Simply Abu Dhabi XX

9 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I T his year has been a remarkable one for A. Lange & Söhne, one of the most admired and revered watchmakers in the world. It is the 200th anniversary of the birth of founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange, and in suitably auspicious fashion the German company celebrated the opening of a new manufacture complex in Glashütte. Simply Abu Dhabi attended this landmark occasion, which was inaugurated on 26 August by the German chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and Saxony's Prime Minister Stanislaw Tillich. A. Lange & Söhne’s new manufactory building, which cost tens of millions of euros to build, is a beacon of both innovation and traditional craft – an incredibly advanced facility that is optimised for every watchmaker in every division, and built to last and adapt for at least a century. Chancellor Merkel addressed all of Lange’s employees at the event and thanked them for their dedication. Speaking to the founder's great-grandson, 91-year-oldWalter Lange, who re- founded the company in 1990 following the collapse of the East German government, she said: “The new beginning was not easy, but you and your companions succeeded in securing the manufactory’s top-tier position among the world’s finest watch brands once again. Eastern Germany’s good reputation as innovative, flexible and modern location is based on success stories like yours.” Saxony's Prime Minister, Stanislaw Tillich joined in the praise saying, “A. Lange & Söhne is a world-famous brand rich in tradition. It has always preserved its myth – against all odds. Now, with the new building begins another successful chapter – with much space for tradition and modernity.” One of many superlative creations launched by Lange this year is the 1815 Chronograph Boutique Edition (with Pulsation Scale). Revealed in September to enthusiastic eyes at the Watches & Wonders fair in Hong Kong, the timepiece is the latest iteration of the 1815 Chronograph and features a resplendent silver dial with distinct blue numerals and the titular pulsometer scale in a 39mm white gold case. A. Lange & Söhne have been busy opening boutiques around the world, last year launching in Miami, New York and Moscow, and this exceptional watch is only available at one of the 16 global boutiques. The dial is stunning, with rhodiumed gold hands for the hours and minutes and blued steel for the chronograph sweep seconds. The striking colour codes are also reflected in the minute-counter and subsidiary seconds hands. Since 2010, the 1815 Chronograph has been a flagship of outstandingly classic design allied with cutting-edge technology. The new L951.5 chronograph manually-wound calibre movement is a towering achievement, and the appearance of the watch, with Arabic numerals and a railway- track minute scale, evokes the charm of A. Lange & Söhne’s original pocket watches. The pulsometer scale around the dial periphery is used for heart-rate measurements, a popular modern theme that was invented for medical professionals to easily measure a patient's pulse, which functions by stopping the time while counting 30 heartbeats. Then, on the pulsometer scale, the chronograph sweep-seconds hand provides a direct reading of the number of beats per minute. The L951.5 chronograph calibre is controlled by a column wheel, equipped with a snail for the precisely jumping minute counter, and features a convenient flyback function. A large balance wheel with eccentric poising weights is driven by a freely oscillating hairspring, which is naturally crafted in-house and ensures excellent rate accuracy. The 1815 Chronograph Boutique Edition has a power reserve of 60 hours and is mounted on a dark blue hand-stitched alligator leather strap and fastens with a white-gold prong buckle. Although not a limited edition, it will be produced in a small number so eager admirers should head to their nearest boutique. (Retail price: € 49,000 inc. VAT) A. Lange & Söhne The 1815 Chronograph Boutique Edition (with Pulsation Scale)