A. Lange & Söhne launches first sports watch: Introducing the new ODYSSEUS
There has been a lot of speculations lately, whether and when the Saxon watchmakers will venture to introduce their very first sports model. Now, all the waiting, speculating and guessing has come to an end. The ODYSSEUS opens up a new chapter for A. Lange & Söhne, their first regularly produced timepiece in stainless steel. The typical Lange case-design and large date with double aperture remain to be signature elements of the manufacture.
A. Lange & Söhne ODYSSEUS Ref. 363.179
The sporty and yet very elegant ODYSSEUS is the first offspring of the sixth watch family of Lange, extending the lines LANGE 1, SAXONIA, 1815, RICHARD LANGE and ZEITWERK. And as usual at Lange, it is endowed not only with a distinctive design but also with a newly developed movement: the tailor-made self-winding movement manufacture calibre L155.1 DATOMATIC.
Lange manufacture calibre L155.1 DATOMATIC
The stainless-steel case with 40,5 millimetres in diameter and 11,1 in height has been constructed in three parts and has an integrated stainless-steel bracelet. The surfaces of the case are decorated with a satin contour finish and the edges are emphasised with a chamfer. The combination of brushed surfaces and chamfered edges is echoed on the lugs and links of the massive stainless-steel bracelet. The ODYSSEUS is the first Lange watch with a water-resistant case and a screw-down crown. The pushers for correcting the date and the day of the week at 2 and 4 o’clock are specially sealed and tapered.
A. Lange & Söhne ODYSSEUS Ref. 363.179 (links)
Screw-down crown and two pushers for correcting the day of week and date (rechts)
At 3 o’clock, a typical Lange date display with its classic double aperture catches the eye. It is complemented with an equally large day-of-week display at 9 o’clock. The typical Lange font is used for both displays, though here in white on a dark-blue dial made of brass and several levels with different surfaces.
The dial of the ODYSSEUS is made of dark-blue brass
Just like the outer scale of the subsidiary seconds dial, the notched baton appliques made of white gold lie above concentric lines, a technique called azurage. They contrast against the grained inner surfaces of the main and subsidiary dial. A bevelled, argenté-coloured flange ring with a printed minute scale frames the dial. In the ODYSSEUS, the brand-typical lancet-shaped hands for hours and minutes are more prominent than in other watches of the manufactory and are luminous, just like the inner surfaces of the baton appliques.
The lancet-shaped hours- and minutes-hands of the new ODYSSEUS are extra prominent and luminous
The name DATOMATIC visible on the rotor of the new manufacture calibre L155.1 stands for the date mechanism combined with automatic winding. It features a unidirectionally winding central rotor with an oscillating mass in platinum that is skeletonized in order to offer a view on the details of the manually executed, lavish finissage of the movement.
DATOMATIC stands for the date mechanism combined with automatic winding
The newly designed balance is regulated with four countersunk poising screws that are flush with the outside of the balance-wheel rim. This design reduces turbulences despite the higher frequency of 28.800 semi-oscillations per hour. The mainspring barrel delivers a maximum power reserve of 50 hours. In accordance with the A. Lange & Söhne philosophy, the entire movement is finished by hand and assembled twice.
Lange manufacture calibre L155.1 DATOMATIC
The stainless-steel bracelet can be adjusted in small steps up to 7 millimetres by pressing the pusher embossed with the Lange signature and by pulling or pushing to the desired length.
Adjustable stainless-steel bracelet with Lange signature
The French language sounds just as pretty like a chanson from Edith Piaf. A rather uncharming word like ‘cow horns’ turns in French into an elegant ‘Cornes de Vache’. This example is not chosen by accident: it is the nickname of a very special watch from Vacheron Constantin, that in 1955 appeared by the simple…
Something is brewing on the horizon in the sandy desert of Dakar – is it a mirage? No, it's the unmistakable curves of a Porsche, still clear through the sandstorm. But this is not just any Porsche speeding through the metres-high dunes. In the scorching heat, you can recognise the new Porsche 911 Dakar. The…
At this year's Watches & Wonders 2020, Swiss watchmaker Roger Dubuis introduces a brand new Excalibur watch – the Excalibur Diabolus in Machina. Unusually, the 45 mm watch's case and caseback are made with the alloy CarTech Micro-Melt BioDur CCMTM. Meanwhile, the skeletonised timepiece's functions include a minute repeater and a single flying tourbillon. The…
When Piaget presented the world’s thinnest watch, the Altiplano Ultimate Concept, six years ago, it showed the world exactly what masterful, high-precision work can look like. With the invention of the caliber 9P, Piaget can already draw on 67 years of experience in the manufacturing of ultra-thin movements. To celebrate its 150th anniversary, the brand…
Cartier is introducing three new complicated watches into its Fine Watchmaking Collection. This includes the Rotonde de Cartier Minute Repeater Mysterious Double Tourbillon, the Rotonde de Cartier Mysterious Hour Skeleton, and the Rotonde de Cartier Grande Complication Skeleton watch. All three timepieces are housed in an 18-carat pink gold case, while the matching crown incorporates…
If you can't decide between white gold, yellow gold or rose gold when putting on your watch, Audemars Piguet now has an alternative for you: polychrome gold, a kind of camouflage motif made from all three precious metals. The new material will initially be presented in the form of a prototype of the Royal Oak…
The world of haute horlogerie welcomes a new variant of the Breguet Classique Double Tourbillon “Quai de l’Horloge”. The watch is an homage to the rich tradition of craftsmanship and technical innovations that have defined the brand since its inception. With the introduction of this watch, Breguet honors the famous invention of the tourbillon, patented…
As a long-standing partner of the Italian sailing team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, Panerai is presenting the Luminor Luna Rossa Carbotech. The special edition is being released on the occasion of the 37th America's Cup. The watch is only available for 24 hours and there are only 37 pieces. The case comes in the company's…
Audemars Piguet is unveiling a brand new model; the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon Automatic 41 mm. In other words, the Le Brassus-based manufacture is presenting its first ever Royal Oak Automatic to feature a flying tourbillon. The model comes in three versions, each with a different case material. This includes a choice of…
Breguet’s new release of the platinum Classique Tourbillon Extra-Plat Automatique 5367 introduces a deep blue dial and platinum case. The new model features curved Arabic numerals and the typical Breguet-style hands. In addition, the inscribed part of the dial is slightly offset from the lower right edge of the case. The dial itself is created…
Building on the momentum of its celebrated PRX and PR 516 collections, Tissot introduces the PR 516 Automatic Chronograph – a timepiece that harmonizes retro-inspired design with a contemporary chronograph. Drawing inspiration from the iconic 1970s PR 516 racing chronograph, this latest iteration showcases a 41mm case, automatic Valjoux movement, and a sleek white and…
The Geneva-based manufacture Vacheron Constantin is presenting a new version of the Traditionnelle Complete Calendar with a case in 18-carat white gold. Previously, the watch was only available in rose gold or as the Excellence Platine Edition with a platinum case. This new Traditionnelle Complete Calendar comes with a slate grey dial that accommodates a…
With the Superocean Automatic 42 Sylt Edition, Breitling presents a diver’s watch limited to 50 pieces, capturing the distinctive spirit of the North Sea island of Sylt in a functional timekeeping instrument. This special edition draws on the design codes of the Slow Motion from the 1960s, combining clean lines with excellent legibility – defining…