A. Lange & Söhne's 1815 Rattrapante — Now in Platinum

Exquisite material for an exquisite model.

In September 2020, A. Lange & Söhne introduced the brand's sixth split-seconds chronograph. It followed numerous achievements: extending split timings up to 12 hours and combining the chronograph with a perpetual calendar and minute repeater.

But the Saxon manufacturer decided to concentrate on one function in the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange” model. The two counters were placed vertically on the dial, one above the other.

This was an unconventional layout for the 1815 series, as chronographs usually tend to have their second and minute counters positioned side by side, just below the center. The new manufacture movement responsible for timing intervals was the manually wound caliber L101.2, equipped with two column wheels.

They could be viewed through the transparent caseback along with the rattrapante clamp for blocking the rattrapante hand in the lap-time display mode when taking measurements. The L101.2 guaranteed a 58-hour power reserve and ran at a frequency of 21,600 vph (3 Hz).

Almost two years later, the L101.2 is making a return to 1815 Rattrapante models, now encased in platinum. The debut version from the year 2020 used the Honeygold alloy as its case material — a secret formula with a soft honey-gold tone.

The finishing on caliber L101.2 is as impressive as ever. It lives up to the 1A designation, originally defined in 1873 for pocket watches of the highest quality by Ferdinand Adolph Lange.

Some examples of mandatory criteria would be the three-quarter plate, Glashütte lever escapement, balance wheel with gold screws, screwed gold chatons and a hand-engraved balance cock. Added to this long list are new requirements for decorating the parts responsible for keeping the chronograph running.

All the upper sides of moving parts in the split-seconds chronograph (levers, helical springs and jumpers) have been decorated with fine straight graining, while the chamfers of these components have been polished.

The new split-seconds chronograph is limited to a series of 200 pieces. The limit for the previous model which marked Saxon watchmaking's 175th anniversary was half the size.