Loading ...

$type=slider$au=0$cm=0$snip=0$rm=0$c=5$l=0$sp=6000

A. Lange & Söhne - Grand Complication, Live Report

European presentation of the Grand Complication, the most complicated wristwatch ever produced by A. Lange & Söhne, bringing together seven of the most elaborate and rare complications of the horological art: chiming mechanism with grand and small strike, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph with minute counter and flying seconds (seconde foudroyante) as well as a perpetual calendar with moon-phase display.
We had the pleasure to be present at the European presentation of the Grand Complication, the most complicated wristwatch ever produced by A. Lange & Söhne. The event, held in Milan on October 16, was part of a road show that will include presentations in Tokyo and New York as well.


We first talked about the Grand Complication here, when it was introduced during the Salon International de l'Haute Horlogerie in Geneva last January. But yesterday we finally had the possibility to hear its sound and wear the fully working prototype (0/6) on our wrist. It was exciting.


The Grand Complication brings together seven of the most elaborate and rare complications of the horological art: chiming mechanism with grand and small strike, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph with minute counter and flying seconds (seconde foudroyante) as well as a perpetual calendar with moon-phase display.


Lange's Director of Product Development, Anthony de Haas, was there to present the Grand Complication and disclose some "secrets" about it. As he said, this project opens a new era for Lange as it "has opened the gate to many new ideas and designs".

So many complications together require an almost perfect balance of the many hundred components of the mechanism. As de Haas explains, one of the biggest challenge during the development of the Grand Complication was to avoid any loss of amplitude when at midnight all indications of the perpetual calendar are switching and the grande sonnerie is striking simultaneously. Lange succeeded in this challenge making it even possible for the owner of the timepiece to operate the rattrapante mechanism at the same time.

At 12 o'clock the lever for activating/deactivating the chiming mechanism

The assembly and fine-tuning of the 876 part will take about a year to complete. The most demanding test procedures are adopted to ensure the highest quality. For example, the chiming mechanism is monitored and recorded day and night, then  evaluated to check whether the mechanism has been chiming correctly every single quarter. If not, it has to be dismantled, adjusted, assembled and checked again until the result is flawless.

The hand-wound manufacture Calibre L1902

Despite of its exclusive price - almost two million Euros - Anthony de Haas mentioned that "the number of serious collectors interested in the watch is higher than the supply. But it has not been decided yet which of the potential buyers will eventually receive one". A. Lange & Söhne cannot produce more Grand Complications as it would tie up capacities needed for other new projects.

Below you find some live pictures, including one on the wrist, taken during the event.
Between 7 and 8 o'clock, the slide for actuating the minute repeater

 The beautifully enamelled dial

At 6 o'clock, the lever for selecting Grande or Petite Sonnerie and the correction push piece for the calendar

Thickness is 20.3 mm



The 50 mm case might appear quite large but you need to keep in mind that this is a collector piece, not an ordinary every-day wristwatch. It would not be possible to further reduce its size, considering all the complications brought together in a single piece, without impacting reliability.

The Grand Complication, another demonstration of mastery in the horological art from A. Lange & Söhne.

COMMENTS

BLOGGER: 2
  1. Such a beautiful watch. I would rather lose a piece of my kidney to exchange for this watch

