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A. Lange & Söhne Replica Dress Watch Hands-on Men Watch Swiss Replica

A. LANGE & SÖHNE Debuts Saxonia Boutique Edition GreyDial

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Late last year A. Lange and Söhne added two new models to their entry level piece, the Saxonia, which had been given a small cosmetic revamp at SIHH 2015 into a smaller 35mm piece as well as a slightly amended dial aesthetic in terms of hour and minute markers. These two new models came in the form of a new solid silver dark grey dial Boutiqe Edition, and the size has been increased from 35mm to 37mm (7.8mm thick), a size that is perhaps is more in fitting with current dress replica watch size and will broaden its appeal.www.repliqueparfaite.fr

Inside the replica watch is the manual-wind Calibre L941.1 (the same as for the other Saxonia) with a power reserve of 45 hours. The hand-finished movement displays Lange characteristics such as the hand-engraved balance cock.

The Saxonia collection seems to receive less publicity than other Langes, perhaps in part because they are their ‘entry’ replica watches, but there is no rational reason for their relative lack of fanfare, as they bear the Lange hallmarks and quality of finishing. For those who are looking to get into the brand, these are attractive propositions.

Available in either pink gold or white gold, we had the chance to take a few photos of the former. The white gold version comes with rhodiumed hands.

Both versions are available exclusively from the sixteen A. Lange & Söhne boutiques; prices are USD16,600 for this pink gold version and USD17,800 for the white gold model.

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A. Lange & Söhne Replica Brand

Replica A. LANGE SÖHNE : Saxonia Boutique Edition GreyDial

WW15ALSSaxonia2

Late last year A. Lange & Söhne added two new models to their entry level piece, the Saxonia, which had been given a small cosmetic revamp at SIHH 2015 into a smaller 35mm piece as well as a slightly amended dial aesthetic in terms of hour and minute markers. These two new models came in the form of a new solid silver dark grey dial Boutiqe Edition, and the size has been increased from 35mm to 37mm (7.8mm thick), a size that is perhaps is more in fitting with current dress replica watch size and will broaden its appeal.

Available in either pink gold or white gold, we had the chance to take a few photos of the former. The white gold version comes with rhodiumed hands.

Inside the replica watch is the manual-wind Calibre L941.1 (the same as for the other Saxonia) with a power reserve of 45 hours. The hand-finished movement displays Lange characteristics such as the hand-engraved balance cock.

The Saxonia collection seems to receive less publicity than other Langes, perhaps in part because they are their ‘entry’ replica watches, but there is no rational reason for their relative lack of fanfare, as they bear the Lange hallmarks and quality of finishing. For those who are looking to get into the brand, these are attractive propositions.

Both versions are available exclusively from the sixteen A. Lange & Söhne boutiques; prices are USD16,600 for this pink gold version and USD17,800 for the white gold model.

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A. Lange & Söhne Replica

Replica A.Lange Söhne 1815 Boutique-onlyChronograph

WW15ALS1815ChronographBoutiqueEditionPUlsometer5

Officially launched at stylish Replica Watches & Wonders 2015, today’s stunning Pulsometer chronograph from A.Lange & Söhne may look familiar. Their 1815 chronograph on which this is based, and with which it shares the same manual-wind Calibre 951.5 movement has, since its introduction, become something of an emblematic replica watch for the brand, its movement a photographic star in particular. That the back of a replica watch ends up being photographed as much as its front, as the 1815 is (although this perhaps extends to quite a wide range of Lange’s pieces) is a testament to the beauty of their movements and finishing.

This new 18 carat white gold replica watch, honouring 200 years since the birth of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, features a solid silver argenté-coloured dial as per the 1815. As mentioned above, the key new distinguishing feature on the new piece is the presence of a pulsometer on the raised inner flage.

What is a pulsometer? It is where an activated chronograph, used in combination with the pulsometric scale, can measure a patient’s heart rate. You start the chronograph timer and count the (pulse) beats until you get to the number for which the scale is calibrated, in this instance, thirty pulsations. Stop the chronograph and read the heart rate in beats per minute – on the pulsometer scale, the chronograph sweep-seconds hand provides a direct reading of the number of beats per minute.

