A man’s heart tends to skip a beat for an exceptional watch like the Lange DATOGRAPH introduced in 1999 – perhaps because it is so different from the countless other watches with stop functions … so unmistakably “Lange”. It is progressive and self-confident in terms of technology, yet understated on the wrist. Everything that was ever invented along the road to perfection in the mechanical measurement of short times, such as the column-wheel mechanism, the jumping minute counter, or the flyback function, is united in its lucid calibre L951.1 movement. And of course, apart from the innovative details and new ways of implementing functions, it also features all of the typical hallmarks of Lange watchmaking artistry like the sturdy Glashütte-style three-quarter plate, meticulously decorated bridges and plates made of untreated German silver, the hand-engraved balance cock and gold chatons held by screws.
The 405 individual parts of the precision-engineered movement interact with peerless choreography behind the sapphire-crystal caseback. Every important function can be observed as it takes place in fluid motion. The actors include the stepped pinion for the precisely jumping minute counter with its patented adjustment device, the classic column wheel, and the wheel train that transmits power from the basic movement to the chronograph mechanism. All parts are painstakingly finished, and bearing jewels in screwed gold chatons create luxurious accents in their illustrious mechanical surroundings.The well-organised dial with its easily legible displays is a model of harmonious design. The secret of this harmony is hidden beneath the striking architecture of the dial: From the very beginning, the movement was constructed in such a manner that the axially symmetric Lange outsize date and the two subsidiary dials form an equilateral triangle. Along with the stately Roman numerals and the tachometer scale, this geometric balance gives the face of the DATOGRAPH that special look of composure.
When launched in 1999, the DATOGRAPH was available only in a platinum version with a black dial. Some time later, a pink-gold model was introduced, also with a black dial. In 2005 the noble pink-gold version was also introduced in the classic combination with a bright silver dial and discreetly contrasting rhodié subsidiary dials as well as pink-gold appliques.
Technical details:
Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L951.1, manually wound, manufactured to the most exacting Lange quality standards; assembled and decorated largely by hand; precision adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand;Number of parts: 405;Jewels: 40;Screwed gold chatons: 4
Escapement: Lever escapement;Balance: Shock-proofed glucydur screw balance, Nivarox 1 hairspring with a frequency of 18,000 semioscillations per hour, whiplash precision index adjuster with patented beat adjustment mechanism;Power reserve: 36 hours when fully wound
Functions: Chronograph with 30-minute counter, flyback and precisely jumping minute counter; hours, minutes, small seconds with stop seconds, outsize date
Operating elements: Crown for winding the watch and setting the time,two push pieces for operation of the chronograph,one push piece for rapid correction of the outsize
date.
Case: 39 millimetres in diameter, pink gold;Glass and caseback: Antireflection coated sapphire-crystal glass(hardness 9)
Dial: Solid silver, argenté;Hands: Pink gold, gold-plated steel and blued steel
Strap: Hand-stitched crocodile strap with solid pink-gold Lange prong buckle
Model Variations:
1.Reference no:403.032 :Datograph with outside date, pink gold, dial argenté, hour and minute hands, small seconds hand with stop seconds, jumping 30-minute counter, manually wound, , leather strap,
2.Reference no:403.035: Datograph with outside date, platinum, dial black, hour and minute hands, small seconds hand with stop seconds, jumping 30-minute counter, manually wound, , leather strap.
* Image & text courtesy:"Lange Uhren GmbH"
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