    ReplyDelete

Name

A. Lange & Sohne,142,Accutron,1,AkriviA,10,Alain Silberstein,4,alarm,18,Alpina,19,Andersen Geneve,2,Andersmann,2,Andreas Strehler,5,Angelus,6,annual calendar,43,Anonimo,15,Anthony de Haas,1,Antiquorum,4,Antoine Martin,2,Antoine Preziuso,1,Apple,2,Apple Watch,2,Aquadive,2,Aquastar,1,Armin Strom,80,Arnold and Son,27,Artime,1,Astarwatch,1,Atelier de Chronometrie,1,Ateliers deMonaco,2,Atmos,1,Auctions,93,Audemars Piguet,97,Autodromo,1,automaton,2,BA111OD,1,Ball Watch,1,Bamford,2,Baselword 2022,1,Baselworld,8,BaselWorld 2013,50,BaselWorld 2014,53,Baselworld 2015,69,Baselworld 2016,27,Baselworld 2017,64,Baselworld 2018,75,Baselworld 2019,41,Baselworld 2020,2,Baume,4,Baume & Mercier,17,Baume et Mercier,71,Beaubleu,1,Bell & Ross,41,Bernhard Lederer,4,Bernhard Zwinz,1,bespoke,1,Blancpain,98,blue dial,3,Bonhams,2,Bovet,14,Brands histories,1,Breguet,127,Breitling,74,Bremont,1,Bremont Watch Company,4,Breva,2,bronze,28,Bücherei,1,Bucherer,1,Bulgari,121,Bulova,2,Burberry,1,C3H5N3O9,1,carbon,4,carillon,4,Carl F. Bucherer,4,Carl Suchy,1,Carrera,20,Cartier,49,ceramic,22,Certina,13,Chanel,5,Chaumet,3,chiming hour,14,Chopard,42,Christiaan van der Klaauw,1,Christie's,9,Christophe Claret,5,Christopher Ward,15,chronograph,781,chronometer,41,Chronoswiss,6,Cimier,1,Citizen,4,co-axial,1,column-wheel,9,complete calendar,29,complications,90,concept watch,5,Concord,1,constant-force,39,Corum,18,Credor,2,CSEM,1,Cuervo y Sobrinos,1,Cyrus,34,Czapek,8,Dan Niederer,1,Davosa,1,Daytona,8,De Bethune,28,de Grisogono,3,dead seconds,21,Delma,2,detent escapement,4,DeWitt,9,digital display,1,dive watches,94,diving,8,diving watches,413,double regulator,3,Doxa,39,drei,1,dress watches,530,dual time,107,Ebel,2,Eberhard,35,Edouard Koehn,7,Edox,6,El Primero,42,Emile Chouriet,1,Emmanuel Bouchet,1,Emmanuel Breguet,1,enamel dial,14,enamelling,16,Equation of time,9,ETA,1,Eterna,18,exhibitions,1,F.P.Journe,40,Faberge,2,factory tours,3,Favre-Leuba,1,feature article,91,features,126,Felipe Pikullik,2,Ferdinand Berthoud,8,flyback,63,Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie,1,Formex,1,Fortis,9,Franc Vila Founder,1,Franck Muller,8,Frederic Jouvenot,1,Frederique Constant,19,Furlan Marri,1,FVF,1,Gallet,1,Garrick,1,Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix,8,Georg Jensen,1,George Daniels,4,Gerald Charles,2,Gerald Genta,13,Girard-Perregaux,48,Glashuette,19,Glashuette Original,93,Glashütte,33,Glashütte Original,126,Glycine,4,GMT,137,GoS,1,GoS Watches,1,GPHG,21,GPHG 2020,3,GPHG 2021,3,GPHG 2022,3,GPHG 2023,3,GPHG 2024,1,GPHG2019,1,Graham,6,Grand Feu,6,Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve,16,Grand Seiko,36,Grande Complication,28,Grande Sonnerie,9,Greubel Forsey,38,greubelforsey,1,Gronefeld,10,Grönefeld,8,Grossmann,3,guilloché,8,H. Moser and Cie,51,H20 Watch,1,Habring,10,Habring2,11,Hajime Asaoka,2,Hallmark of Geneva,2,Hamilton,38,hands-on,132,Hanhart,20,Harry Winston,11,Hautlence,6,Hermes,26,Heuer,2,high jewellery,2,high-frequency,5,Hublot,64,Hybris Artistica,1,Hydro Mechanical Horologists,7,HYT Watches,16,Icon,1,In pictures,18,independent watchmaker,39,industry news,242,interview,8,Interviews,8,IWC,173,Jacques Bianchi,1,Jaeger-LeCoultre,128,Jaquet Droz,58,Jean-Francois Mojon,1,Jean-Marc Pontroué,1,JeanRichard,3,jumping hours,38,Junghans,12,Kaj Korpela,1,Kari Voutilainen,11,Kenissi,1,Kollokium,1,Korpela,1,Krayon,4,Kudoke,6,Kurono,2,L.Leroy,1,L'Epee 1839,2,Labails,1,Ladies watches,195,Lang & Heyne,4,Lang 1943,1,Lange,53,large date,3,Laurent Ferrier,25,Laureus,2,Le Garde Temps,1,Lederer Watches,4,Leica,3,Lemania,1,Leroy,4,Linde Werdelin,2,Longines,102,Louis Erard,33,Louis Moinet,8,Louis Vuitton,2,luxury steel watch,27,LVMH,10,LVMH 2020,6,M.A.D.Edition,5,M.A.D.Editions,5,Maîtres du Temps,1,Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps,3,Manufacture Royale,3,Marc Lang,1,marine chronometer,2,Marqueterie,1,Maurice de Mauriac,2,Maurice Lacroix,27,MB&F,71,MCT,1,MeisterSinger,97,meteorite,3,metiers d'art,2,Mickey Mouse,2,Mido,66,military watches,14,Minerva,4,Ming,2,Minute Repeater,62,monopusher chronograph,5,Montblanc,58,moon phases,131,Moritz Grossmann,31,Moser,46,Muhle,6,Mühle-Glashütte,5,mystery watches,4,Nautilus,13,New Britain Corp,1,new