A. Lange & Söhne Celebrates 25 Years Of The Datograph With The Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” And A New Up/Down

For A. Lange & Söhne, 2024 is the year of the Datograph. The brand’s famous chronograph turns 25 this year, so it’s time to celebrate. As expected, the Glashütte brand does so in style with two new Datograph releases. The first is the stunning Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen.” Supposing that you are familiar with A. Lange & Söhne, just reading the name will tell you this is an exceptional timepiece. The second release is a special 25th-anniversary version of the Datograph Up/Down in white gold with a blue dial. It’s time for the most stylish celebration of the year.

It’s always exciting when A. Lange & Söhne announces new models for Watches and Wonders. Last year, the brand graced us with the stunning Odysseus Chronograph. The year before that, we saw a brilliant titanium version of Odysseus. Lastly, in 2021, the Lange unveiled a stunning version of its Triple Split. Those are just three of the brand’s remarkable new watches from the last few years. However, it shows that Lange always has at least one standout piece that will leave us all in awe during Watches and Wonders. This year, to celebrate the Datograph’s 25th anniversary correctly, the brand releases the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” and a new Datograph Up/Down version.

A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen”

Let’s start with the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen.” It’s a very long name, but if you know anything about Lange, just by reading that, you know how special this new release is. The timepiece combines a flyback chronograph with a precise jumping minute counter, a perpetual calendar, and a tourbillon with a stop-seconds mechanism. Additionally, the watch is presented in the brand’s proprietary Honeygold and is a special “Lumen” version on top of that. This spectacular timepiece will be produced in a limited run of 50 pieces for this year’s special occasion.

The Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon is not new to the brand’s lineup. The first version came out in 2016 in platinum with a black dial on a black leather strap. This stylish but somewhat restrained aesthetic could not hide the watch’s uniqueness. In the great Lange tradition, the designers and watchmakers created a highly complicated watch while offering great looks deeply rooted in functionality. Following that first model, in 2019 came a super classy white gold version with a stunning salmon dial that is still part of the collection.

The Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon is super wearable

For this year’s release, the brand took it one step further. The new Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon is combined with a Honeygold case and executed as a “Lumen” version. By choosing this new configuration, Lange took it to another level. So, let’s start at the beginning and look at some specs. The Honeygold case is 41.5mm in diameter and 14.6mm thick. Considering that the brand combined three classic complications, these dimensions are spectacular. It makes this piece super wearable, which is what you want.

Lange’s Honeygold is stunning. It is an almost understated gold alloy that I witnessed up close when I did a hands-on for the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange.” It is far less flashy than yellow gold and rose gold but shines brilliantly in the right lighting conditions. For the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon, the case sides feature a series of pushers and correctors.

Combining three classic complications

You will find the crown and two chronograph pushers on the right side. On the left side of the case, you will find the rapid-correction button at 10 o’clock, which advances all the calendar displays by one day. Additionally, the case sides feature separate correctors for the moon phase, the day of the week, the month, and the leap year. The finishing of the three-layer case features a mix of brushed and polished finishes that look stunning. It shows the unique properties of the Honeygold material perfectly.

If we zoom in on the dial side, you will see that the A. Lange & Söhne designers once again did an amazing job of giving the dial an ingenious layout that’s easy to navigate. You will find the outsize date at 12 o’clock and a sub-dial at 4 o’clock with the month and leap-year indicators plus a 30-minute chronograph totalizer. Moving our eyes around the dial, we will see a moonphase display at 6 o’clock and a second sub-dial at 8 o’clock with the weekday and day/night indicators as well as running seconds.

The “Lumen” version gives the watch a new design aesthetic

Compared to the previous version, the power reserve indicator has disappeared. It was located between 9 and 10 o’clock on the circumferential dial ring, which now only holds the minute and tachymeter scales. Looking at the overall aesthetic, that’s where the “Lumen” execution comes into play. Lange uses a dial made of semi-transparent sapphire crystal and a luminous coating on the different displays and functions. In good “Lumen” tradition, the darker the surroundings are, the more the luminous elements stand out.

It starts with the Honeygold central hour and minute hands that feature lume inlays. The central chronograph hand is completely coated with luminous material. Additionally, the hands of the subsidiary seconds, month, weekday, and minute counters hover over luminous subsidiary dials. In the next step, the luminous compound ensures the minute and tachymeter scales light up in the dark. Lastly, the moonphase indicator and outsize date also light up in the dark, ensuring that all the watch’s different functions are easy to use both day and night.

