At this year’s Watches & Wonders 2020, A. Lange & Söhne presents a limited edition of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater. Ever since 2015, this model has been the only watch to combine a mechanical jumping numerals display with a decimal minute repeater. Furthermore, only 30 pieces of the new model are available. It now comes in a 44.2 mm white-gold case with a deep blue dial.
The A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater digitally displays the time of day using a display module consisting of three discs so that it can be read from left to right. The solid silver deep blue dial contrasts with the rhodium-plated nickel silver bridge. As is typical of the brand, the small seconds at 6 o’clock complete the design. There is also a power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock.
The audible tones produced by the striking mechanism of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater indicate the time currently displayed. In addition to the digital time display, the ten-minute intervals sound as double strikes. For example, at 07:52, the left-hand gong hammer strikes seven times for each hour. Then, five double strikes sound for the ten-minute intervals, whereupon the right hammer reproduces the single minutes with two strikes.
The energy for the striking mechanism is provided by the mainspring barrel. Therefore, the slide (which is common for minute repeaters) is not necessary. Instead, the pusher at 10 o’clock triggers the mechanism. Furthermore, given that a pusher can be sealed (unlike a slide), the watch offers a water resistance of 30 m. Additionally, the crown and the display module cannot be used for as long as the repetition process is running. This means that the sound and digitally displayed time coincide.
Powering the timepiece is the in-house, manual-winding calibre L043.5. Furthermore, it consists of 771 components as well as 93 jewels. When the mainspring barrel is fully wound, the power reserve is 36 hours – assuming that the striking mechanism has not been activated. Additionally, the frequency is 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour or 2.5 Hertz. Finally, the sapphire caseback allows for a view of the decorated caseback.
A. Lange & Söhne manual-winding calibre L043.5
The A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Minute Repeater (Ref. 147.028F) is presented on a blue leather strap with a white-gold buckle. Only 30 pieces available. Price EUR 449.000.
FEATURES
| BRAND: | A. Lange & Söhne |
| MODEL: | Zeitwerk Minute Repeater |
| REFERENCE: | Ref. 147.028F |
| CASE: | White gold |
| DIMENSIONS: | Diameter: 44.2 mm Height: 14.1 mm |
| WATER-RESISTANCE: | 3 bar (~ 30 m) |
| DIAL: | Solid silver, deep blue |
| STRAP/BRACELET: | Hand-stitched leather, blue |
| MOVEMENT: | Lange manufacture calibre L043.5 |
| MOVEMENT TYPE: | manual-winding |
| POWER RESERVE: | 36 hours |
| FREQUENCY: | 18.000 vph / 2,5 Hz |
| FUNCTIONS: | Hours and minutes with jumping numerals display, striking mechanism with decimal minute repeater, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds, power-reserve indicator |
| PRICE: | EUR 449,000 – Limited to 30 pieces. |