A Lange & Söhne’s 2025 Watches & Wonders highlights: 1815, Minute Repeater Perpetual & Odysseus Honeygold

A slender, subtly tiered bezel frames a rich blue dial imbued with the brand’s signature attention to detail. Cue a railway‑track minute scale, Arabic numerals, and a subsidiary seconds dial at 6 o’clock that recall the aesthetic of historic A Lange & Söhne pocket watches, and lancet‑shaped hands, rendered in a case‑matched material, that emphasise the 1815’s classic character.

The colour harmony extends to the leather strap: the white gold version comes with one in a deep blue that echoes that of the dial, while the pink gold edition features one in a warm reddish‑brown that complements the case. The strap is secured with a polished prong buckle in a case‑corresponding precious metal, a testament to the brand’s meticulous craftsmanship.

On a High Note

For connoisseurs of grand complications, A Lange & Söhne presents the Minute Repeater Perpetual in 950 platinum, a tour de force combining two of watchmaking’s most sophisticated complications—the minute repeater and the perpetual calendar—that is limited to just 50 pieces.

The minute repeater mechanism produces a crystalline, resonant chime, enhanced by platinum’s exceptional acoustic properties and fine‑tuned by hand for optimal tonal clarity. Activated via a slide on the left side of the case, the complication marks the time with low‑pitched tones for the hours, double chimes for the quarter hours and high‑pitched notes for the minutes lapsed since—yielding up to 720 unique sequences across a 12‑hour cycle. Through the clear sapphire crystal caseback, one can admire the precise choreography of the gong hammers and gongs.

This auditory marvel is governed by a finely engineered system of 194 components—including racks, snails, levers and wheels—that work in perfect harmony to deliver mechanical timekeeping in its most lyrical form. The classic minute repeater is further enhanced with ingenious refinements such as a pause elimination feature, which skips unnecessary silences between hour and minute strikes when no quarter hours need sounding. There is also a safety device that prevents the mechanism from activating when the crown is pulled—and vice versa—and a patented hammer blocker that ensures clean strikes without rebounding.

The technical sophistication of this 40.5mm timepiece is matched by the artisanal finesse of its four‑part dial executed in white gold and filled with glossy, deep black enamel. This lustrous inky surface provides an elegant and legible stage for the various displays, including the brand’s signature outsize date. At 9 o’clock, a subdial houses the day‑of‑week and 24‑hour indicators, while the 3 o’clock counterpart presents the month and leap‑year indications. At 6 o’clock, the small seconds and moonphase displays share a third subdial with twin gold moons set against a field of more than 100 hand‑engraved stars.

Another distinctive feature is the use of circular lesenes, or slim white gold borders, that define each dial segment. On the main dial, the lesene runs between the outsize date display and the Roman numerals, while on the subdials, it separates the inner and outer display zones with crisp definition.

Powering this mechanical marvel with a 72‑hour power reserve is the newly developed calibre L122.2, comprising 640 meticulously finished components. The manually wound movement features characteristic A Lange & Söhne aesthetics, including a hand‑engraved balance cock, a three‑quarter plate made of untreated German silver decorated with black‑rhodiumed engravings, and elaborately finished gong hammers treated with black polish for dramatic visual effect.

Gold Standard

Completing the trio is the Odysseus Honeygold, a 100‑piece limited edition that marks the first time the sporty‑elegant Odysseus has been fully rendered in A Lange & Söhne’s proprietary gold alloy. Notably, the five‑link bracelet optimises comfort and flexibility, integrating seamlessly into the 40.5mm by 11.1mm case and featuring a safety deployant buckle with a pusher that allows on‑the‑fly adjustments of up to 7mm without opening the buckle. For a more permanent tailored fit, individual links can also be added or removed.

The warm, lustrous Honeygold is paired beautifully with a rich brown dial for a sophisticated colourway that exudes contemporary luxury. The dial itself boasts remarkable depth and detail, enhanced by an embossed groove pattern between the hour markers and on the subsidiary seconds scale. The white numerals of the outsize date have a height of 2.4mm to ensure legibility, while luminous coatings on the lancet‑shaped hands and indexes provide clarity in low‑light conditions. Adding a dynamic pop of colour is a subtle yet striking touch of red at the “60” mark at 12 o’clock on the peripheral minute track.

The commanding design also emphasises the interplay between brushed surfaces and chamfered edges throughout the lugs and bracelet links. Tapered pushers for correcting the date and day‑of‑week displays are positioned on either side of the screw‑down crown, reinforcing the timepiece’s distinctive sporting character.

Driving the watch is the manufacture calibre L155.1 Datomatic, an automatic movement designed for durability and long‑term precision. It features a unidirectional platinum rotor, a free‑sprung balance with four regulating screws, and a full balance bridge to ensure stability and performance. As with all A Lange & Söhne calibres, the finishing is impeccable, and the movement can be admired in full via the transparent sapphire crystal caseback. With its 50‑hour power reserve and 120m water resistance, this robust piece is well suited for sports and leisure activities.

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