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A. Lange & Söhne � The New Timepiece

By: Anastasia Placido, Fri Mar 10th, 2006 12:21:30 AM

The new A. Lange &amp; Söhne Tourbograph Pour le Mérite reflects the best features of the rich heritage accumulated by old Glashütte watch-making. The town of Glashütte, East Germany, where the brand�s headquarters are situated, is appreciated worldwide as the birth-place of the exclusive traditional watches. The timepiece has been based upon the original Lange Tourbillon Pour le Mérite which appeared in 1994.

The major characteristics of the Tourbograph correspond to those of its predecessor. The timepiece contains a tourbillon with a fusée which was invented back in the 15th century. The device is responsible for equalizing a mainspring�s torque when it unwinds and reaches the end of its power reserve. Thus, a fusée prevents timing errors. However, Lange acknowledged that the device is of little practical use for the modern timepieces, but it serves as a testament to watch-making honed skills. The new watch, considered to be the most complicated creation of A. Lange &amp; Söhne has been supplied with another appealing feature � a split seconds chronograph, or rattrapante. It will be available at a striking price of $460,000 and is consequently the most expensive one in the brand�s history. The Tourbograph will be produced in a limited number of 101 pieces � twelve watches a year. The cases of the first 51 timepieces will be in platinum, while the other 50 in gold. Pour le Mérite is 41.5 mm in diameter and 14.3 high. Its plates and bridges are produced from unprocessed German silver. Besides such delightsome peculiarities as tourbillon, fusée and rattrapante, the Tourbograph is equipped with a planetary gear train required to keep the watch running while it is rewound.

To give birth to such a special timepiece, A. Lange &amp; Söhne decided to unite its efforts with Renaud &amp; Papi, the Swiss movement maker, which also took part in developing the original Pour le Mérite, the first wristwatch to have a fusée. The cooperation of the companies led to the creation of the watch that paid tribute to the glorious past of the town of Glashütte, a flourishing watch-making center in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century until World War ll almost completely destroyed the town�s watch industry. A. Lange &amp; Söhne wanted to put an accent at the quality of the movement that is why it chose Renaud &amp; Papi to develop the movement for its new watch. The brand, re-established almost from scratch following the reunification of Germany in 1990, has not enough resources to be able to produce its own movement of the same quality.

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A. Lange &amp; Söhne Tourbograph Pour le Mérite is due to commemorate the name of Günter Blümlein, the former German head of LMH (Les Manufactures Horlogeres), who died of leukemia in 2001. Blümlein greatly contributed to the resurrection and growth of the brand. He was the one who conceived the original Pour le Mérite aiming to provide the foundation for forthcoming watch models, including a rattrapante version. Blümlein built a brilliant career in watch-making, having been the youngest head of the Junghans watch company at the age of 28.

A. Lange &amp; Söhne replica watches follow the steps of the original timepieces produced by the prominent watch-making company. Fine quality of replica watches will provide their owners with reliable timekeeping companions.

Article source: http://www.watch-clone.com/lange_watches.html

About the author: Anastasia writes articles about different watch brands and watch collections for sites offering information about timepieces or involved in selling watches on-line http://www.watch-clone.com. Being a passionate watch enthusiast, the author enjoys researching into the field and sharing her own experience.