A. Lange & Söhne

amanico
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The Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour Le Merite: Back to the Present.

Here is the first opus which is revealed by Lange, one month before the SIHH; The Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour Le Mérite, which takes its inspiration from a pocket watch created in 1807 by Johann Heinrich Seyffert ( according to the Lange Press File ) :

Like on the pocket watch, we have a regulator ( the minute and hour hands are clearly spearated ), and a fusée and chain transmission.

After the Richard Lange, the Richard Lange Pour Le Mérite, the third opus from the German Manufacture goes a step further in which is common to all the watches of this family, Precision, by adding a Tourbillon to the Fusée and chain transmission.

The movement, the Cal L 072.1 is certainly the star of this watch.

A generous size ( 33, 6 x 7,6 mm ), a decoration and finish ala Lange, which is always particular, not to say spectacular with these german silver plates and bridges, these screwed chatons, and hand engraved parts...

Let's guess that the Lange Fans won't be surprised, and that they will certainly appreciate.

The dial is presented in a traditional and original way.

Traditional, because regulators appeared at a time no oneo f us was already born, but original because there are not a lot of watches, in the current production, which use them anymore, the most famous of them being the VC Malte Regulator and the IWC Portuguese F.A Jones.

While the regulators previously mentionned may, sometimes be difficultly legible ( especially when it is 6.30 or 12. 30 ), Lange opted for a very elegant soution with these 3 subdials located as a Chronograph, at 3, 9 and 12 o'clock.



I particularly appreciate the way these 3 subdials cross each other, specially the hour and the second subdial, which is open to let admire the play of the Tourbillon.

The case exists in platinum or in rose gold, and the dimensions seem to be correct ( 41, 9 mm big, 12, 2 mm high ) while this detail has to be seen in the flesh to check if it is not too big.

- The Rose Gold Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour Le Mérite:



- The Platinum Execution:



As often, not to say always, the Platinum looks much more understated ,discrete and colder, while the Rose Gold adds a warmer touch ,as well as a Retro look.

To each his own, and no doubt that any of us who will show some interest to these pieces will have his favourite, which is limited to 100 pieces in platinum, while it is unlimited in rose gold;

One regret, though, which is about the dial.

I would have preferred to see it in enamel, rather than in solid silver.

I see this RL T PLM closer to the RL PLM than to the Richard Lange.

An exclusive version of the RL PLM would have enjoyed an enamel dial, in my opinion, but this is just my personal take.

I would also have loved some heated blue hands, to enhance the legibility and the contrast, and fro the beauty of them, of course!

To be seen in the flesh during the next SIHH, but for the moment, the feeling is very positive.

Best,

Nicolas.

PS: Thanks to the Lange Team to have provided us the pics and informations about this exciting novelty.