The hours and minutes hands are rhodiumed-gold. The chronograph sweep-seconds, minute counter and subsidiary seconds hands are blued steel. This is in contrast to the regular 1815 of just blued steel. In fact the liberal use of blue with the new dial and colour combination is vintage-inspired but seems to give it more lift and vibrancy than the regular production model.

Now to the column-wheel chronograph movement, visible through the open caseback. The 306-part Calibre L951.5 is hand-decorated, with plates and bridges made of untreated German silver, and a hand-engraved balance cock. It beats at 18,000VPH and has a power reserve of sixty hours.

In 39.5mm sized case and coming on a hand-stitched dark blue alligator strap with matching white gold buckle, this is a very good looking replica watch, well-sized, and beautifully made. For those who asked us about our personal highlights from Replica Watches & Wonders 2015, we both rated this one amongst our favourites and a replica watch that we would wear – these two things don’t necessarily always co-exist.

Unfortunately as a boutique-only model most of us will have to hunt one down; you can find the locations of the existing sixteen Lange boutiques at this link. The RRP is 49,000 EUR (including VAT).

[Horologium attended Replica Watches & Wonders 2015 at the invitation of Richemont Australia]

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A. Lange & Söhne Replica

HANDS-ON : A replica custom Lang Heyne FriedrichIII

LangHeyne4

For admirers of German replica watchmaking the brands that most commonly seem to first spring to mind are A.Lange & Söhne if we’re talking luxury, and names such as Glashütte Original, Sinn, Stowa and Nomos to name but a few, when covering other points on the spectrum. One brand that is very much still under the radar, which on one level I can understand but another, not, is the small independent brand Lang & Heyne.

Situated in Saxony, Lang & Heyne is small and resolutely committed to a particular aesthetic and replica watchmaking style that is self-evident in their pieces and which would have not have looked out of place a century or more ago, especially in the pocket replica watches that inspire them.. Even the names that they choose for their models, those of Saxonian rulers, are in tune with this very classical and perhaps to some, old-fashioned philosophy.

So who are Lang & Heyne? Well the ‘Lang’ is Marco Lang, a fifth generation replica watchmaker whose father Rolf has a histroy as head restorer in the Mathematics and Physics Cabinet (Mathematisch Physikalischer Salon) collection and as an instructor at A. Lange & Söhne amongst other things.

Marco Lang started off his cheap replica watchmaking career in Glashütte before working on pendulum clocks for seven years and then returning to Dresden, where he started a business restoring replica watches. It was Rolf Lang who introduced his son to Mirko Heyne, his first apprentice at Lange.

Thus Lang & Heyne was born, with Marco Lang’s restoration business shutting shop in 2003. Mirko Heyne long ago left the brand he co-founded (and ended up at Nomos, but I do not know whether he is still there, so if you have an update to this please leave a comment), but Marco Lang is still very much there, and the classical replica watchmaking vision remains in this very small company that only produces perhaps three or four dozen replica watches a year.

In 2013 he released the Friedrich III, which was essentially the same as the steel Friedrich II but with a roman numeral black dial. If you look at his website you will notice a rather distinctive centre lug to his models, but replica watches can be specially ordered without the center lug. Today’s replica watch started off as a Friedrich III but with the addition of various customised features such as a special order fired enamel dial with customised layout and double lugs.

So what are the core features of the Friedrich III? Well it is 40mm, and this replica watch is a lot thinner than I had expected. For some reason I was anticipating a replica watch with a very strong wrist presence, when it actual fact it is fairly slim, light, and very much as the ‘dress replica watch’ vibe on the wrist.

The enamel dial on this piece is white (which may at first glance make it look like the Johann model) unlike the standard black and silver dial of the Friedrich III, with beautiful elongated Roman numerals and polished blued cathedral hands. The blued minute numerals are also custom to this piee.

Inside is the manual wind Calibre VI (18,000 VPH) with its Breguet spring and swan neck regulator. Power reserve is forty-eight hours. As is the case with the dial and lugs, Marco Lang can do customisation of the movement in terms of engraving.

