Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph Now In Pink Gold (SIHH 2018)
A. Lange & Sohne has introduced another iteration of its classic 1815 Chronograph this year at SIHH, now cased in warm 18ct pink gold but with the same iconic pulsation dial. Considered by many to be the ultimate expression of a purist chronograph, these latest versions will be sure to strike a chord with collectors, who now find themselves literally spoilt for choice. Will it be the distinctive and powerful black dial or the equally elegant yet slightly more understated argenté dial? Perhaps one of each? We can dream.
By now, I think I can safely assume that you are familiar with the A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Chronograph. After all, we have written about this awesome watch several times before here on MONOCHROME, including this stunning version with a black dial and white gold case that was released last year. Perhaps more significant, however, was the Boutique Edition from 2015, which we covered here. Why was it so special, you ask? Well, the main reason is because it heralded a return to the earlier design of the 1815 dial, with a raised inner flange printed with a pulsation scale.
Popular with collectors and enthusiasts alike, the pulsation scale is a throwback to when doctors used their watches to measure a patient’s heartbeat. Today, we obviously have sophisticated electronic equipment that can do this more accurately and quickly, but it still gives the 1815 Chronograph a lovely vintage appeal plus it adds a bit more character to the dial.
As with the white gold versions, the pink gold case is a very comfortably-sized 39.5mm x 11.0mm, which is reasonably thin for a chronograph. The dial lay-out is also identical to the white gold versions, with the pulsometer scale on the raised inner flange, central time-display for hours and minute, and running seconds and 30-minute counter on sub-dials positioned slightly lower than the central axle. The indexes are still large Arabic numerals and stylized with the traditional Lange font.
As I mentioned earlier, two dial colours will be available; black and argenté. The hands on the black dial version are crafted from pink gold, with the exception of the chronograph sweep seconds hand, which is made of gold-plated steel. For the argenté dial, the hands are all made from blued steel for that classic Lange look. In this instance, I think the difference in dial colour actually makes a substantial impact on the overall look and feel of the watches, even they are effectively identical.
Inside is the manually-wound Lange manufacture calibre L951.5, which uses the same base calibre as the Datograph. Equipped with a flyback, column-wheel chronograph and offering a 60-hour max power reserve, this exceptional movement has been decorated and assembled by hand resulting in a true feast for the eyes. For more details about the movement, check out the in-depth hands-on review we did of the Boutique Edition.
