A. Lange & Söhne Langematik Perpetual Review

The recent presentation of the White Gold Langematik Perpetual with black dial at the last edition of Watches & Wonders occured to timely reminder two evidences. The first is that 13 years after its introduction, the Langematik Perpetual remains one of the finest  perpetual calendar watches of the high horology segment. The second is that the Sax-O-Mat movement retains its charm and appeal, making it one of the major automatic calibers of contemporary watchmaking.

This new Langematik Perpetual has another virtue. It also evokes a time when elegance and complications came together using cases with reasonable sizes. It is true that nowadays, a complicated watch with a diameter of 38,5mm (and a thickness of 10.2mm in the context of this Langematik) is rare especially since the black dial tends to reduce the perception of size. But we know it very well, it's not the size that creates the feeling of presence of a watch on wrist: it is its character.






And speaking about the character, we can easily state that the Langematik Perpetual has never missed it and this new version is faithful to its predecessors. The key point of this watch is the highlighting through the big date of the most important information for a perpetual calendar: the date display. At the end, the purpose of this complication is to always display the right date even after a year or a month change. The Langematik Perpetual so carefree manages all these passages ... until the first one that will be problematic. But I will not have to worry about it a priori! This is the transition from the 28th of February to the 1st of March 2100 because contrary to what we might think, the year 2100 is not a leap year since it is not divisible by 400 while being divisible by 100. Rules of the Gregorian calendar are more subtle than the usual ones we have in mind!






In fact, the entire dial is organized to emphasize the big date located on the top and which is unfortunately not instantaneous like the Lange One Tourbillon QP. Despite the presence of various data, everything remains relatively readable. Moreover there is an enjoyable detail, a second hand which animates the moon phase subdial. It may seem trivial but many Perpetual Calendars on the market do not have this useful indicator which shows that the watch is running. The other two sub-dials blend into the dominant color even if in the context of this Black Dial version, the daylight hours of the 24-hour display (left) and the segment dedicated to the years (right) stand out more clearly . The black dial brings a lot of elegance to the watch and gives it perhaps a more contemporary style than the silver dial. The peripheral Roman numerals and the luminous hands subtly complement a combination of Germanic strictness with an indisputable charm.


But at the end, it is the fact of finding again the Sax-O-Mat movement (and its inseparable Zero-Reset feature) that gives me the biggest pleasure with this new Langematik Perpetual. I never say it enough: I regret that in the current collection of Lange & Söhne  this so fascinating movement is only used with calendars watches: this Saxonia Annual Calendar and of course the Langematik Perpetual. I dream of its return into the permanent collection with a simpler watch!






But I don't want to spoil our pleasure with this kind of remark: the Sax-O-Mat (here as the  L922.1 caliber) is in its element and propels the Langematik Perpetual among the Lange watches that most matter in the 20 years which have followed the brand rebirth. With its three-quarters rotor and its characteristic finishings, it immediately seduces thanks to its lay-out and its flawless execution. But it is also  efficient thanks to its winding efficiency. However, its 46-hour power reserve is in the lower range of current standards especially for a Perpetual Calendar. Even so, it is far from being annoying since the great asset of the Langematik Perpetual is its easy settings.

The watch actually gathers two ways to adjust the calendar data. The first way is to use the integrated push-pieces to adjust the data, each one being independent of each other. The second way is to just use the pusher located at  ten o'clock. Beyond its usual role of fast date setting system, it moves synchronously other calendar data. This simplicity in use has played a lot for the success of this watch since it was unveiled.






I felt enjoyable feelings by putting this new version on the wrist. The combination of white gold case and black dial gives it a discreet and refined style. As stated previously, the perceived size is smaller than that of its predecessors with silver dial. Yet it has no difficulty to impose its charm and beauty. The additional detail that surprised me and seduced is the light contrast between the black dial and the blue moonphase disc. The dial is gaining a little originality and the stars bring their touch of poetry.






I was  captivated by this version with white gold case and black dial. Of course, it doesn't provides any new complication, any new movement in the context of  the current collection. But there are signs that do not lie. The fact that the dial is black is one of them. Is this an evidence of a come-back by Lange to more alternative dials while silver dials still dominate the catalog? I venture to hope that it will become a reality! The other important sign is that the first version of this watch was unveiled in 2001. Does this mean that the  Saxonian Manufacture  will come back to more fundamental features appreciated by the collectors of the early years? I would be pleased if it is also the case.






I would like to thank a lot the Lange & Söhne team for the warm welcome in Dresden.

Pros:
+ the pleasure to find again this legendary watch and its  Sax-O-Mat movement
+ the beauty of the black dial and the discreet atmosphere created  by the combination with the white gold case
+ the easy settings
+ the presence of a small second hand on the dial
+ the size, ideal for an elegant and refined watch

Cons:
- the power reserve of the Sax-O-Mat movement is a bit too short
- the big date change is not instantaneous