The new special edition of the 1815 TOURBILLON puts the eponymous complication in the limelight, readily visible through the generous aperture at 6 o’clock. Through its rotation, the delicate mechanism for improving rate accuracy constantly changes the position of the balance, thus compensating for the influence of gravity on the oscillation system.
Beyond precision
The implementation of this mechanism considerably transcends the conventional solution. In their pursuit of continued evolution, the Lange engineers equipped the traditional complication with two additional functions, only to be perceived on closer inspection. The stop-seconds device for the tourbillon makes it possible to stop the watch by pulling the crown and subsequently, to precisely set the time. Simultaneously, the ZERO-RESET mechanism assures that the seconds hand instantly jumps to the zero position. Therefore, the minute hand can be precisely aligned with a minute marker.
Unsurpassed artisanship
In terms of aesthetic appeal, the 1815 TOURBILLON invites the observer on a voyage of discovery into the depths of the timepiece. The tourbillon bridge and the upper section of the cage are embellished with elaborate black polish, constituting eye-catching highlights. This technique involves using special abrasive pastes and uniformly sliding the workpiece with just the right pressure across a tin plate by hand until the surface has a mirror gloss when viewed from a certain angle. And from another perspective, it has a jet-black sheen.
Patience for perfection
The radiant appearance of the 1815 TOURBILLON results from the elegant combination of a platinum case with a jet-black, grand-feu enamel dial, crafted in the manufacture from the first to the very last step: this includes preparing the basic dial in white gold, crushing and applying the enamel pigments, multiple firing procedures and the final surface treatment. Additionally, the circular aperture for the tourbillon is chamfered by hand, a task that requires extreme dexterity to prevent damage to the enamel layer. Crafting a single enamel dial comprises more than one hundred individual procedures: unsurprisingly, it takes several weeks to complete each one of these works of art.
The immaculate surface with its intriguing depth elegantly frames the tourbillon and crisply contrasts with the flush markings and the scale that are typical of the 1815 watch family. Further traditional design characteristics include the eminently legible Arabic numerals as well as the peripheral railway-track minute scale which is reminiscent of the 19th-century golden age of rail travel. This development strongly influenced the dispersal of mechanical precision timepieces.
A glance behind the scenes
The lavishly finished manufacture calibre L102.1 can be admired through the sapphire-crystal caseback. It features a freely oscillating Lange balance spring and a traditional screw balance that assure superb rate accuracy across the entire power-reserve duration of 72 hours. It operates at a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour.
In the centre of the tourbillon, a diamond endstone secured by a screwed gold chaton provides a striking focal point. The traditional element that A. Lange & Söhne once equipped the most precious 1A-quality watches with represents the lustrous highlight of this precision mechanical masterpiece.
“Many of the traditional elements are legacy features of Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s pocket watches – for instance the three-quarter plate made of untreated German silver, the screwed gold chatons or the diamond endstone for the tourbillon, ” explains Anthony de Haas, Director of Product Development at A. Lange & Söhne. “At the same time, the 1815 TOURBILLON is emblematic of our manufacture’s ambition to continuously evolve this tradition. Hence, our watchmakers took the tourbillon ‒ invented 200 years ago with the goal of improving rate accuracy ‒ to the next level, giving it a contemporary interpretation. Thanks to the stop-seconds device and the ZERO-RESET function, the watch not only runs with the utmost accuracy, it can also be set with superb precision. ”
With a case diameter of 39.5 millimetres and a height of 11.3 millimetres, the new stylish platinum edition with its black enamel dial assures a snug fit on the wrist. It is the fifth model version of the 1815 TOURBILLON and the twelfth Lange timepiece showcasing an enamel dial. In 2014, the watch was launched in a platinum edition limited to 30 pieces as well as an unlimited version in pink gold. Its successor, the 1815 TOURBILLON HANDWERKSKUNST boasting exceptional dial and movement decorations was introduced in a limited edition of 30 watches in 2015. Three years later, the manufacture presented the 1815 TOURBILLON in platinum with a white enamel dial.
