To mark its 25th anniversary, A. Lange & Söhne’s pioneering chronograph, the DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN is now available in 18-carat white gold with a blue dial, limited to 125 watches.
At a very early stage, the movement of the DATOGRAPH revealed the ambition of the Saxon manufacture to push horological boundaries and to explore new avenues. The DATOGRAPH was the prelude to a range of currently 13 innovative models with a chronograph function.
With its flyback mechanism, precisely jumping minute counter, outsize date and power-reserve indicator the DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN is in a league of its own. Due to the three switching steps being executed with one single push of a button, the flyback mechanism allows two quick consecutive time measurements, with virtually no delay between these. The chronograph is stopped, reset to zero, and started again in next to no time. This function was often used in the early beginnings of aviation. The precisely jumping minute counter does justice to its name as well: it jumps to the next increment at the precise moment when the chrono seconds hand completes the 60th second. The attribute ‘UP/DOWN’ refers to the power-reserve indicator at 6 o’clock that provides information on how much of the 60 hours’ power reserve is still available.
The manually wound calibre L951.6 (above) ‒ consisting of 451 parts, assembled twice and finished in typical Lange fashion ‒ breathes life into the DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN. Thanks to the technical sophistication, complex architecture and the superior degree of finishing, it sets benchmarks in engineering and aesthetic appeal.
The classic column-wheel chronograph with a freely oscillating balance spring and a balance with eccentric poising weights beats at a frequency of 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour (2.5 hertz) and allows time measurements with an accuracy of one-fifth of a second. Through the sapphire-crystal caseback, the minute counter mechanism and the column wheel, which controls the start and stop sequences, can be admired in action.
“To date, designing and crafting top-class chronographs ranks among the greatest challenges in precision watchmaking. As early as 25 years ago, our engineers created a masterpiece with the DATOGRAPH that marries highly sophisticated functions with a well-balanced dial configuration. This singular combination of true engineering finesse and expressive design has made the DATOGRAPH an emblem of our philosophy to continue to explore new avenues, and serves as an incentive for future developments.”
Anthony de Haas, Director Product Development, A. Lange & Söhne
The dimensions of the new model version remain unchanged: the case boasts a diameter of 41.0 millimetres and a height of 13.1 millimetres. In addition to the new DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN in white gold with a blue dial limited to 125 pieces, the model is also still available in a platinum/black and pink-gold/black case/dial combination.
Technical Specifications:
| DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN Ref. 405.028 | |
| Movement | Lange manufacture calibre L951.6, manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand |
| No. of movement parts | 451 |
| No. of jewels | 46 |
| No. of screwed gold chatons | 4 |
| Escapement | Lever escapement |
| Oscillation system | Shock-resistant balance with eccentric poising weights; superior-quality balance spring manufactured in-house, frequency of 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring |
| Power reserve | 60 hours when fully wound |
| Functions | Time indicated in hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds dial with stop seconds; flyback chronograph with precisely jumping minute counter; UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator, outsize date |
| Operating elements | Crown for winding the watch and setting the time; two chronograph buttons, one button for rapid correction of the outsize date |
| Case dimensions | Diameter: 41.0 millimetres; height: 13.1 millimetres |
| Movement dimensions | Diameter: 30.6 millimetres; height: 7.9 millimetres |
| Crystal and transparent caseback | Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9) |
| Case | 18-carat white gold |
| Dial | 925 silver, blue |
| Hands | Hour and minute hands: 18-carat white gold, rhodiumed, luminous; subsidiary seconds and minute counter hands: steel, blued; chrono seconds hand: steel, rhodiumed; power-reserve hand: 18-carat white gold, rhodiumed |
| Strap | Hand-stitched alligator leather, blue |
| Buckle | Prong buckle in 18-carat white gold |
| Limited edition | 125 watches, edition number engraving |
For more information please visit A. Lange & Söhne