Until today, A. Lange & Söhne had five watch families: Lange 1, Saxonia, 1815, Richard Lange and the Zeitwerk. Presented today, the new Odysseus is a new face that introduces a sixth watch family. And as usual at Lange, it is endowed not only with a distinctive design but also with a newly developed movement. What first meets the eye on the dark-blue dial is the day-of-week and date display. Located on the right, the Lange outsize date in the classic double aperture is complemented with an equally large day of the week display on the left. The outer verticals of the frames echo the curvature of the bezel. The typical Lange font is used for both displays, though here, the numerals and letters are white against a blue background. The newly developed mechanism consists of 99 individual parts.
For the first regularly produced timepiece in stainless steel, the Saxon watchmakers developed a tailor-made automatic movement with a large day-of-week and date display. Odysseus is a sporty-elegant watch for people who admire fine watchmaking but live active lives. The prominent design of the stainless-steel case with a diameter of 40.5 mm and a height of 11.1 mm, featuring an integrated stainless-steel bracelet, embraces traditional brand elements and reinterprets them. This applies particularly to the sculpted, slightly cantilevered middle band of the three-part case.
Additionally, the Odysseus is the first Lange watch with a water-resistant case and a screw-down crown, exposed to a test pressure of 12 bar.
Its surfaces are decorated with a satin contour finish and the edges are emphasized with a chamfer. The combination of brushed surfaces and chamfered edges is echoed on the lugs and links of the massive stainless-steel bracelet. Specially sealed, tapered buttons for correcting the date and the day of the week are arranged at 2 and 4 o’clock.
The dial is made of brass and has several levels with different surfaces. 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 beveled, argenté- colored flange ring with a printed minute scale frames the dial. The number 60, printed in red at 12 o'clock, provides a colorful accent. In the Odysseus, the brand-typical lancet-shaped hands for hours and minutes are more prominent than in other watches of the manufacture. Just like the inner surfaces of the baton appliques, they are luminous.
The stainless steel bracelet is eminently comfortable to wear. Its length can be adjusted in small steps up to 7 mm thanks to a safety deployant buckle. By pressing the pusher embossed with the Lange signature the bracelet can be pulled or pushed to adjust the desired length. It is not necessary to open the buckle. If required, the bracelet can also be extended by adding further links.
For the Odysseus, A. Lange & Söhne developed the new L155.1 DATOMATIC manufacture calibre. The name DATOMATIC visible on the rotor stands for the date mechanism combined with automatic winding. With a diameter of 32.9 mm, the movement is visible through the sapphire-crystal case back and it completely fills the case. It features a unidirectionally winding central rotor with a centrifugal mass in platinum. Thanks to the skeletonization of the rotor further details of the manually executed, lavish finissage of the movement can be observed.
When fully wound, the mainspring barrel delivers a maximum power reserve of 50 hours. To guarantee high rate accuracy regardless of external factors, the new self-winding calibre operates at a frequency of 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour —4 hertz. The newly designed balance is regulated with four coun- tersunk poising screws that are flush with the outside of the balance-wheel rim. This design reduces turbulence despite the higher frequency. Together with the freely oscillating balance spring made in- house, the minimized air resistance has a positive impact on the movement’s rate accuracy and energy efficiency.
The oscillation system of the Odysseus is held by a balance wheel bridge secured at two points. It is manually engraved with a wave motif. Other movement decorations also express the concept of combining traditional facets with new ones. All frame parts of the calibre L155.1 Datomatic are made of German silver. Additionally, elements of the rotor were black-rhodium plated. In accordance with the A. Lange & Söhne philosophy, the entire movement is elaborately finished by hand and assembled twice. A further typical Lange hallmark, a screwed gold chaton secures the upper bearing jewel of the escape-wheel arbor. It also marks the position of the escapement and places a traditional accent, right there where the heart of the watch beats.
A watch that without even having seen in the metal we are not thrilled about, to be frank. A case that doesn’t feel as sporty without the crown being properly protected by crown guards, a bracelet that is really horrendous and two oversized apertures on the dial that feel a little bit too much.
Sticker Price €28,000 Euro —approximately $31,000 USD. For more info on A. Lange & Söhne click here.
