A. Lange & Söhne

Lange und Sohne Minute Repeater, the Star of SIHH 2015?

I will be honest, when the Zeitwerk Striking Time was unveiled a few years ago, I was disappointed and frustrated.

What? We were expecting for a striking Watch from Lange for so long, and it only makes " Ding "? A nice ding, but a short ding, and only a ding.

Then Lange unveiled a Grande Complication for the happy few who could afford and get it. BUT it was a monster, with gigantic proportions. Again, frustrated. Even if this watch can be seen more as a Lange Window representing their know how.

So, this year, Lange came at the SIHH with the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater....An original Minute Repeater, for sure, which has to be examiend Under different angles.

1. The case:

Made of platinum, the case is quite big, with its 44, 2 mm diameter, and rather thick ( 14, 1 mm ).

Now,  we have to say that this is not the biggest of the market, nor the thicker. Imposing, yes. But not disorenting for the Zeitwerk Fans.

One remark about the choice of the metal. I asked to my contact at Lange if the sound was not affected by the choice of platinum.

I remember that I read a comparative study about materials which better transmitted sounds. Stainless steel was quoted as the best, with titanium, in this study. Platinum was not, by far, the best metal.

The answer from Lange is that they didn't notice a significant change of the sound, depending on the material.

We can also witness that, from our own experience that we heard several Minute Repeaters from the same brand, in the same metal, sounding in a very different way. From the bes,t to the worse.

So, the setting of this complication is certainly a very important (if not the most important ) factor.

For this Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, Lange opted for a pusher, which is located somewhere between 10 ans 11 o'clock.While most of the contenders have a trigger.

The case is water resistant to 3 bars ( 30 meters ), and, according to Lange, it is due to the pusher.

We write " according to Lange " ,because we also know that some Minute Repeaters have a better resistance to water with a conventional trigger ( 5 bars for the JLC Master Minute Repeater, for example ).

So, better than a trigger, the pusher? I don't think so, but more elegant, certainly.

2. The movement ( Cal L 043.5 ).

A simple glance at the movement, and it provides admiration, in terms of decoration and finish.

Typically Lange.

Mechanically speaking, it is not bad, as well: 771 parts, 3 jewels with screwed chatons + 90 other jewels, constant force escapement, jumping digital hours and numbers, minute repeater, small ( stop ) seconds, and power reserve indicator.

The weak part? A power reserve of 36 hours. Which can be judged a bit short, especially on this model,

3. The Minute Repeater.

One of the originalities of this Zeitwerk is that the minute repeater is decimal.

Classically, a minute repeater strikes the hours ( ding ) the minutes ( dong ) and the quarters ( one ding dong per quarter . With the decimal minute repeater, it strikes every ten minutes ( one ding dong per ten minutes ).

I know only one other minute repeater which is decimal ( as a wristwatch )... The Kari Voutilainen one.

So, this is a quite unique offer in the market.

Several details have to be mentionned, here.

- It gives the " acoustical time " at the moment you press the button not at the moment the minute repeater ends working. Let's say that it is 1.59 and 50 seconds. It will strike one hour, 5 ding dongs, and 9 minutes.Even if the minute repeater ends its  " song " at 2.00 and 10 seconds.

To be clear, it will not just strike 2 dings.

- A safety system: While the minute repeater is working, you cannot set the time through the crown, which cannot be pulled.

- When the power reserve is inferior to a third of its maximum autonomy, so, inferior to 12 out of 36 hours, the minute repeater cannot be activated. This limit is symbolized by a red dot on the power reserve indicator.

Hence the limit / issue of a short autonomy of 36 hours.

- As long as the minute repeater plays, the digital minutes and hours won't move. Example: If you start the minute repeater at 1. 59'. 50" and ends at 2.00' 10", you will have to wait till 2. 00' 10" to see the digital time changing.

4. The acoustical quality of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater.

We first have to precise that we heard the prototype. So, no final judgement before we can test the definitive watch.

The " volume " appeared to low / weak for my taste. That can change with the definitive watch, but it is already promising, as the richness seemed to be interesting. To be confirmed, or infirmed.

Conclusion.

I like the originality of the Zeitwerk Minute repeater a lot, with its decimal system, its constant force escapement, and the pusher which I prefer to the conventional trigger.

The finish is very Lange Esque, not much to criticize, here, except that I still find it a bit too big.

Two points I less like: The power reserve, which is too short, and the retail which is not proportional to the power reserve...

One interrogation: The quality of the sound, as we heard the prototype... Still to be proven.

Looking forward to your comments and thoughts...

Best,

Nicolas

More posts: VoutilainenZeitwerkZeitwerk Minute RepeaterZeitwerk Striking Time

  login to reply