Worn & Wound
A. Lange & Söhne Updates a Grail Watch
I occasionally find myself looking for a good excuse to write about some of my favorite watches, as doing so with some context feels too self-satisfying. This excuse can be a guide, a group editorial, or, as in the case today, a marginally new version of an existing watch that I adore, but haven’t had the chance to divulge my feelings on adequately. That watch is the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk, as today, Lange has announced the Zeitwerk Date in rose gold. While certainly exciting for people who said, “If only this watch came in rose gold” as a topic for a whole article, a new case metal is a bit lacking. Conveniently, I have a lot to say about the Zeitwerk in general. There was a time not that long ago when asked what my “grail watch” was, my default answer was the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk. Why? Few watches mix the classic and the contemporary quite so well. They’re unique, handsome, and ooze tasteful luxury. They aren’t blingy or ostentatious. Additionally, nearly any watch enthusiast appreciates them, so it was an answer that didn’t require much explanation. However, as my knowledge of watches has grown, another aspect has emerged that I find fascinating: the complexity it takes to create something that seems so simple. If jump hours are a rare complication, jump minutes are unicorns. The only other I’m aware of is the IWC Tribute to Pallweber. Although the idea seems simple enough, making a disk jump once a minute, two disks every ten, and three disk...
