I attended the Concours of Elegance classic car show last September at Hampton Court Palace, UK. As the presenting partner, A. Lange & Söhne reflects the event’s values, including longevity, exclusivity, sustainability, and perseveration in traditional automobiles. This ethos is wonderfully distilled in Lange’s latest release, the 1815.
This classic collection pays tribute to the birth year of its founder, F.A. Lange. It’s also the most traditional range in Lange’s catalogue. For 2025, the base level 1815 goes even smaller at a tuxedo-ready 34mm case in white or pink gold with a sumptuous blue dial.
You may assume that Lange sticks its nose up at the automotive industry. While it’s not likely you will see the A. Lange & Söhne logo strewn across a race car, Lange’s CEO Wilhelm Schmid is also a petrol head: “My two passions in life are cars and watches, so the prospect of displaying our timepieces in this beautiful and historic space alongside over sixty of the most amazing cars ever created is a dream come true.”
“Speaking from experience, I know that there is a great deal of common ground between car and watch collectors: ultimate craftsmanship, technical innovation and unrivalled heritage are the key values of both vintage cars and our approach to watchmaking. That’s why this partnership between A. Lange & Söhne and the Concours of Elegance is such a perfect fit.”
Despite the extrovert nature of dazzling classic cars, this 1815 goes for a more discreet clientele. With high demand, Lange customers have repeatedly longed for an even more diminutive 1815 than the current 38.5mm offering. At 34mm, the new 1815 will cater to many tastes. The 6.4mm case thickness is kept in proportion, making it almost imperceptible on the wrist, with only the subtle heft of the 750 white gold or pink gold providing that luxurious reassurance.
This remarkably svelte case is thanks to a new manually-wound calibre from Lange at a slim 2.9mm. The L152.1 movement is Lange’s 75th manufacture calibre, which is even more impressive than the brand relaunch, which was only in 1990.
The gorgeously decorated movement is visible via the exhibition case back with a prominent three-quarter plate with Glashütte ribbing. Standing apart is the hand-engraved balance cock for a flash of flamboyance. Providing 72 hours of power reserve, the L152.1 calibre propels the hour and minute hands and the subsidiary seconds. This dial layout allows for elegant space yet precise indication with finely tipped lancet hands overlapping the minute track. Only the 6 o’clock numeral sacrifices its elongation for the subsidiary seconds with concentric grooves delicately recessed from the dial’s centre. The deep blue dial blends these varying dial textures to provide interest and harmony.
Tying it all together is the hand-stitched blue alligator leather for the white gold model and reddish-brown alligator leather for the pink gold version.
Price and Specs:
Model:
A.
Lange & Söhne 1815
Ref:
220.028
(white gold), 220.037 (pink gold)
Case:
34mm
diameter x 6.4mm thickness, 18k white gold or 18k pink gold
Dial:
Blue
Water resistance:
30m
(3 bar)
Movement:
Lange
manufacture calibre L152.1, manual winding, 21 jewels
Frequency:
21,600
vph (3 Hz)
Power reserve:
72h
Functions:
Hours,
minutes, seconds
Strap:
Hand-stitched
alligator leather in blue or reddish-brown
Price:
TBC
More details at A. Lange & Söhne.
Oracle Time