The Zeitwerk by A. Lange & Söhne goes beyond being just a timepiece and establishes itself as a conversation piece
There are timepieces designed to be functional, serving the primary purpose of telling time. However, some go above and beyond, conceptualised with the idea of becoming conversation pieces. The Zeitwerk by A. Lange & Söhne certainly falls into the latter category.
Hailed as a “most unusual watch” by watch aficionados, the Zeitwerk boasts the unique characteristic of being digital but entirely mechanical. A mechanical paradox is how others describe it: a timepiece that is digital and yet not electronic.
The design is undoubtedly contemporary, yet to understand the Zeitwerk, one has to go back to where it all began for A. Lange & Söhne, drawing references from the eminent five-minute clock of the Semper Opera House in Dresden. Behind the famed clock was Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes, who was also the father-in-law of Ferdinand-Adolph Lange, the founder of A. Lange & Söhne.
The Zeitwerk in platinum (left) and the Zeitwerk Striking Time in pink gold / Photos: A. Lange & Söhne
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Against the grain
Conceiving the digital wristwatch, however, was Gunter Blümlein, who played a significant role in the revival of Lange in 1990, as he had apparently sketched a digital Lange wristwatch in 2001 just before he passed. What is interesting about the Zeitwerk is the horizontal display of the digital hours and minutes, as opposed to the traditional vertical digital displays.
Since its debut in 2009, the innovative timepiece has stood out from others and, in doing so, forged a new path for A. Lange & Söhne, garnering praise from purists as well as revolutionaries.
The Zeitwerk goes against the grain. The time reads from left to right, like text on a page. There are no hands to interpret, no sub-dials demanding attention. Instead, the hour and minute jump crisply into place, framed by what is known as the time bridge. This bridge, crafted from untreated German silver, doesn’t merely house the digits; it anchors the entire personality of the watch.
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It is on that bridge, where A. Lange & Söhne has the upper hand, showcasing a subtle chamfering on the edges, precise brushing (or sometimes tremblage engraving) across the surface. The Zeitwerk has all the elements associated with German design — quietly confident, engineered to the highest degree, and never anything less than perfect.
The minimalist design belies the mechanical achievement that is at the heart of the watch. Creating a watch that displays time in oversized numerals that jump instantaneously, and synchronously, at the top of the hour is a feat in itself. The discs are large and heavy.
To move three of them at once takes energy. This was achieved, quite masterfully, through a patented mainspring that is thicker, inverted, and suspended from the barrel. It is wound from the inside and unwinds from the outside, producing the torque needed for those dramatic jumps. The remontoir then acts as a secondary power source, wound by the mainspring once per minute and then releasing that energy at precise intervals to move the numeral discs.
Zeitwerk Decimal Strike
Precision perfected
The Zeitwerk does not rest on its laurels but continuously evolves. In 2022, A. Lange & Söhne unveiled the Calibre L043.6 — an update to the original movement that doubled the power reserve to a formidable 72 hours. They achieved this not by expanding the case, but by refining the architecture — adding a second mainspring barrel while reducing the watch’s overall thickness.
With each reiteration of the Zeitwerk family, the watches become increasingly complex. In the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, A. Lange & Söhne ensured that the chimes corresponded with the digital time display by implementing Calibre L043.5 with a decimal minute repeater, whic strikes the double tone for the elapsed 10 minutes rather than the quarters.
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With the Zeitwerk Date, the date function is featured on a peripheral glass display with numerals imprinted from 1 to 31. A small ring with a red segment moves quietly below, thus allowing for legible date reading without hands. This emphasises the watch’s digital format both subtly and succinctly.
What is admirable is that each new complication has been engineered to fit within the original Zeitwerk design. The case dimensions remain practically unchanged. The iconic time bridge is never compromised. No matter how intricate the function, the integrity of the Zeitwerk’s identity is upheld. It’s a kind of architectural discipline, a refusal to let newness dilute the original vision.
Since its debut in 2009, the Zeitwerk has evolved gracefully, technically, and aesthetically in line with what Walter Lange once said, “Never stand still”.
The Zeitwerk Date in white gold
The Zeitwerk Honeygold “Lumen”
The Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in white gold
