Unmistakably German Tourbillon

The Tourbillon - many brands develop watches with tourbillon as a sign of sophistication but not many make their own in-house tourbillon. In this case, the folks at Lange & Sohne do.

Not only do the team at AL&S develop their own tourbillon, they included it into their iconic Lange 1. Enjoy the picture of this tourbillon.

More to come. Stay tuned!

Lange 1815 Chrono - Pure & Classical

Lange has always made good chronograph and the Datograph is a dream watch on many collectors' list. I like the Datograph too but I finally settled for the 1815 Chronograph.

Two reasons I chose the 1815 chrono - as a chronograph, it is more "pure" to have no date. And additionally, they Lange does not have the Datograph in White Gold. And actually a third reason - price. For the date, one has to fork out a lot more… Hence the 1815 chrono over the Datograph. A clean and "pure" chronograph.

I have always liked the Lange chronograph - a clean display. And the white gold example is my favorite - unless of course Lange comes out with the grey dial version of Datograph… The white gold cased white dial version is clean and "unobtrusive". I love the look.

The lovely blued hands are an attraction in itself. Visually appealing and extremely matching to the dial, this was the clincher for me.

And that is a Lange without looking at the movement - a work of art!

Unlike many other chronographs, the Lange example features a jumping minute counter. And the aesthetics on the movement is amazing! Another winner for me.

The blued steel screws and jewels add to the aesthetics of the movement. The movement features a column wheel chronograph.

And the signature hand engraved balance cock. A true work of artisanship.

My only one gripe about the 1815 chrono is the small winding crown. Lange could have made it a little larger for I find it a little hard to wind - I have rather fat fingers. The chrono pushers are smooth and responsive.

My next search is for the rose gold black dial version of the 1815 chrono. And then the "set" will be one more step "complete". I have to check with the good guys at Lange as I understand that there was a yellow gold version too.

Special Lange One - Mother of Pearl Dial

I saw the Lange One Mother-of-Pearl dial once at the retailer Sincere and for the longest time, would have loved to buy that for my wife - the Little Lange Version. But then again, its not cheap especially when it comes with a diamond bezel.

I was lucky to acquire the Lange one Mother-of-Pearl (MOP) for a friend of mine and was able to briefly photograph the watch.

Some say the Lange 1 MOP is rather feminine but I think the watch is versatile - good for both sexes. This example comes in a white gold case with white gold hands and markers.

The engraved MOP dial is a work of art - truly!

The way the color reflects off the MOP dial is also beautiful.

And as one would expect, the hands and markers are well finished to the highest standards.

Honestly, I can wear this any time. I don't find this too feminine at all. A well engraved MOP dial can only bring out the best in the Lange One. Check out my post on my first dream watch, the Lange One.

My First Dream Watch - Lange 1

I have always admired Lange as a brand and very much thanks to the Sincere Watch Academy, I learnt a lot more about the brand and the iconic pieces. Lange One was for me the icon of the brand.

The Lange One has always been on my desired list and when one was available at the "right" price, I pulled the trigger. For a three handed watch with a large date display, the Lange One is simple but does not come cheap… at least not for me.

In my opinion, this is the most balanced off-centre display of any watch I know. The large date at one o'clock is the signature of Lange. The power reserve indicator between 2 and 4 o'clock is non-linear.

The white dial with rose gold case definitely works for me - classy! The finishing on the Lange is as one would expect - excellent! The gold markers and indicators are well finished.

And now on to the movement side. Made of "german silver", the patina on this example is great. Finished with Glashutte ribbing, the three quarter plate is another signature of Lange and watches made in Glashutte.

The blued screws and pink jewels add to the beauty of the movement. And the engraved balance cock is also another beauty.

For the longest time, the Lange One was for me a "must-have" watch. Even my wife likes the Lange One - no brainer right? After all, it is a beauty in every respect. The Lange One has many iterations and I was lucky enough to handle the guilloché Mother-of-Pearl dial version. Another feature coming up soon.

Another look at the Lange One during the get-together organized by Lange. Here is the report for that GTG.

Lange Pocket Watch - A 1908 Gem

The things one find in a hidden store somewhere in Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hong Kong. I like walking into these small shops not expecting anything but coming out impressed by what you find. Such is the story of my Lange pocket watch.

I was waiting for a friend to pick me up at the Hotel Nikko along Mody Road and I thought since I had another half an hour that I would walk into one of the shopping centers to explore. Perched on the 2nd floor and one corner of the shopping centre (can't remember the name) was this shop displaying several vintage watches. The owner saw me standing at the window display and buzzed me in. What first caught my eyes was a fully dis-assembled Lange & Sohne pocket watch movement.

Pristine condition and definitely well kept. Wilson, the shop owner told me the case was sent for polishing. I expressed my interest and left my contact. A few weeks later as promised, Wilson sent me an email and told me the pocket watch was ready and that he wanted to sell it. I sought the advice of Manfred in AL&S HK and he told me it looked authentic - good enough for me. So I bought it!

I had a friend Stefan pick it up and he brought it back for me. And wow! What a beauty! The enamel dial is in pristine condition. The Louis-XV hands are also in good condition.

The case as Wilson had explained was well restored and polished to the point of brand new. The rose gold case was restored to its former glory. Unblemished and without engraving. Its a double hunter case.

And the movement, well it is in great condition. The movement measures 41mm and is what they consider a "flat design".

I had sent the pictures to the Lange Manufactory and applied for its archive papers. Based on the serial number, Lange says the watch was sold to a company (presumably retailer) in Frankfurt in 1908. Certificate says it is a Calibre 41 movement & the manufacturer is A. Lange & Sohne, Glashutte.

Thanks to my good friend Prof Harry Tan for for this image.

So the next time you have time on your hands, take a walk into one of those old shopping centers in Hong kong. You may not know what you will find.