A.Lange & Soehne The Richard Lange

The RICHARD LANGE is a fine observation watch for the wrist; it is designed for superior accuracy and optimised readability. The case has a comparatively generous diameter of 40.5 millimetres. The solid-silver dial exhibits an hour scale with the slender Roman numerals that were typical for the scientific observation watches of the 1930s. The minute scale is subdivided into sixths of a second to match the frequency of the balance. The sweep seconds hand in blued steel has a stop seconds feature that allows the watch to be accurately synchronised with a time signal.This masterpiece is available in platinum, yellow gold or pink gold with a hand-stitched crocodile strap and a Lange prong buckle in solid platinum or solid gold. Interested observers can study the ticking realm of the Lange calibre L041.2 movement through the sapphire-crystal back. The design of the manually wound L041.2 movement is focused on attaining the ultimate in reliability and rate accuracy. The large balance wheel with eccentric poising weights beats at a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour. Its balance spring was developed by Lange's master watchmakers and is manufactured in-house. It is attached with a patent-pending clamp that, unlike other constructions, does not deform the spring in the stud but instead merely secures it to simplify any future adjustments that may be needed. The balance wheel and the balance spring were harmonised with each other across the numerous test series of a sophisticated research programme. The new balance spring reflects what is probably Richard Lange's greatest accomplishment. In 1930, he had filed the application for Patent No. 529945 "Metal alloy for watch springs". In his invention dossier, he described that the admixture of beryllium offsets the disadvantages of conventional springs, namely inadequate elasticity and insufficient hardness. The spring barrel stopwork is another design measure that increases the rate accuracy of this watch. Thanks to this device, the going train of the RICHARD LANGE is continuously powered at nearly constant torque over a period of 38 hours. The wheel that carries the seconds hand is driven by a separate train that runs under its own meticulously decorated bridge. The movement of the RICHARD LANGE is endowed with all of the typical features that make Lange watches so precious: hand-finished bridges and plates in untreated German silver, blued-steel screws, screwed gold chatons, and a hand-engraved balance cock. The masterpiece incorporates 26 jewels to minimise mechanical friction and is recision-adjusted in five positions.

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