A. Lange & Söhne "Dead Donkey" Reference Guide

Key Points from the Discussion

• The "dead donkey" moniker refers to the original A. Lange & Söhne Langematik Perpetual OEM winder box, which weighs a hefty 7 kgs and doubles as a watch winder.
• The substantial weight of the original winder box often leads sellers of discontinued Langematik Perpetual models to omit it from sales, citing high shipping and insurance costs. However, all new Langematik Perpetual models still come with a winder box.
• The recessed 10 o'clock pusher on the Langematik Perpetual, which allows for synchronized advancement of the perpetual calendar without a stylus, is a highly valued feature by collectors, despite its removal in later versions due to concerns about inadvertent advances.
• The claim that the recessed pusher was removed due to accidental pushes is debated, as the pusher is difficult to activate intentionally, and similar pushers on other Lange models (like the Lange 1's big date) do not elicit similar complaints.
• Subsequent versions of the Langematik Perpetual winder (Gen2 and Gen3) were smaller and not produced by Scatola, with Lange not disclosing their manufacturers. These later versions also differed in how they held the watch.
• The synchronized calendar advance feature, while present on all Lange perpetual and annual calendars, typically requires a stylus or toothpick, making the Langematik Perpetual's 10 o'clock pusher a unique and convenient exception.