The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph release demonstrated to the world that the wheel could be re-invented! We were given a refined form of the revered Datograph.

When was the last time something beautiful paused your footsteps in admiration? This morning was one of these pleasant moments. Bathed in the morning sun, the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph on my half-extended arm emitted a golden halo against the cool autumn breeze. Dazzled by the radiance, my mind lost track of checking the bus schedule to work. You could probably tell I am not from Germany.

A Lange & Söhne is a rare breed among the conglomerate watch brands in which no two models share the same movement. Each calibre is engineered around a specific watch to perform a unique task. In the same vein, the 1815 Chronograph is, in my opinion, the most German chronograph – devoid of distractions like the date and power reserve. It is dedicated at recording elapsed time under the command of its owner. The chronograph pushers depress smoothly to a delicate but reassuring activation, stop and reset; akin to the muted “thud” upon closing the door of a Mercedes S-Class.

German precision and engineering come to mind when one examines the dial of the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph. Crisply printed denotations of calibrated pulse rates curl around a sloping flange to favour legibility. The pulsometer scale evokes a stern character and reminds one is presented with a precision instrument, albeit with questionable practicality – a qualified doctor can take a pulse referencing anything from a digital watch to a ticking wall clock with ease. The heat-blued lancet hands further highlight accurate time-keeping by ending sharply at their respective indicators.

When the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph is activated, the second’s hand brush against the railroad chapter ring with pinpoint precision, allowing a reading correct to 0.2s. The minute counter appreciates this accuracy by advancing exactly when the second-hand passes 12 o’clock – not before, not after, but dead on every minute. The two sub-registers placed slightly towards the lower half of the dial balance the chronograph hand resting at 12 o’clock.

The solid silver dial is clinical yet nostalgic with its hour indicators written in thick black Engraver’s script, almost still fresh from the tip of a physician’s fountain pen. One cannot help but applaud “Ordnung muß sein” in face of such a handsome layout.

The movement of each and every A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph is meticulously hand-finished and is the raison d’etre for every Lange owner. The large regulator beats at a healthy 5 beats per second inside the L951.5. A classic lateral clutch chronograph and living textbook waiting to be studied by any horologically inclined student. We follow the smooth flow of energy through a convoluted labyrinth of pinions, gears, levers and clutches, fixated in an organic array of hand-polished bridges stippled with rubies set in gold. The watchmaker then gives one last human touch by imparting his character into a unique free-hand engraved balance cock that holds the beating heart. Watchmaking, like Medicine, is as much of an art as it is science.