When A. Lange & Söhne launched the 1815 Rattrapante in honeygold in 2020, we missed it on-line (bar a line about its introduction), in favour of the 1815 Skinny, additionally in honeygold, and the still-developing story of the Odysseus. The Glashütte producer is bringing the split-seconds chronograph again this 12 months in one other restricted version of 200 items, this time in platinum. To the very best of our data, this new model just isn’t restricted to present prospects of A. Lange & Söhne additionally makes it just a little extra related to wider audiences. It’s a boutique unique although and you’ll have to pop in and ask concerning the value, which is barely disclosed upon request.

In any occasion, we’ll use this chance to appropriate our authentic omission on the 1815 Rattrapante. This is a vital be aware as a result of we don’t sometimes characteristic new iterations of older fashions. Within the case of the 1815 Rattrapante in honeygold, this watch occurred to be the primary time the producer despatched out its split-seconds chronograph by itself. Sure, this actually was the primary time A. Lange & Söhne launched the split-seconds chronograph, or doppel chrono, with out another complication, and it should have been an excellent success as a result of it’s again for seconds. To be truthful although, what else may we anticipate when the honeygold watch was restricted in the way in which that it was — don’t maintain your breath for a metal model.

To start with, the split-seconds chronograph is an enormous deal at A. Lange & Söhne, being one thing of a speciality of the watchmakers. We is not going to get into the specifics of a split-second chronograph, however you may consider it this manner. An ordinary chronograph measures elapsed time for one timing occasion; the split-seconds enable one to increase that to 2 timing occasions, together with measuring two sprinters in opposition to one another or, extra historically, seamlessly measuring lap instances in motor racing or distance working. There are two chronograph palms right here, and as proven within the video however not fairly in the usual photographs, each begin collectively (exactly synchronised so it appears to be like like there is only one hand). When the rattrapante operate is engaged (by way of the pusher at 10 o’clock), the split-seconds hand (right here in rhodiumised metal whereas all different palms are in blued metal) stops whereas the chronograph hand continues on its merry method. The identical pusher additionally restarts the split-seconds hand, instantly leaping it again into place and tempo with the chronograph hand.

All of it makes for a pleasant little bit of visible poetry, if in case you have ever seen it — or if like us you’ve gotten tried to get these palms into the basic configuration you might need seen in footage. As you may think, there’s a whole lot of complexity right here, which on the manual-winding calibre L101.2, you may see by way of the exhibition caseback, completely unobstructed by an computerized winding rotor. There are 365 particular person elements right here, all organized like a mechanical funhouse; sure, there are two column wheels right here, which is a signature of split-seconds chronographs. Now, the end here’s a bit totally different to the honeygold model as a result of the signature Glashütte stripes and commonplace hand-engraving on the stability cock are each again.

Returning to the motion dial-side, the 1815 Rattrapante remains to be the one watch from A. Lange & Söhne to characteristic this configuration of subdials, with an elapsed 30-minute counter at 12 o’clock and working seconds at 6 o’clock. The phrases Glashütte in Sachsen are additionally distinctive to the 1815 Rattrapante, at the very least on this full type. It may appear just a little extreme in one thing like a chronograph, nevertheless it didn’t trouble us after we dealt with the watch in individual. Try the video by the way in which, in order for you all the important thing traits of the watch in 30 seconds flat.

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