Lang & Heynes truly are one of those brands that you have to make a concerted effort to seek out in terms of having a hands-on experience. They don’t exactly have a large worldwide network of authorised dealers and I doubt that their small annual production would be able to cope with more than the dozen odd they have worldwide (of which nine are in Germany/ Switzerland/ Italy). I made one failed attempt to see some of their pieces at The Lavish Attic in Hong Kong, so it was good to be able to look at this piece at leisure.

So what did I think? Lang & Heyne are a brand which has been on my radar for a couple of years because their aesthetics appeal to me, but due to lack of ‘in the metal’ experience, they have been in the background. Being able to handle one increased my admiration for them – this is a beautiful looking replica watch that radiates quality and craftsmanship, and from all reports, the ordering process was professional, friendly, and smooth.

Watch people often like to muse about a ‘one replica watch’. What this ‘one replica watch’ would be, for those of us who are fortunate to own more than one and struggle to work out what we’d choose if we had to get rid of all but one, is going to be very much dependant on budget, lifestyle, and personal preferences, but if you are looking for the ‘one replica watch’ that is a versatile dress replica watch and pretty much guaranteed to still look fresh in a few decades, you could do a lot worse than looking at a Lang & Heyne.

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A. Lange & Söhne Replica

SIHH 2015 : Replica A.Lange Söhne Datograph Perpetual WhiteGold

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A.Lange & Söhne’s SIHH 2015 offerings were largely tweaks and updates of models apart from a few notable exceptions, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In the case of the new Datograph Perpetual in white gold with a dark grey dial, this is a good thing. This (is) was a very beautiful replica watch, and the minor tweaks to it are guaranteed to have broad appeal.

For such a still relatively young brand, the fact that Lange have managed to produce in its short life the Datograph, arguably one of the most significant chronographs of modern times is testament to the strength of the brand. The first ‘edition’ of the Datograph Perpetual had a white gold case and grey dial, but as noted, it’s about the small updates. Had anyone tried to mess around too much with the replica watch there would be no doubt some hue and cry about it.

The new version is now sans Roman numerals (which works for me), matching the pink gold/ white dial version. The case is still 41mm.

The basic layout of the dial remains the same, with indications are located inside the sub-dials, the outsize date still at 12 o’clock, the moon-phase indicator at 6 (replacing the power reserve of the Datograph), the months integrated into the 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock. There is a so-discreet-that-you-need-it-pointed-out-to-you day/night indicator at the top of the small seconds/ day indicator at 8-9 o’clock and a leap-year (sub) sub-dial below the 30-minute counter sub dial at 3-4 o’clock. Beautifully balanced though the dial is, for those like myself who are shortsighted and whose eyesight is only deteriorating with age, this requires a certain amount of peering intently at the dial.

On the gorgeous dial are baton hour markers, hour and minute hands in rhodiumed gold, a chronograph hand in blued steel and matching hands for the minute counter and seconds hand.

All calendar displays can be advanced via a correction pusher, and three recessed correctors allow the displays to be adjusted separately.

Inside is the manual-wind Calibre L952.1 (column wheel chronograph), visible through the caseback and with a power reserve of (unfortunately) only thirty-six hours. However, this low number can fairly much be forgiven when you look at the beauty of the 556 parts of the hand-finished German silver movement with its blued screws.

This addition to the Lange collection, based as it is on already immensely popular predecessors, is guaranteed to be every bit as successful as its progenitors.

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A. Lange & Söhne Replica

Power-up! The A Lange Sohne 31 Replica Watch

Lange 31

This is the third and final Lange post from an extended Lange afternoon in Melbourne recently. The first post was an overview of the brand’s arrival in Australia, the second about my favourite, the Zeitwerk, and this final post will be about the rather astonishing replica Lange 31.

One of the challenges in the design of a mechanical wristwatch is its power reserve – the challenge of storing and then ‘returning’ energy to the replica watch’s going train in a consistent and uniform way, not to mention how to get a decent power reserve. Especially in replica watches with a large power reserve, the torque of the often multiple mainsprings of greater dimensions may fluctuate considerably, negatively impacting on the rate accuracy.

A. Lange & Söhne decided to re-examine the power reserve, and came up with the Lange 31, the world’s first mechanical wristwatch with a power reserve of 31 days and a patented constant-force escapement that powers the going train with constant torque delivery. The amount of energy needed to keep the replica watch running for a month is transferred to the movement with a winding key and stored in a twin mainspring barrel.

