The Unexpected A. Lange & Söhne 1815 34mm

Now that the mud has settled after Watches & Wonders, it’s time to forged a watch on an surprising watch from A. Lange & Söhne. Whereas the development for extra compact case diameters has taken maintain of the market, A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 watch takes a a lot bolder step with its surprisingly small 34mm 1815 watch. As one of many few, if not solely, 34mm high-end costume watches, it takes guts to go under the invisible 36mm ceiling. Simply to be clear, although, the diminutive proportions of the brand new 1815 weren’t, because the model factors out, created to attraction to girls. As an alternative, the catch-all idea of the 1815 is “an much more discreet model” of the basic three-hand watch, designed as “the best companion for a enterprise day”.  Whereas the phrase ‘understated’ is repeated time and again, this watch is not at all a demure wallflower and has plain wrist presence. And whereas the case has shrunk, the ability reserve has elevated due to the incorporation of Lange’s 75^th in-house motion.

The Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon’s exile to St Helena and the delivery of Ferdinand Adolph Lange in Dresden all occurred in 1815. For anybody outdoors the realm of watchmaking, the third merchandise on the checklist can be met with a clean gaze. Nonetheless, for watch lovers, the title Ferdinand Adolph Lange is synonymous with the very most interesting custom of German watchmaking, a convention he established within the small city of Glashütte, simply outdoors Dresden.

The 1815 assortment, which honours the founder’s delivery yr, is as basic as they arrive. Amidst the extra sophisticated fashions is the simple time-only 1815 reference that debuted in 1995 in a 36mm case. Over time, the case dimension has fluctuated from 40mm in 2009 again right down to a mid-size 38.5mm in 2014, which continues to be within the catalogue. Regardless of modifications in case dimension, the 1815 has at all times been trustworthy to the founder’s refined precision pocket watches with Arabic numerals and the signature railway-track minutes scale.

One factor is downsizing a watch; one other is making a balanced, well-proportioned case. Combining its 36mm diameter with a slim top of simply 6.4mm, the refined measurements are nearer to classic costume watches than anything you would possibly discover available on the market. Patek Philippe’s new Calatrava 6196, lengthy thought-about the sovereign of costume watches, has a 38mm diameter coupled with a thickness of 9.3mm.

With out frightening a debate on the best proportions of a costume watch, I used to be involved that the 1815 can be too small to be taken critically. Nicely, seeing the watch and the pictures of the 1815 on Brice’s 16.5cm wrist, I stand corrected. Removed from trying small and fussy and even too skinny and delicate regardless of its profile of 6.4mm, the watch has character and presence on the wrist.

Contributing to its persona is the spherical and polished bezel, which lends the watch a way of quantity. Nonetheless, in contrast to many costume watches which might be polished all through, the 1815 performs with completely different finishes. Coupled with the pleasing heft of stable gold, the brushed case center transitioning to the curving lugs is framed between two skinny polished chamfers, giving the watch corporeality and packing a visible punch.  It’s curious to notice that the white gold mannequin seems barely bigger than the rose gold…

The dial is made from stable 925 silver and includes a blue end, a color normally reserved for restricted editions. Subtly layered, the centre is recessed, and the small seconds counter is embellished with snailing. Like historic Lange pocket watches, the numerals are Arabic, the subsidiary seconds counter is positioned at 6 o’clock, and the minutes are indicated in a railway-track scale. Charming particulars of the 1815 embody the white dots positioned contained in the peripheral minutes observe with three dots and a line marking 12, 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. There may be at all times a danger in smaller watches for the minute hand to be shortened, making it tougher to inform the 2 aside. The elegant lance-shaped fingers, that are a trademark function of the 1815 household, are clearly differentiated, and the elongated minutes hand reaches all the best way to the sting of the dial.

In response to CEO Wilhelm Schmid, the smaller case dimension referred to as for a smaller motion. The calibre L152.1 marks Lange’s 75^th in-house motion, not too shabby for an organization that was resuscitated in 1994. We’ve got but to find out whether or not the brand new calibre is a re-engineered model of the present L051.1 used within the 38.5mm 1815 fashions or a model new calibre, however suffice it to say, it pumps up the ability reserve from 55 hours to 72 hours, which is an enormous plus. Measuring 28.1mm throughout with a thickness of two.9mm, the ultra-slim motion beats at 21,600vph. Embellished to Lange’s exacting requirements, the hand-engraved stability cock, the three-quarter German silver plate with Glashütte ribbing, the gold chatons, blued screws and swan neck regulator will be admired by way of the caseback.

The 1815 is paired with an alligator strap and matching gold pin buckle. Value, as is the case with Lange’s watches, is claimed to be upon request, however we will verify it to be EUR 27,000. Extra particulars at alange-soehne.com.