A. Lange & Söhne 1815 200th Anniversary Honey Gold Review

Lange & Söhne decided to give due consideration to the 200th anniversary of the birth of Ferdinand Adolph Lange. Thus, it is not one but two limited series of 1815 40mm whch are dedicated  to this celebration. If the first one, presented in February, was distinguished by its black dial and platinum case, the second one, which was unveiled during the last edition of Watches & Wonders, offers two unique features: the use of a honey gold case and of a solid silver dial with a grained surface.



Indeed, honey gold makes a comeback after having been exclusively introduced in the Lange & Söhne catalogue in 2010 as part of a triptych composed of watches in limited editions to celebrate the 165th anniversary of the creation of the Manufacture by Ferdinand-Adolph Lange: the Tourbograph, the Lange One Tourbillon and the 1815 Moon Phase. If these three pieces were characterized by their special and sophisticated decorative approach (guilloche dial, engraving on the movement etc ...), the 1815 200th anniversary adopts a much purer style that can take full advantage of the potential of honey gold .


Honey gold has two assets: the first one is its resistance two times higher than that of other conventional gold alloys. The second one is the case rendering that according to the light conditions varies within a wide color range. That's the key point with this 1815 200th anniversary. The case seems to continuously change its material, from white gold to yellow gold in a blink of an eye. The watch thus gains in subtlety and warmth compared to the platinum version which rendering is much more stable and neutral.



Unlike the gold models of the permanent collection, the 200th anniversary in 1815 doesn't use the blued steel but gold hands (and made of honey gold). I find again the spirit of the first 1815 that combined rose gold case and hands of the same material with a silver dial. These two hands (not to mention the second hand!) that allow us to know at first glance that we are in the presence of a limited series. Then, by observing more closely the dial, its original texture appears more clearly and its grained appearance stands out. I love the texture that remains very soft unlike some grained dials, including platinum ones, I could see in other contexts. This dial also contributes to the subtlety and elegance of the watch because  it seems first almost identical to the silver dials of the watches of the permanent collection. Then, gradually, the grained rendering becomes more noticeable and defines a dial background that enhances the colors of the case and of the hands: at the end, a simple and welcome idea that brings a truly unique touch to this in 1815.


The 1815 200th anniversary in honey gold is thus a very attractive aesthetic evolution of the 40mm 1815 and is more refined than the platinum version. Moreover, I can still take advantage of all the basic qualities of the original model: the case balance which provides a presence on the wrist without the watch seeming to be disproportionate, the German style that combines rigor and class as evidenced by the Arabic numerals, the index and the peripheral minutes railroad and I don't want to forget to mention the performance of the L051.1 movement. The latter has a 3 Hz frequency and a power reserve of 55 hours. Finished with care and featuring a very pleasant lay-out, it is appreciated primarily for its daily use thanks to the perfect feeling it provides when we wind it ... a real plus for a hand-wound watch.

The L051.1 movement powers the two limited editions:




So obviously, as I had the same point of view with the platinum limited edition, I regret that Lange & Söhne has not been more daring for a watch which celebrates an important birthday by, for example, adding a complication. But the comeback of honey gold in a more sober context than that of the 2010 triptych is excellent news and the grained dial is a true originality from the Saxon Manufacture. We don't have to spoil our fun, this 1815 is after all one of the finest three hands watches of the high horology segment.




Thanks a lot to the Lange & Söhne team of the rue de la Paix boutique.

Pros:
+ The pleasure of finding again  the honey gold material  in a more sober context
+ The touch of originality brought by the grained dial
+ The pleasure of the daily winding of the L051.1 movement
+ A dress watch with a beautiful presence on the wrist while keeping a reasonable size

Cons:
- Two limited series based on the same watch celebrating the same birthday, is it not one too many?

Fx This message has been edited by foversta on 2015-12-01 14:44:04