A. Lange & Söhne - The New York Watch Auction: SIX New York Saturday, June 11, 2022 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: A. Lange & Söhne
    Year: Circa 2016
    Reference No: 252.025
    Movement No: 127’868
    Case No: 230’211; Numbered 019/100
    Model Name: Richard Lange Jumping Seconds
    Material: Platinum
    Calibre: Manual, cal. L094.1, 50 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile
    Clasp/Buckle: Platinum A. Lange & Söhne deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 40mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.
    Accessories: Accompanied by A. Lange & Söhne guarantee booklet dated November 11th 2016, instruction manual, leather folio, additional platinum A. Lange & Söhne pin buckle, fitted and numbered presentation box, and outer packaging.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Born 10 days after the establishment of his father’s company A. Lange & Cie., Richard Lange was the second and eldest child of Ferdinand Adolph Lange. A watchmaker by training, the company was renamed A. Lange & Söhne upon his partnering with his father in 1868. Like his father, he was a passionate watchmaker who sought to advance precision timing with mechanical finesse. During his tenure, the firm patented complications from split-seconds chronographs to dead-beat seconds timepieces, as well as patent number 9349 for an up/down power reserve indicator. In 1867, his father had developed a one-second movement with jumping hand, and was finally granted a patent for this innovation in 1877.

    First introduced at SIHH in 2016 in a 40mm platinum case and silver rhodium dial, like the present lot, only 100 pieces were to be produced. The reference 252.025 offered here is numbered 19 of that limited series of 100, and given its guarantee date of November 2016, was one of the first pieces assembled and delivered. Like a Venn Diagram of horological accuracy, three large circles adorn the dial indicating the hours, seconds, and minutes respectively. The intersection of the hours and seconds circles shows a tiny triangular aperture that flashes red when the power reserve is depleted. Additionally, pulling out the crown engages the zero-reset function, allowing a complete and instantaneous restart. As with any Lange, the movement in solid German silver is lavishly finished with Glashütte stripes and a hand-decorated balance cock. The 40mm case combined with a 10.6mm height makes the watch highly wearable for such a powerhouse of watchmaking excellence.

    This limited edition example and is offered here in hardly worn condition, with all original accessories and consigned by the original owner.

    PROPERTY OF THE ORIGINAL OWNER

  • Artist Biography

    A. Lange & Söhne

    German • 1845

    Originally founded in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in Glashütte, Dresden, Germany, the firm established an entire watchmaking culture and industry in Glashütte. The brand quickly became Germany's finest watchmaker, first creating dependable, easy-to-repair watches before going on to produce some of the world's finest complicated pocket watches, including Grande Sonnerie watches, tourbillon watches and Grande Complications.

    On the final day of World War II, their factories were destroyed by Russian bombers, and in 1948 the brand was confiscated by the Soviet Union. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, Ferdinand's great grandson Walter Lange re-established the brand with the objective to once again produce top-quality luxury watches. Now part of the Richemont Group, its original vintage and modern creations are highly coveted by collectors. Key models from the modern era include the Lange 1, Pour Le Mérite Tourbillon and the Zeitwerk.

    View More Works

Σ80

Ref. 252.025
An innovative and interesting limited edition platinum wristwatch with jumping seconds, power reserve indication, zero-reset mechanism, guarantee and presentation box, numbered 19 of a limited edition of 100 pieces

Circa 2016
40mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.

Estimate
$50,000 - 100,000 
CHF49,800-99,600
€48,000-95,900
HK$392,000-785,000
S$69,800-140,000

Sold for $69,300

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Paul Boutros

Head of Watches, Americas

+1 (212) 940-1293

WatchesNY@Phillips.com

 

Isabella Proia

Head of Sale, New York

+1 (212) 940 1285

iproia@phillips.com

The New York Watch Auction: SIX

New York Auction 11-12 June 2022