The "flying" complication suspended in mid-air.
In 2018, a long-awaited novelty appeared in the portfolio of Saxon company Lang & Heyne. An idea which had long been nurtured within the walls of the manufacture was brought to life in the Anton watch: a tourbillon in a rectangular case. The project got off to an ambitious start with versions in platinum and rose gold.
The case measuring 40 mm x 32 mm x 9.4 mm housed the manually wound manufacture caliber IX with a 55-hour power reserve. The dial with a window for the tourbillon at 6 o'clock was made of enamel, while the caseback revealed a view that featured four extraordinary parallel bridges.
A new version has been unveiled for 2023, which is very different from the first watch named after Anthony, King of Saxony, who reigned from 1827 to 1836. The main highlight of the new version is its totally different dial. The dial with hands for the hours and minutes is now made of black ceramic, but that's not all.
Arabic numerals seen on the first watch dedicated to Anthony the Kind have been replaced by Roman numerals, while the blue lance tip indexes at 12, 3, and 9 o'clock have been honed. And the watchmaker has completely scrapped the lower section of the dial to provide a better view of the complication at 6 o'clock.
The "flying" tourbillon now levitates over an empty space cut out on both the dial side and the caseback. This necessitated a reworking of the movement's architecture. The four steel bridges are back in action.
The general aesthetic of this caliber has been preserved, although the positioning of elements and tourbillon bridge have been updated. Like the first edition, the mainplate of the manually wound caliber IX is delicately embellished by two diamonds — a discreet hint of luxury that owners are sure to find a place in their hearts for.
You can also find the model's individual number engraved on the caseback side, which has been released as a limited edition of five pieces.
Changes have also been made to the shockproof spring, which the watchmaker says reduces the risk of damage during mounting, while anchor components have also been refined.
The case for the "Manufaktur Edition" of the Anton model with a ribbed finish on the caseband, three lugs, and raised crown guards has once again been rendered in platinum. The case measurements remain the same.