The inscription “Monats-Werk” indicates the power reserve status.

The caseback reveals something not usually in wristwatches – a key winding mechanism that was designed for this replica watch. What a winding key allows is what is called a larger winding transmission ratio. This means that fewer ‘winds’ are required. How is this done? A key (which unfortunately we did not get the opportunity to see) is inserted through an aperture in the sapphire caseback.

Three seals between the winding mechanism and the case protect the replica watch against water up to 3 bars. To prevent accidental over tightening of the mainsprings, the key has a torque limiter, which means that any attempt to turn the key beyond the point where the mainspring is fully wound disengages the teeth of the wheels inside the key.

So what is inside to keep this replica watch running for 31 days? The Cal. L034.1 manufacture movement, which has a diameter of 37.3mm and a height of 9.6mm. The energy storage function is handled by the large twin mainspring which contain the two mainsprings, each of which is 1,850mm long, which is five to ten times as long as the springs of conventional mechanical wristwatches.

As far as ‘wow’ factors go, this Lange has it in spades. It has Lange’s renowned levels of finishing, but on top of that, the Lange 31 is almost a bit overwhelming when you see it for the first time. This is a large replica watch with a very large presence. It has a diameter of 45.9mm and is 15.8mm high. As if its physical size weren’t enough, it weighs 230g (about half a pound) in its platinum case (it is also available, as is in these photos, in pink gold). Why is it so large? Simply because it is necessary – a certain amount of space is required for the movement.

This is not a replica watch you’ll get many opportunities to see, so if the chance presents itself, grab it.

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A. Lange & Söhne Replica

A modern design classic – theZeitwerk replica watch

Lange Zeitwerk

In the past I have written about replica watches that I have seen after a great deal of anticipation but whose reality just hasn’t grabbed me, or of my first meeting with a replica watch that I’d mentally wanted but found myself no longer desiring after I finally saw it ‘in the metal’. It’s very easy to fall in love with a photo of a replica watch, but not all of them end up having that intangible ‘something’ which makes us add it to our list of ‘wants’, and not all of them seem to look exactly as they do in photos.

One of the replica watches which I put on my ‘dream list’ when it came out was A.Lange & Söhne’s Zeitwerk. A few models have come out since the original one, but it was not until recently that I finally managed to see one (or rather, two), and my high level of anticipation was laced with a slight sense of horological trepidation about its reality.

I need not have worried.

When it first appeared, it was considered by many to be a pretty adventurous step for Lange to launch such a radically new ‘face’ – an unorthodox digital presentation of time via large jumping hour and minutes indicators in windows on the left and right side of the dial. This method of presentation is what Lange calls a ‘time bridge’ that covers the bottom two-thirds of the dial. Set on the bridge between and beneath these windows is a large subsidiary seconds dial. The time bridge in these two models are made of Rhodiumed German silver.

On the upper portion of the dial is a power-reserve indicator in the traditional German UP/ DOWN (AUF/ AB) style.

The Zeitwerk is powered by the in-house manual wind Lange Calibre L043.1, which is made of 388 parts. It features a jumping numeral mechanism consisting of two minute disks and an hour ring. However, the movement also has traditional Lange hallmarks like a three-quarter plate, hand-engraved balance cock, and screwed gold chatons. Fully wound, the Zeitwerk has 36 hours of power reserve.

The replica watch has a diameter of 41.9 millimeters. You’ll notice the unusual placement of the crown. This is so it doesn’t ‘jam’ into the wearer’s hand.

I am a huge fan of jump hour displays, this was one of the main reasons for my interest in this replica watch. The reality of it did not disappoint, but made me desire it all the more. In a way it seems to sit bigger than 41.9mm (it is 12.6mm thick), but ‘in the metal’ it is every bit as boldly elegant as it is in photos, and there was nothing about it I didn’t like. My personal preference is for the white gold model (Ref. 140.029) which has a solid silver, black dial, because of the bolder contrast between the white metal and the dark dial. It is just an incredibly beautiful replica watch, and I particularly like the ‘time bridge’ and the balance of the dial.

