2011 is a year of the small and focused collection for Lange. At one end of the spectrum, the entire Saxonia range was revised with four new models joining the range. Like the Saxonia Annual Calendar of 2010, the new Saxonia models this year are commercially minded and clearly aimed at filling holes in the product range.
Two key design elements of the new Saxonia watches are the minute track and sloped dial flange.
The slimmest of the additions is Saxonia Thin, available only in rose gold. At 40 mm and 5.9 mm high, its dimensions are not what one usually associates with Lange. The movement has exposed barrel ratchet and transmission wheel for slimness.
Also hand-wound is the entry level Saxonia which is a modest 37 mm in diameter. Inside sits the calibre 941.1 from the old 1815. This is available in three colours of gold.
Slightly larger is the Saxonia Automatik at 38.5 mm. Though at first glance this is reminiscent of the Lange Daymatic movement because of the rotor, there are differences. As a lower priced watch the movement has a gold-plated centre section of the rotor with a platinum outer mass. And the movement is less elaborate in other ways like the lack of jewels in screwed gold chatons for instance. While still lavishly decorated by most standards, this is the most frugal looking Lange movement in my mind.
Built on the same base movement as the Automatik is the Saxonia Dual Time. This is a straightforward dual time zone watch with the home time hand in blue steel and the day/night indicator at 12 o’clock. When not needed the home time hand can be hidden under the local time hour hand. And the buttons on the case advance the local time hand forwards or backwards in one hour intervals. Like the Saxonia Automatik this is only in rose or white gold.
The final addition to the Saxonia range is the hand-wound Little Saxonia for ladies. These are available in three colours of gold, with diamond bezels and guilloche mother-of-pearl dials.
Now on to the complications, starting with the Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour le Mérite that was previewed before SIHH. It is an impressive watch, whether you like the design or not.
Based on a vintage regulator pocket watch, this watch combines two developments from past Lange tourbillon watches: the chain-and-fusee and the hack seconds tourbillon. In addition it has an hours disc that jumps at six o’clock to bridge the hour track from eight to ten, before jumping back at 12 o’clock. This gives an unimpeded view of the tourbillon from 12 to six.
Hours disc retracted
And extended
Compare this with the movement of the first Pour le Mérite tourbillon and you will see more openings exposing more of the movement. This continues a trend for Lange I have discerned in recent years, the desire to expose more of the movement, both on the front and the back.
The new Richard Lange will be a limited edition of 100 pieces in platinum and regular production in rose gold.
The last complication from Lange might very well be a prelude to a more complicated striking watch later on. The Zeitwerk Striking Time is a jumping hour with quarter striking mechanism – a high tone on the quarters and a low tone on the hour.
Based on the Zeitwerk movement with the addition of the striking mechanism to the top of the movement, the hammers are visible on the dial while the gongs sit in the void between the dial and the case. Combined with the jumping hours, there is a flurry of activity on the dial at the top of the hour.
Though it does not seem that much larger than the original Zeitwerk, this is 2 mm bigger at 44.2 mm.
In platinum with a silver dial this is limited to 100 pieces while the white gold with black dial is regular production.
- SJX
This message has been edited by SJX on 2011-01-30 06:11:41 This message has been edited by AnthonyTsai on 2011-01-30 16:16:08