A. Lange & Söhne

DennisB43
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There are some good points made here...

... and perhaps my assessment of the watch may be too harsh. I think that what bothers me most about the concept of the 31 is that Lange decided to create a new timepiece that, instead of inventing a new complication or a unique angle on an existing one (perhaps the 31 IS a unique angle on an existing compication; the power reserve), they created a "revolutionary" timepiece that's about more and bigger, a trend not unusual in many consumer industries today. Perhaps Journe has spoiled (or brainwashed) me into thinking that a watchmaking genius can actually redefine how time is viewed.

Another point that I ponder is that Lange creates, arguably, the most meticulously produced watches available today. I've owned several over the years, and I've always appreciated the buttery-smooth winding of the watches, regardless of the model. As a matter of fact, there have been countless threads in the Lange fora about this very topic. It's an important component of owning a Lange. With the 31, Lange has actually seperated us from this aspect of their design, giving us a watch that virtually runs by itself without human interaction.

And, one more thing: the crank. While I'm on the subject of NOT being innovative, I wish Lange had developed a better way to wind this machine than something as literal as a crank. It's the first thing that comes to mind when asked: "Hmmm... how does this watch wind with a 31-day power reserve?" I got it! A crank!