A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange (Call me by my name)
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree; this phrase perfectly describes Richard Lange, the eldest son of Ferdinand Adolph Lange. Not only did this "apple" inherit the business, but he also continuously developed watchmaking innovations. Beyond the art of watchmaking, his interest in science was applied to his craft by incorporating beryllium into the hairspring, ensuring stability despite temperature changes and providing excellent elasticity.
In 2013, the brand A. Lange & Söhne created a timepiece in his honor, the Richard Lange. Reference 232.026 was designed with simplicity in mind, with every element carefully considered under the "observation watch" criteria, intended for scientific observation. It emphasizes ease of time-reading with a white dial, Roman numeral markers, and blue steel hands, which are heat-treated to achieve their color. Typically, watches feature a small seconds sub-dial, but here it is replaced by a central seconds hand. The seconds scale is divided into six segments, allowing for time reading to the 1/6th of a second, which corresponds to the watch's 21,600 vibrations per hour frequency. The 40.5 mm case size is larger than a standard dress watch, catering to its functional purpose. It offers a 38-hour power reserve and is powered by the Calibre L041.2 movement.
The exhibition case back reveals exquisite craftsmanship. We can observe the Glashütte stripe finish (Côtes de Genève) on the bridges, heat-blued screws securing the bridges to the main plate, and gold chatons. The hand-engraved pattern on the balance cock is unique to each piece, depending on the individual craftsman. In fact, just by looking at the engraving at the factory, one can immediately identify which master artisan created this masterpiece of art.
RICHARD LANGE – A. Lange & Söhne
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References
: https://www.alange-soehne.com/en/timepieces/richard-lange
: https://watchessiam.com/2019/07/28/a-lange-sohne-movement-detailing/
: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/hands-on-with-the-a-lange-shne-richard-lange-boutique-edition
: https://www.alange-soehne.com/en/stories/richard-lange-watch-family
: https://watchbase.com/a-lange-sohne/caliber/l041-2
