A Lange and Sohne: The RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON Pour le Merite HANDWERKSKUNST

This special edition watch is limited to only 15 exemplars and truly represents the best of artistic virtuosity and watchmaking skill. This brilliant masterpiece incorporates two superior complications: a fusée-and-chain transmission and a tourbillon. A fusée-and-chain transmission is a complex and rarely used complication, and only a couple of luxury brands offer this kind of watches. The movement of these pieces is fitted with a delicate hand-made chain that mediates the flow of power between the mainspring barrel and the going train. The going train of a mechanical watch is therefore driven by the same amount of torque regardless of the state of wind of the mainspring and the watch is consequently more accurate.

Tourbillon is a complication that further adds to the precision of this watch. This complication aims to counteract the gravity by mounting the escapement and balance wheel in a rotating cage and so take away the problem of slight variations of position of an escapement.



The watch is inspired by the pocket watch created by 18th century Saxon horologist Johann Heinrich Seyffert. In this special edition it comes in a honey-colored golden case, and dubbed “HANDWERKSKUNST” - which means “craftsmanship” on German. Even the dial of this watch is made of gold. It is decorated using a traditional engraving technique called tremblage. Tremblage creates granular texture that appears like a three-dimensional satin finish, and it is obtained by guiding a lining burin over the surface with an orbital motion in eight directions. The dial has a round aperture which allows for a quick glance on the inner core. This aperture is actually a cut-away seconds dial, while the hour dial has a rotating segment with 8 - 10 o'clock indicators. This hour-segment is hidden from view at 12 o’clock, to completely expose the tourbillon, and it comes into view again at 6 o’clock.




Inside of the case beats manually wound in-house calibre L072.1, largely decorated and assembled by hand. The movement beats at 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour and provides 36 hours when fully wound. The case measures 41.9 millimeters in diameter and 12.2 millimeters in thickness. It is mounted on red-brown hand-stitched crocodile strap with a deployant buckle in solid honey-colored gold. Both glass and the case-back are made of sapphire crystal.

This amazing limited edition is available exclusively at the five A. Lange & Sohne boutiques in Dresden, Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong.
Richard Lange Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite” Ref. 761.050



Author: Marina Milojević
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