watches,3813,Nivada,3,Nomos,80,Norqain,32,Ochs und Junior,6,Officine Panerai,107,Omega,202,Only Watch,15,Only Watch 2015,4,Only Watch 2017,2,Only Watch 2019,3,Only Watch 2021,4,Only Watch 2023,10,Oris,44,paillonne,1,Panerai,110,Parmigiani,17,Parmigiani Fleurier,36,Pascal Coyon,1,Patek,60,Patek Philippe,137,Pedrozo & Piriz,1,perpetual calendar,151,Perrelet,12,Petermann Bedat,3,Phenomen,1,Philippe Dufour,1,Phillips,10,Piaget,39,Pierre DeRoche,2,pilot,1,pilot watch,115,Pininfarina,1,Pisa,17,Pisa 1940,5,Pisa Circle,13,Pita,1,planetarium,2,platinum,7,pocket watch,3,pocket watches,2,Poehlmann-Bresan,2,Poincon de Geneve,2,Porsche Design,17,Pre-SIHH 2016: Cartier - Clé de Cartier Automatic Skeleton,1,pulsometer,5,Purnell,1,quartz,11,Rado,20,Ralf Tech,3,Ralph Lauren,2,rattrapante,26,Raul Pages,2,Raymond Weil,5,rectangular watches,16,reddot award,1,regatta,3,regulator,29,remontoire,5,Remy Cools,1,Renaud Tixier,1,Reservoir,2,resonance,22,Ressence,13,retrograde,10,Revelation,1,Reverso,27,review,134,RGM,1,RGM Watch Co.,1,Richard Mille,117,Richemont,4,Richmond,1,Roger Dubuis,12,Roger Smith,1,Roger W. Smith,1,Rolex,72,Romain Gauthier,13,Romain Jerome,1,Royal Oak,40,Rudis Sylva,1,sapphire,4,Schwarz Etienne,1,Seamaster,10,Seiko,41,SevenFriday,26,SIHH,3,SIHH 2012,4,SIHH 2013,25,SIHH 2014,36,SIHH 2015,43,SIHH 2016,44,SIHH 2017,41,SIHH 2018,43,SIHH 2019,53,Simon Brette,2,Singer,7,Singer Reimagined,11,single hand,32,single-hand watches,38,Sinn,16,skeleton,36,smartwatch,9,solar energy,1,Sotheby's,8,Speake Marin,6,Speake-Marin,6,Speedmaster,38,split seconds,27,sport,1,sport watches,993,sportwatches,1,Spring Drive,3,square watches,4,squelette,61,steampunk,1,Steinhart,1,Strehler,1,striking time,16,SuisseMecanica,1,sunrise,2,sunset,2,Swatch,9,Swatch Group,24,Sylvain Pinaud,2,table clocks,4,Tag Heuer,184,tantalum,1,technical insight,3,terra Cielo Mare,1,Theo Auffret,1,tides,1,Tiffany,17,Tissot,10,titanium,12,top news,449,Torsti Laine,1,tourbillon,382,Trilobe,4,Tudor,39,Tulloch,1,Tutima,3,ultra thin,36,Ulysse Nardin,40,Unimatic,1,Union Glashutte,15,Universal Genève,1,Urban Jurgensen,29,Urwerk,22,Vacheron Constantin,83,Van Cleef & Arpels,7,Vauchier Fleurier,1,Vianney Halter,5,video,1,vintage watches,3,Vulcain,11,wandering hours,1,watches,1,Watches & Wonders,42,Watches & Wonders 2020,19,Watches & Wonders 2021,28,Watches & Wonders 2022,35,Watches & Wonders 2023,38,Watches & Wonders 2024,47,Watches & Wonders 2025,2,Watches&Wonders,10,WatchesandWonders2022,35,WatchesandWonders2023,39,WatchesandWonders2024,48,WatchesandWonders2025,2,Wilhelm Schmid,1,Winnerl,1,worldtime,58,YEMA,5,Zannetti,1,Zeitwerk,2,Zeitwinkel,1,Zenith,114,Zodiac,9,
ltr
item
Time and Watches | The watch blog: A. Lange & Söhne - Grand Complication, Live Report
A. Lange & Söhne - Grand Complication, Live Report
European presentation of the Grand Complication, the most complicated wristwatch ever produced by A. Lange & Söhne, bringing together seven of the most elaborate and rare complications of the horological art: chiming mechanism with grand and small strike, minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph with minute counter and flying seconds (seconde foudroyante) as well as a perpetual calendar with moon-phase display.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0021zcQJ0bdepK1lBxDZLF_0jtdY_JO-SkWQ9nD1bo8ULW8eftRy8IX1D14Zm6NFq7XC1Gxf0Kmm7bRkTzOwzzGF0ksi0MjJRdSHEmvAfkfRF6SY00LjT2uIblEw_Z2s2HngxcXosLKc/s640/Lange-Grand-Complication-Front.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0021zcQJ0bdepK1lBxDZLF_0jtdY_JO-SkWQ9nD1bo8ULW8eftRy8IX1D14Zm6NFq7XC1Gxf0Kmm7bRkTzOwzzGF0ksi0MjJRdSHEmvAfkfRF6SY00LjT2uIblEw_Z2s2HngxcXosLKc/s72-c/Lange-Grand-Complication-Front.jpg
Time and Watches | The watch blog
https://www.timeandwatches.com/2013/10/a-lange-sohne-grand-complication-live.html
https://www.timeandwatches.com/
https://www.timeandwatches.com/
https://www.timeandwatches.com/2013/10/a-lange-sohne-grand-complication-live.html
true
7479538179671063502
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Read more Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share to a social network STEP 2: Click the link on your social network Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy Table of Content