Since the launch of the original Zeitwerk, it has not only garnered a lot of awards, including L’Aiguille d’Or Grand Prize at the 2009 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, but as well as formal recognition, it has also been incredibly popular.

There have been a few other versions released, including a luminous one, and one that strikes on the quarter hour and the hour. The latest iteration is the limited edition (of 30, all spoken for) Handswerkskunst limited edition model, whose dial surface has a grainy looking ‘frosted’ finish made up of thousands of minute hand engraved indentations produced by a technique known as ‘tremblage’.

LangeZeitwerkHandwerkkunst

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A. Lange & Söhne Replica

Replica A.Lange Söhne now inAustralia

Lange at Replica Watches of Switzerland

Many have wondered why there has not been a Lange presence in Australia. The brand has many owners and admirers here, after all. Well the simple answer is that it has not been for want of trying. After years of persistence and belief in the brand, Eric van der Griend has managed to bring them here. A few weeks after the opening of the refurbished Replica Watches of Switzerland (Melbourne) with its new Lange area, my friend The Tailored Replica Watch and I paid a visit.

Enjoy.

1815 CHRONOGRAPH

Named after the birth year of Ferdinand A. Lange, this is the WG version (Ref.402.0260), a manually wound flyback chronograph (Calibre L951.5) with a sixty hour power reserve.

Its silver dial design was inspired by vintage pocket replica watches, with two slightly ‘lowered’ subsidiary dials for seconds and a 30-minute counter, and classical blued steel hands. It is a very traditional looking chronograph as befitting its naming influence, and at 39.5mm and a height of 10.8mm it is a very accessible size and sits very comfortably on the wrist.

LANGE 1

Perhaps Lange’s most recognisable ‘look’, these are the models with the patented big date and the off-centre dial configuration that have become indelibly linked with the brand since their launch in 1994.

The off-centre dial design is not to everyone’s taste, but the dial has no real overlap of sub-dials and a good clean look. To the easterly side of the dial, following the contour of the case, is a power reserve indicator marked “Auf” and “Ab”, up and down. At 5 o’clock the subsidiary seconds.

Along the edge of the dial is “Gangreserve 72 stunden” i.e. “power reserve 72 hours”.

At 10 o’clock a pusher provides operates the outsize date. This is the YG version (Ref. 101.021) with a champagne silver dial and contains the manually wound calibre L901.0. At 38.5mm in diameter and with a height of 10mm, it is fractionally smaller than the 1815.

LANGE 1 TIME ZONE

The most talked about new addition to the Lange 1 family line, this WG (Ref. 116.039) has the manually wound Cal.L031.1 with 72 hour power reserve. The Lange 1 Time Zone is based on the original Lange 1 and has a pretty busy silver dial and rhodiumed luminous hands and markers.

In looking closer at the replica watch, the second time zone is indicated by a small secondary dial at 4 o’clock. At the 5 o’clock subdial there is an small indicator pointing to the outer rotating city ring, which represents the (local) time zone the wearer is currently in (and the time for which is displayed on the dial). The city ring can be advanced zone by zone by pressing the pusher at 8 o’clock. The large sub dial is for the wearer’s home time, and both of these dials have day/ night indicators. The choice of which dial for home versus local time is probably the one thing I’d change, as I intuitively look to the larger dial for my ‘current’ time. At 41.9 mm with a height of 11mm it may be larger than some people are accustomed to, but it doesn’t sit too large on the wrist.

LANGEMATIK PERPETUAL

As Lange put it, their Perpetual will be able to run for 122.6 years continuously before it will have to be corrected by one day on 28 February 2100, when our calendar year will have to be re-synchronised with the solar year. When that date comes around, all you (or perhaps not exactly you) will have to do is to press a pusher on the case.

It also has a patented zero-reset mechanism that allows the calendar displays as well as the moon-phase indication to be advanced both individually and, with one single main push-piece, collectively.

The Langmematik contains the automatic Calibre L922.1 Sax-O-Mat movement with a 21 carat gold and platinum micro-rotor and a power reserve of 46 hours. The rotor is bi-directional. The movement’s surfaces are hand decorated, its edges chamfered and polished.

