Saxonia and Saxonia Automatic
Saxonia - Diameter: 37.0 millimetres; height: 7.8 millimetres; YG, WG and RG
Both watches have a very good size for 24hours/5days and recent taste.
Retrospect of the Saxonia family:
- Saxonia, manually wound, 33,9mm, caliber L941.3
- Saxonia, automatic, 37mm, caliber L921.4 SAX-O-MAT with Zero-Reset
- Saxonia, manual winding, 37mm, caliber L941.1
(Movement from discontinued first 1815) - Grand Saxonia, automatic, 40mm, caliber L921.2 SAX-O-MAT with Zero-Reset
- Saxonia Automatic, automatic, 38,5mm, caliber L086.1
- Saxonia, manual winding, 37mm, caliber L941.1
(Movement from discontinued first 1815)
The first one was introduced in 1994 (first collection!), number two, three and four show major changes and have been introduced in 2007. The new ones (number five and six) show subtle design modifications and the Automatic got a new movement. From my point of view the design changes are very positive, but I am still not sure about the new automatic movement. The SAX-O-MAT with Zero-Reset was just too nice.
Competitors – there are quite a few (PP, VC, JLC, Piaget …), but at the end of the day a Lange is a Lange and there is no reason to be shy.
Zeitwerk Striking Time
THE icon of the last century of watchmaking was the Lange 1 for me and the Zeitwerk is probably the icon of the current century, when we talk about a new approach in showing the time. When presented in 2009 the “basic” Zeitwerk was a huge surprise and I expected to see more complicated versions like we have seen from the Lange 1. The first complication now is the Zeitwerk Striking Time, which is a first step in a new dimension for Lange. It is not a Minute Repeater, not a Grande Sonnerie, but hey 2011 is not THE year for big complications like I mentioned above – at least so far.
Anyway, does it look good? Yes, without hesitations. The two hammers and gongs fit perfectly in the layout of the Zeitwerk.
As important as is the look is the sound. What I can say from what I heard so far - a pleasing sounding and very promising for what will be coming, for sure.
Chiming mechanism L043.2 L043.1
The movements caliber L043.2 (Striking hour) and the L043.1 look very similar and far left is the chiming mechanism shown. Lange refers to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 with its four-note fanfare opening and indeed the watch strikes four times in one hour – ding, ding, ding, dong (all fifteen minutes and the “lower pitch” at the full hour).
The watch is 44,2mm and feels too big on my 6.5” wrist, but even the “basic” Zeitwerk (41,9mm) is not a small watch. Given bigger wrists, I would be more than proud to see the first step in to a new dimension (for ALS) on my wrist. It is not a 24/7 watch and the features shown are more on the “super cool” side than being useful. Just toys for the boys and most of us love toys, don´t we?
Competitors – there are none, from my point of view. Well, some will say isn´t there an one striking hour or so from Chopard. Yes, but that one plays in a different league. Handled and listened to three different pieces and they never pleased me. If we just talk about toys, we will find lots of competitors, but that is another story …
Richard Lange Tourbillon PLM
The most complicated ALS watch at the SIHH is the Richard Lange Tourbillon PLM. It is inspired from the past and we have seen all the complications before, but not in one watch and not in that special way. To expand the RL family is something I like a lot and the latest member of the family is (once more) a very nice one.
Gentlemen playing …
Not only too big for my wrist, for my pocket as well :-(
That is an outstanding movement and just so beautiful. It shows even more details than the predecessors.
RL family:
Recently I wrote/posted something about the RL family:
“…All three current family members share the same roots, the painstaking execution of all components, the finishing touches and have the same case diameter. Apart of this, there are lots of differences - the complexity of the movements, the dials, the prices and so on. …”
Now there are four members and only one is bigger: 41,9mm versus 40,5mm.
The understated charm of the RL family would have asked for a closed dial, without showing the Tourbillon. The one on the far left of the next picture was created with Photoshop, just to give you an idea.
Is it only me? Maybe and even I can find several pros why it is nice like it is. Do we need moving parts on a dial? In general I would say, no. Is it nice to look at and maybe for some the cherry on the cake? Yes.
The latest member of the RL family is not my top favourite out of the four, but it is a great addition with lots of gorgeous details/solutions. In a perfect world I could imagine to buy all four. At least dreaming is possible.
Personal conclusion after the fair:
Did I have a hard time to sleep after seeing the novelties? Just to be honest with you, no. But none of the novelties do disappoint me, they make sense for Lange and they leave lots of possibilities for further novelties in the future. The further expansion of the 1815 family, an understated Minute Repeater as a fifth member of the RL family … - to mention only a few.
