In recent months, the black dials have done a strong comeback in the Lange & Söhne collection: after the Lange One Tourbillon Handwerkskunst and the Langematik Perpetual in white gold, here is the 1815 "200th Anniversary F.A. Lange" which offers a dial of the same color. This watch available in the context of a limited edition that celebrates the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Ferdinand Adolph Lange meets the expectation or at least the wish of many fans of the Manufacture who regretted the absence of a  distinguished dial when compared with the silver dials of the gold 1815 of the permanent collection or with the rhodiumed dial of the first limited edition in Platinum.



The solid silver black dial of this 1815 is a real success. At the same time featuring a deep and bright black, it highlights the simple beauty of this watch and transforms it aesthetically. It appears as more contained, more subtle and I really like the contrast between the rhodiumed gold hands and the dial. And for this reason, I can only approve the choice to use the 40mm base instead of the 38,5mm one: the dark atmosphere reduces the feeling of size.

This limited edition had little chance of being missed because the 40mm 1815 still remains several years after its first presentation, one of the finest three hand watches of the market. Thanks to its size and proportions, slender without being thin, it doesn't lack of character and gives the proof to be far more homogeneous and versatile that it might suggest. Its multi-layer dial is a model of refinement that gathers all the characteristic ingredients of  the 1815 line: the peripheral railroad, the Arabic numerals, the lovely quarter markers without forgetting the 6 partially covered by the sub-dial of the second hand.



But the 1815 is not only convincing from the aesthetic point of view, it is also on the use thanks to the pleasure brought by its L051.1 movement. The daily winding is a very nice experience thanks to the smooth and gentle handling of the crown. The quality of execution is reflected in the finishes but also through these small acts such as the winding or  the time setting operations.

The L051.1 movement is decorated following the brand standards and although I regret that the 3/4 plate covers several moving parts such as the crown wheel or the ratchet, it remains a feast for the eyes thanks to the colors of the German silver, the swan neck regulator and the engraved balance cock. The L051.1 movement differs from that of the first 1815 thanks to its larger diameter (30,6mm) which better suits to the size of the watch and the 55 hours power reserve.


Beautiful, pleasant to wear and to use, offering a fascinating black dial, the 1815 "200th Anniversary FA Lange" owns everything what we could expect from a limited edition watch. I could stop my article here and celebrate without restriction the return of the black dial in the context of the 1815 line. The problem is that precisely what satisfies me with more common brands leads for me to discussion with my favorite manufacture. In other words, I am much more demanding with Lange and even more so when we know what  its limited edition watches were in the past.



Because I can  consider the 1815 "200th Anniversary FA Lange" from every angle, it is after all a mere variation of the existing platinum version (limited edition of 500 pieces) with the sole change of the color of the dial. The result is spectacular and of course beautiful. But there was a time, not too long ago when a  Lange watch in a limited edition was synonymous with the introduction of a new complication (1815 Kalenderwoche, 1815 Emil Lange) or of a very different aesthetic approach (1815 Walter Lange and its half hunter case or the Langematik Anniversary and its enamel dial). In the case of the watch which was introduced a few days ago, Lange gives the feeling of using a known and proven recipe, of taking a road without any risk. If you remember well, the first 1815 ended its career with a white gold case and a black dial. I find myself in front of a paradox. The 1815 "200th Anniversary FA Lange" is a beautiful watch but somehow disappointing as a limited edition, not for what it is but for what it symbolizes: an easy way for a Manufacture whose potential is much higher.


Thanks to the team of the Lange boutique in Paris.

Pros:
+ The beauty of the black dial, at the same time bright and deep
+ The pleasure to use again the L051.1 movement
+ The 40mm diameter is more suitable than the 38,5mm one because the black dial reduces the perception of the size
+ An elegant and versatile watch

Cons:
- This is a very nice watch... for the permanent collection. Lange must find again its creative spark for its limited editions.

Fr.Xavier