Richard Lange Richard Lange
Perpetual calendar "Stars and Moon Phases" watch in 18K rose gold
When it comes to the A. Lange & S hne brand, watch fans think of two people for the first time: Ferdinand Adolph Lange, the founder of the brand, and Walter Lange, the fourth generation of the revived family. However, Lange's achievements are inseparable from another key figure, Richard Lange.
Richard Lange, born in 1845, was the eldest son of Ferdinando Adolf Lange. He began studying watchmaking at the age of 15, first as a four-year apprentice in his father's company, learning theory from the watchmaker Moritz Grossman, and then entering the Royal Master of Crafts School in Chemnitz to further his professional skills. After leaving Germany, he studied in the workshop of Vissière, a chronometer manufacturer in Le Havre, France, and Friedrich Bhme, a watchmaking specialist in London. In 1868, he joined his father's firm as a partner as an experienced and recognized watchmaking specialist.
Richard Lange's Richard Lange watch in 18K white gold
Richard Lange was talented in materials science and was arguably the most creative member of the Lange family. He improved his father's design of the second jump function and placed it on the iconic three-quarter splint of Saxon watchmaking. He invented as many as 27 patented technologies in his lifetime, which played a key role in promoting the development of precision watchmaking. One of his most notable achievements was the discovery that alloys with beryllium metal could improve the hardness and elasticity of the hairspring, and he applied for a patent in 1930. Richard Lange's inventions fueled the progress and evolution of chronometers, and in tribute to this pioneer of watchmaking, Lange launched a series of watches in 2006 under the name Richard Lange Richard Lange, aiming to revive the glorious tradition of chronometers.
Just as the chronometer of that year was based on precision as the primary condition, the entire Richard Lange Richard Lange series of watches also placed special emphasis on precision, interpreting the design of the Lange large chronometer that began in the 1930s. The simplest three-pin model in the series is praised by fans as "the most beautiful three-pin", because it is not only equipped with a movement with precision in the process, but also achieves the ultimate precision from the design ratio to the process polishing. In 2013, Lange & Söhne launched a store-exclusive version of this three-pin sweeping second watch, with an 18-carat white gold case with blue steel hands, and only a few pieces are produced by hand each year.
Richard Lange's Richard Lange Watch in 18K White Gold
After that, the Richard Lange Richard Lange Seconds Jumper brought the concept of a chronometer to the new frontier, combining a second constant power escapement system, a second jump device, and a zero function, reflecting the characteristics of the chronometer - reliable, accurate and easy to read. The dial is laid out in a timer layout, with a large circle of seconds at the top that draws attention to the smallest of the three time units. The triple overlapping time display dates back to an observatory pocket watch dating back to 1807. At the intersection of the time and minute displays in the lower half of the dial, there is also a particularly eye-catching function - the watch's power reserve changes from white to red 10 hours before the power reserve is exhausted.
Also with a chronograph dial layout, the Richard Lange Richard Lange Tourbillon "Medal of Honor" watch, which was released in 2011, represents a milestone in Lange's return to the throne of complications. It is equipped with a sesame chain drive system that ensures that the movement is driven by constant torque throughout the entire power reserve. Two hundred years after the tourbillon was introduced, Lange finally found a way to stop the tourbillon in this watch, ensuring that the time setting was not bad. Where the time and minute displays intersect, there is an innovative patented rotating dial that fills the gap in the hour circle and allows people to see the fascinating tourbillon at any time.
Tourbillon "Medal of Honor" watch in 18K white gold
In order to ensure the highest level of precision in the movement, the Richard Lange Richard Lange Perpetual Calendar "Starry Moon Phase" watch not only balance springs, but also the central perpetual gossam of the constant-power escapement system are also manufactured by the brand itself. In addition to time, the watch can accurately display the number of days in each month of the year and even leap years, without adjustment until 2100 years ago, and a moon phase display showing the position of the moon relative to the earth and the sun, which needs to be corrected for one day every 1058 years. In the spirit of Richard Lange's innovation, this patented device, called the Orbital Moon Phase Display, opens up new ideas for traditional moon phase functions.
Photography Qianyun
Written by Little Black
Edited by Ho Ye