Worn & Wound
First Impressions of the New A. Lange & Söhne Novelties
A. Lange & Söhne never does half-measures, especially at Watches & Wonders. For 2025, they announced three new models, but a total of four watches: the Saxonia Minute Repeater Perpetual, the Honey Gold Odysseus, and the 1815 in 34mm in rose and white gold. So, one super complicated piece with a ton of features. One rare piece in an exceptional presentation. And two sublimely proportioned everyday watches (in ALS terms). While all were exceptional, the latter of the three left the biggest impression, despite being the smallest in stature. With a name like Minute Repeater Perpetual, there’s not much mystery about what this watch does, but in true Lange fashion, it’s the elegance with which it does it that’s so special. And, naturally, we have to start with movement. The new caliber L122.2 consists of 640 parts and is meticulously finished to the standards one expects from Lange. In somewhat of a departure from their norm, the untreated Glashütte ¾ plate features a frosted finish instead of Glashütte ribbing. Though the result might appear more straightforward, we were told it makes assembly more complicated, and the resulting even surface puts more attention on the governor, black polished hammers, and encircling gongs, not to mention the free-hand engraved balance cock. It does not just look impressive, however, as there are some clever mechanical tricks at play, too, namely regarding the repeater. The typical sequence of chimes includes first single chimes per ...
