It is with great honor and pleasure that Phillips offers this unique A. Lange & Söhne DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN "Hampton Court Edition" in white gold and being sold for a good cause.
Introduced in 1999, the A. Lange & Söhne DATOGRAPH was conceived in a time where very few horological developments on chronograph movements were taking place. The unusual and yet elegant placement of the chronograph’s sub registers at 4:00 and 8:00, rather than 3:00 and 9:00 give to the dial balance and elegance.
When launched, the newly conceived calibre L951.1 raised the bar for every watchmaker out there, independent, or not, and marked the beginning of a new era.
In less than a generation - since its launch in 1999 - the DATOGRAPH has become a modern horological icon and considered by the cognoscenti as one of the finest modern chronograph wristwatches produced by any firm. The relevance of this model can only be underlined by the fact that one of the greatest living watchmakers, Philippe Dufour, wears one.
Originally launched in platinum and followed by pink gold a few years later, it was subsequently replaced in 2012 with the DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN, which increased the case size, changed the hour markers from Roman numerals to baton indexes, and most notably, added a power reserve indicator housing the new caliber L951.6.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the DATOGRAPH, A. Lange & Söhne has trusted Phillips with the auction of this unique piece.
The present DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN “Hampton Court Edition” features a white-gold case, a grey dial with black subsidiary dials, the red chronograph seconds hand adds a dash of flamboyance to the dial.
The Saxon firm has aligned its brand with the world of historic, rare and prestigious cars since 2012 when it formed a partnership with the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, an annual event held on the shores of Lake Como. Likewise, in 2018 the firm became a partner of the Concours of Elegance, staged at Hampton Court Palace on the outskirts of London.
The present unique piece was specially developed for the Concours of Elegance 2024 as demonstrated by the hinged caseback that is engraved with the Concours of Elegance logo.
The hinged caseback hides the inhouse manual movement L951.6 in all its technicolor architectural beauty. The movement is expertly finished throughout with Glashütte stripes and a signature hand-engraved balance cock. The full lexicon of movement finishing is unleashed on each component of a Lange wristwatch: perlage, straight and circular graining, mirror polishing, chamfering, and anglage, amongst others.
The full proceeds of the present unique DATOGRAPH UP/DOWN “Hampton Court Edition” will go to The Prince’s Trust. Founded in 1976 by His Majesty King Charles III, the charity supports young people from disadvantaged communities and those facing the greatest adversity by supporting them to build the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn. The charity announced in November 2023 that it would become The King's Trust. This is to reflect the dedication of its Founder, His Majesty The King, and his continued passion for The Trust's work.
