“I shut my eyes in order to see.” For once, the phrase coined by Paul Gauguin* was taken literally by Lange’s masters so they could gain a clear outlook on some fundamental issues concerning the future of precision watchmaking. How can the principles of a mechanical watch and a modern time indication format be persuasively combined? What are the lasting values of a watch? And is it possible to visualise the flow of time such that it can be experienced or felt with other senses? In dealing with these questions, they began to assemble the mental image of a time- piece that explores new paths: the LANGE ZEITWERK. With its all-mechanical numeric display for hours and minutes, the watch symbolises a leap into a new era – after all, both indications leap forth instantaneously, thanks to a disc configuration never before implemented in quite this way. The Lange principle clearly differ-entiates itself from the so-called creeping digital time displays in which the hands are merely replaced by permanently rotating discs. It also distinguishes itself from the genuine jumping numeral mechanisms found in pocket watches (Pallweber and Dürrstein principles) by introducing two key improvements: the first truly legible format of the numerals and the precise generation of switching steps based on a proprietary constant-force escapement.

THE MODELS