The tenth Concours of Elegance, which took place from 2 to 4 September 2022 in the magnificent parks and gardens of the Hampton Court Palace near London provided the perfect setting for A. Lange & Söhne. Once again, the German manufactory presented exquisite masterpieces of Saxon precision watchmaking. In special focus: The 1815 CHRONOGRAPH Hampton Court Edition, which will be auctioned off by the auction house Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the Geneva Watch Auction XVI on 6 November 2022 for the benefit of The Prince’s Trust.
The Concours of Elegance is the annual highlight of the classic car scene in the United Kingdom. Since 2018, A. Lange & Söhne has been a partner of this prestigious beauty competition for automotive jewels, which took place last weekend in the spacious grounds of Hampton Court on the outskirts of London and all went as smoothly as could be hoped for. The four-wheeled works of art, lovingly restored by their proud owners and perfectly presented, invited us on a journey through the history of automotive development in the last century and reflected the entire spectrum of the fascination with motorsport. Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, also shares this enthusiasm. As a lover of classic automobiles, he appreciates the parallels between precision watchmaking and first-rate classic cars: “Like firstclass timepieces, the historic vehicles on display here are a piece of cultural heritage that represents the endeavour for the perfect combination of aesthetics and technology. The beauty and elegance of automobiles has touched and inspired for generations. To make sure the charm of these works of art is kept alive, their owners put a lot of time and passion into each piece, no matter how small. This dedication to detail also characterises our watches, which show us just how precious time is,” emphasises Wilhelm Schmid. “The passion for technology and the extraordinary comes to life at the Concours. That’s why it was a great pleasure for us to share our enthusiasm for the elegance of the mechanics with like-minded people.”
A unique piece for a good cause
A highlight of this year’s event was the presentation of the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH “Hampton Court Edition”. This exclusively manufactured timepiece will be auctioned off by the auction house Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the Geneva Watch Auction XVI on 6 November 2022 to raise funds for The Prince’s Trust. The aim of the British youth charity: to help young people between aged between 11 and 30 get into jobs, education and training.
The unique chronograph with flyback function combines classic design with masterful mechanics and is also labelled as a one-off with the limited-edition engraving “Unique piece”. Equipped with a 39.5-millimetre solid white-gold case, it features a combination of a black dial and sandstone-coloured numerals that is unique to Lange timepieces. Behind the hinged cuvette, hand-engraved with the Concours of Elegance logo, is a chronograph movement designed and manufactured in-house with column-wheel control, whose 306 parts are assembled twice, as is the case with any Lange watch. With a frequency of 18,000 semi oscillations per hour (2.5 hertz), the calibre L951.5, finished according to the highest watchmaking standards, makes it possible to measure stop times to an accuracy of one-fifth of a second.
“In line with our company tradition and our philosophy to never stand still, we also want to make a contribution from a social perspective,” emphasises Wilhelm Schmid. “Our aim is to support future generations in recognising their potential and preparing them for their professional future. We have been committed to this for 25 years as a training company and now also by supporting The Prince’s Trust. After the great start at the Concours, we are already seeing that our cause is being heard. The more people we can impress with the timepiece and the purpose for which it was made, the greater the chances of raising as much money as possible for the important work of The Prince’s Trust.”
For more information about the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH “Hampton Court Edition”, please visit www.alange-soehne.com/auction.
About A. Lange & Söhne
Dresden watchmaker Ferdinand Adolph Lange laid the cornerstone of Saxony’s precision watchmaking industry when he established his manufactory in 1845. His precious pocket watches remain highly coveted among collectors all over the world. The company was expropriated after the Second World War, and the name A. Lange & Söhne nearly vanished. But in 1990, Walter Lange, Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s great-grandson, ventured to start over again. Today, Lange crafts only a few thousand wristwatches, mainly in gold or platinum, per year. They are endowed exclusively with proprietary movements that are lavishly decorated and twice assembled by hand. With 69 manufacture calibres developed since 1990, A. Lange & Söhne has secured a top-tier position among the world’s finest watch brands. Its greatest successes include brand icons such as the LANGE 1, the first regularly produced wristwatch with an outsize date, and the ZEITWERK, with its precisely jumping numerals. Extraordinary complications such as the ZEITWERK MINUTE REPEATER, the TRIPLE SPLIT and the so far most complicated model, the GRAND COMPLICATION, introduced in 2013 in a limited edition of six, represent what the manufactory always strives for: to drive the traditional art of watchmaking to ever-new heights. The sporty yet elegant ODYSSEUS, introduced in 2019, marked the start of a new chapter for A. Lange & Söhne.