The new in-house caliber L952.4

Visible through the display case back, the new manufacture caliber L952.4 is responsible for all the watchmaking magic on the front. That’s also where we find the one-minute tourbillon with a stop-seconds mechanism. This mechanism lets you stop the tourbillon at any point and set the watch to one-second accuracy for the first time. This can be done regardless of the balance’s angular position or the tourbillon cage’s orientation. The new movement is an evolved version of the L952.2 that powered the previous white gold version with the salmon dial.

This column-wheel chronograph caliber consists of 684 parts, operates at 18,000vph, and has a power reserve of 50 hours. The movement is an impressive display of watchmaking brilliance in the great Lange tradition, and the finishing of the different parts is immaculate. It features bridges of untreated German silver with Glashütte stripes, perlage, polished gold chatons, and blue screws. Seeing this complicated movement through the rear sapphire crystal is a joy. The Honeygold part of the screw-fastened case back also features the unique LE number engraved to display its exclusivity.

Celebrating the Datograph in style

This exclusive Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” comes with a dark brown leather strap and a folding buckle. I’m sure all the available pieces will reach 50 happy owners who must pay an undisclosed sum to get one. As A. Lange & Söhne’s prices are only available on request, it’s not about the price of this new masterpiece. It’s about the glorious celebration of the unique A. Lange & Söhne Datograph.

The new A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down

The second introduction is a new version of the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down. This special 125-piece limited edition features a white gold case and a beautiful blue dial. It is the fourth Datograph Up/Down that the brand has introduced. The first was the platinum version with a black dial in 2012, followed by a pink gold version in 2015. The third model was the much-praised Datograph Up/Down “Lumen” unveiled in 2018. That one is no longer available, unlike the first two.

This new version adds color to the Datograph Up/Down lineup. The watch has a 41mm white gold case that is 13.1mm thick. On the right side of this three-layer case, you will find the crown and the two pushers that operate the flyback chronograph. On the left side of the case, you will find a pusher at 10 o’clock to correct the large outsize date located at 12.

The unique dial design of the Datograph

As I’ve explained in previous articles, the dial design of the Datograph is a display of mathematical brilliance that evokes the right emotion in terms of balance and style. The designers at Lange found the perfect triangle that visually connects the date aperture and the two sub-dials. It makes the Datograph dials easy to read, and the visual balance feels just right. For the Datograph Up/Down, you will find the extra power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock.

This model’s new dial is a rich shade of blue that is nicely contrasted by the rhodium-colored sub-dials, luminous hands, and baton hour markers. The blued hands in the sub-dials not only contrast nicely with the background color but also provide an extra shade of blue. Together with the hint of red of the power reserve indicator, they add a bit of extra vividness to the overall design. But as always with Lange, the result is refined and beautifully detailed.

The manual-winding caliber L951.6

A. Lange & Söhne equips the watch with its caliber L951.6 inside the white gold case. The manual-winding flyback chronograph caliber consists of 451 parts, operates at 18,000vph, and offers a 60-hour power reserve when fully wound. As we have come to know from Lange and I mentioned earlier, the plates and bridges are made of untreated German silver. Furthermore, the balance cock is beautifully engraved by hand. Overall, the movement’s decoration and finishing are stellar, making this chronograph caliber a joy to behold.

As mentioned, Lange will produce 125 pieces of this new white gold Datograph Up/Down version. The price is available upon request, as with all new A. Lange & Söhne watches. But I do not doubt that the brand will be able to sell all the available pieces in a heartbeat as the admiration and popularity of the Glashütte brand has soared over the past couple of years.

Final thoughts on the new A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Anniversary models

A. Lange & Söhne celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Datograph properly with these two new releases. I adore the new Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen.” The way the brand can combine a jaw-dropping movement with a design that is not only highly functional but also oozes a unique class and style is unique. Add the Honeygold case and the luminous execution, and you will have the perfect celebration of 25 years of Datograph brilliance. While the Datograph Up/Down might be a bit less surprising, that watch is a great reminder of why the less complicated Datograph pieces are still great works of art.

Both watches perfectly display why A. Lange & Söhne is my favorite watch brand. As watchmaker extraordinaire Philippe Dufour stated on multiple occasions, the Datograph is the best chronograph ever made. Who are we to disagree? We hope to see 25 years more of the Datograph with more stunning releases.

To learn more about these two watches, visit the official A. Lange & Söhne website. Let us know your thoughts on these new Datograph models in the comments section.