Despite the complexity of the timepiece and amount of information on the dial, it is both clear and easy to read. The hands and Roman numeral markers contrast well against the silver dial. At 12 o’clock there is the classic big date. At three o’clock is the month indicator, along with an inset leap year indicator. At six o’clock is the moon phase complication and small seconds hand. Lastly, at nine o’clock is the day of the week indicator and 24hr. second time zone sub dial. All of this is encased in a 38.5mm (height 10.2mm) diameter case, a nice size for a dress replica watch.

RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite”

At first glance the Richard Lange “Pour le Mérite” appears quite different to the cleaner dials of the other Richard Langes. This is largely because its regulator dial was inspired by the design of a pocket replica watch crafted by master replica watchmaker Johann Heinrich Seyffert of Dresden in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. With its fusée-and-chain transmission, tourbillon, and stop-seconds mechanism.

This Richard Lange has a fusée-and-chain transmission as well as a tourbillon with a patented stopseconds mechanism. I guess that for replica watch enthusiasts, the ‘fun’ part of this replica watch is the fusée-and-chain part, given that tourbillons seem to be par for the course nowawdays.

The dial of the replica watch contains three overlapping subdials covering the hour, minutes, and seconds. The most interesting part of this is that the seconds dial is cutaway, with the tourbillon and movement visible beneath it. This is viewed in conjunction with a retractable section on the hour subdial dial to the right. When the replica watch is telling the time from 12 to 6 o’clock, the portion of the disc that roughly has indicators for 8 to 10 o’clock is hidden from view, giving a full view of the tourbillon. When the time is 6 o’clock, the hidden dial retractable moves into view, with VIII, IX and X pivoting into place to complete the hour scale via a switching mechanism. Once the time reaches 12 o’clock, the segment moves out of view again. Thus, the tourbillon can only be seen in its entirety between 12 and 6 o’clock.

As if this wasn’t enough, it has a patented stop-seconds mechanism. The Richard Lange Tourbillon can be halted simply by pulling the crown, allowing the time to be set to one-second accuracy.

Through the open caseback you can see the manual wind Cal. L072.1 with 36 hours power reserve. The case itself 41.9mm with a heigh of 12.2mm. It is not a small replica watch, but hey, this isn’t an ordinary replica watch.

SAXONIA AUTOMATIC (JEWELLERY VERSION)

Yes, the selection of Lange was not all about the large replica watches, there was also this 37mm Saxonia with a brilliant-cut diamond bezel and a discreetly elegant natural mother-of-pearl dial. It comes in pink, white and yellow gold and, at 37mm with a height of 8.4mm, it’s larger than some women are used to wearing, but not too large by any stretch. It has the Cal.L086.4 automatic movement with a 72 hour power reserve that case be seen through its sapphire caseback.

SAXONIA THIN

This unexpectedly stole the part of my heart that wasn’t taken up by the Zeitwerk. I have a fondness for thin time-only dress replica watches. There’s nowhere to hide with a replica watch like this. Either the balance is right, or it just seems to miss that something that can make an ultra thin replica watch go from being merely ordinary to perfectly proportioned and a stunning dress replica watch.

The Saxonia Thin comes in 18-carat pink and white gold versions. Through the sapphire-crystal caseback you can see the beautifully finished manual wind Calibre L093.1, which has a power reserve of 72 hours.

With a case diameter of 40.0 millimetres, it is a mere 5.9mm high, the thinnest replica watch brought out by Lange so far. This is the WG version and, given my preference for white metals, would be my choice. If you have been looking for an elegant dress replica watch at this level, this is worth considering.

In thinking about all of them in their entirety, I found that my pre-existing thoughts about the beautiful finishing of Langes was confirmed by the reality of looking at them. They are, by and large, surprisingly discreet replica watches, and whether or not any of designs are to your personal preferences, they are deeply elegant timepieces.

Many thanks to Eric and Sam for their generosity in giving us so much time with their range of Langes and sharing with us their enthusiasm and belief in the brand for Australian replica watch lovers.

Due to the sheer number of replica watches that we looked at that afternoon, there will be two more posts focusing on two particular models of note. The first will be about my first meeting with a member of my replica watch ‘dream list’, the Zeitwerk and whether it meet my expectations ‘in the metal’. The second will focus on the astounding Lange 31.