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 Screw-down crown and two pushers for correcting the day of week and date
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
Price: 28.000 Euro