dial and provides clarity and resilience, while a sapphire caseback allows the owner to admire the handiwork of Lange’s watchmakers at all times.
The dial itself starts as a plate of 750 white gold, subsequently rendered in black enamel, while the hands are fashioned from gold. The seconds hand receives additional rhodium plating. Completing the composition is a glossy black, hand-stitched alligator leather strap, closed by a deployant buckle in platinum, offering both assurance and sophistication. The limited edition of 50 pieces is attested to by an edition number engraving, underscoring the exclusivity and collectability of this reference.
A Saxon masterpiece
The 1815 TOURBILLON in platinum with a jet-black grand-feu enamel dial is a timepiece that resides at the intersection of artisanat and engineering, tradition and innovation. It stands not only as a homage to the mechanical genius of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, but also as a statement of A. Lange & Söhne’s willingness to advance the boundaries of precision timekeeping in the present era. The application of enamel dial work, the superb hand-finishing throughout, and the technical wizardry of the stop-seconds tourbillon and ZERO-RESET mechanism collectively elevate this edition far above the conventional definitions of luxury. With each component refined and assembled in Glashütte, this watch offers collectors and aficionados a rare opportunity to own a living embodiment of Saxon horological art.
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 TOURBILLON Platinum Technical Specifications
Ref. 730.094F Limited edition of 50 watches, edition number engraving, pric
Functions
- Time indicated in hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds,
- One-minute tourbillon with stop seconds and ZERO-RESET mechanism
Movement
- Lange manufacture calibre L102.1,
- manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand;
- precision-adjusted in five positions;
- plates and bridges made of untreated German silver;
- seconds bridge engraved by hand
- No. of movement parts: 262
- No. of jewels: 21, including 1 diamond endstone
- No. of screwed gold chatons: 4
- Escapement: Lever escapement
- Oscillation system:
- Shock-resistant screw balance;
- superior-quality balance spring manufactured in-house, frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour
- Power reserve: 72 hours when fully wound
- Movement dimensions:
- Diameter: 32.6 millimetres;
- height: 6.6 millimetres
Case
- 950 platinum
- Operating elements:
- Crown for winding the watch, setting the time and operating the ZERO-RESET mechanism
- Case dimensions
- Diameter: 39.5 millimetres;
- height: 11.3 millimetres
- Crystal and transparent caseback: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9)
Dial
- 750 white gold, black enamelled
- Hour and minute hands: 750 gold; seconds hand: 750 gold, rhodiumed
Strap
- Hand-stitched alligator leather, glossy black
- Deployant buckle in 950 platinum
