A. Lange & Söhne

Unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2020 to commemorate the 175th anniversary of A. Lange & Söhne and its visionary founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange, the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold was introduced alongside the Tourbograph Perpetual and 1815 Thin Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange.” As its name implies, the series pays tribute to Ferdinand Adolph Lange (1815–1875), the pioneer who laid the foundations of Saxony’s precision watchmaking industry when he established his first pocket watch workshop on December 7, 1845. Each of the three anniversary models is distinguished by a Honeygold case, specially decorated movement, and unique dial treatments that introduce new colors or materials.

Produced in a limited edition of just 100 pieces, the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold marks the sixth rattrapante chronograph in the brand’s history. Its case is crafted from Lange’s proprietary Honeygold, a subtly lustrous and exclusive alloy whose exact composition remains a closely guarded secret. Known to be considerably harder and more scratch-resistant than standard 18k gold, Honeygold has always been reserved exclusively for limited-edition pieces. The case is complemented by a striking black dial with a distinctive layout: the minutes counter and running seconds positioned vertically, setting it apart from other Lange chronographs.

At its heart beats the manually wound caliber L101.2, inspired by the earliest 1A-grade pocket watch movements. The movement architecture is exquisitely executed, featuring raised German silver bridges with granular surfaces, and meticulously finished levers, springs, and jumpers adorned with straight graining. The hand-engraved cocks and bridges, finished in black rhodium, create a rich contrast and underscore the depth of Lange’s artisanal mastery. Remarkably, despite having produced double and triple split-seconds chronographs, as well as split-seconds models combined with perpetual calendars and tourbillons, the brand had never offered a simple split-seconds chronograph until the debut of this reference.

Offered with its complete set of accessories, the present example remains in excellent overall condition, retaining its original factory stickers.