Some were delighted to finally have a chronograph sporting the Datograph movement (without date of course) which was “affordable”, others however considered that Lange was diluting the image of what should only exist in one combination of platinum, black dial and big date! To understand these strong reactions we need to rewind a few years back to 1999, when A. Lange & Söhne bewildered the watch world and collectors alike by presenting the Datograph. Not only did they manage to develop and manufacture an in-house manual wind chronograph calibre (NB: something none of the great Swiss houses has done, as of today) in less than 10 years of existence, but the calibre was truly extraordinary and innovative. Of course, it was interesting to have a flyback hand and a big date, but the true innovation lay elsewhere: the jumping minutes hand. In the current chronograph models the chronograph's minute counter hand starts moving a few seconds before the seconds hand hits 60, whereas in the Datograph the minute counter hand jumps exactly at the moment the seconds hand hits 60. This may not seem like much, but in fact it is a feature so complex to implement that it had not been seen in any chronograph wrist watch since the Longines with the 13.33 caliber in the ’30s! Lange quite rapidly understood that there was a growing interest in a chronograph without big date, and in early 2003 they set to work on the design of the 1815 chronograph. To determine if the 1815 lived up to expectations, or if on the contrary it confirmed what the Cassandras were saying, the best step to take was to test the watch - and that is what ThePuristS.com decided to do! Being a great Lange fan, and thus not being totally objective (can one be objective anyway when dealing with things which appeal to your emotions and senses, such as timepieces?), I thought that it would also be interesting to have a counterpoint to the opinions expressed here. This is why Alberto Schileo is also participating in the review, to give his opinion on this watch made by a brand which he was never wholly crazy about. Alberto’s comments are in shown in italics. This said, you don’t need to be a Lange fan to realise that the 1815 chronograph exudes quality and craftsmanship. Usually, the first thing a Lange aficionado does when he holds one of the Saxon timepieces in his hands is to flip it over and admire the movement! Well, as I can’t resist a pretty face, I started with the dial. The problem of the 1815 Chronograph’s dial is that it’s not pretty… it’s STUNNING! Stunning in the details that went into it, which only appear progressively. The Dial
The blued hands and the Arabic numerals complete the picture, giving the watch a “Latin” (as in Mediterranean) look, which sets this watch apart from Lange’s rather Germanic designs. I agree with Alex that the 1815 Chrono dial does indeed look good. I was very glad to see that what I had dubbed “the reverse panda effect” of the Datograph dial is gone, and that the dial now shows a uniformity of color which is perfectly offset by its different layers and textures. Kudos to Lange for this dial! It was really a pleasure to look at while I was wearing the watch. I should also give kudos to Lange for providing a pulsometric scale on this dial. Today, getting one’s heart rate is in my opinion about the only useful thing one can do with one’s chronograph. Even timing the cooking time of one’s pasta (take it from an Italian!) is best done with the multitude of electronic timers available in today’s kitchen appliances, and I shudder to think what would happen to a driver trying to gauge his car’s speed with his chrono’s tachometric scale... So, if a scale must be had, a pulsometric one makes sense! This said, I continue to long for the day when “obvious” statements such as “chronograph”, “automatic”, etc. will be dropped from watch dials... The first time I saw this watch during the Geneva fair in 2004, I was a bit disappointed in the sub dial lay out. I had thought that Lange had cut corners by removing the date from the movement but not then raising the 2 subdials to the 3-9 axis. This was something understandable on the Datograph, so as to create a certain equilibrium between the subdials and the big date at 12, but it is not necessary on the 1815 Chronograph. However, one thing I’ve learned about Lange (and I truly hope that it stays that way) is that they don’t cut corners. The slightly lowered subdials are in fact a reminder of Lange’s typical ex-center dial designs, as can be found in the iconic Lange 1 as well as the 1815 ab/auf and Moonphase models. In fact the position of the subdials reflects the “Latin” inspiration referred to above. I am afraid that Alex is being a bit utopistic on this point. I suspect that moving the axis of the two subdials up to the 9-3 o’clock line would have probably involved a significant redesign of the movement layout, and therefore not allowed Lange to reap the benefits of reusing the basic Datograph movement in a new watch. Having to redesign the plates and bridges for this eventuality, and to retool their production line (which they would no longer be able to share with the Datograph), would most likely have resulted in even higher prices for this watch! In fact, to take this reasoning a step further, I would not be surprised to see, upon removing the dial from an 1815 chrono, that the movement baseplate still has all the milling necessary to accommodate the big date mechanism (i.e. that it uses the very same mainplate as the Datograph). Please understand, however, that I really do not fault or criticise Lange for this: it would be very understandable and perfectly in line with the realities of today’s industry and market. However, I still have 2 issues with the dial which are purely personal. First of all, I find that the 1/5 of a second markers on the “main” dial just above the numerals make the dial look a bit too busy and in my opinion such a beautiful dial would look better with less inscriptions. The same goes for what is one of my pet peeves in watches: description of the complication on the dial. Here the dial is adorned with the words Flyback and Chronograph; this was obviously done so as to avoid creating too much empty space at the centre of the dial. In my opinion, however, it would have been much more elegant just to place the brand name at that spot; normally (or at least I hope) the person who decides to part with close to €30 000 for this timepiece knows that it’s a chronograph! Boy oh boy, do I agree with Alex here! As I already stated above, I just long for that day... One can debate endlessly about the dial, case and movement of a watch, but the only way to really test it and get to know it is to strap it on one’s wrist. That’s what Alberto and I did, and the 1815 Chronograph was a pure joy to wear during the month we had it. The Case
With its perfect 39mm diameter and 11mm height, it is extremely elegant and it sits perfectly on the wrist (kudos to Lange for not having gone the 42mm + path like so many others). The elongated lugs, slightly curved at the ends, do have a somewhat vintage appeal, while their thickness and the construction of the case give the watch quite a modern and masculine presence. The Lange & Söhne watch cases are some of my favourites, since they are filled with an array of small details which taken together make quite an impression. Earlier on I commented on the form of the lugs, but what is even more interesting is the slight vertical notch on the outer portion of the lugs, where these meet the case. This, when looking at the case sideways, adds to the three-part case, giving it quite an industrial and modern look. The sides of the 18k white gold case are also brushed, contrasting with the polishing of the bezel and of the case back. The bezel is also quite attractive, as its bombé shape makes it look wider than it is and thus gives more depth to the dial. I too like most of the Lange cases, and this one is no exception! I think their case design is timeless and yet modern at the same time, while remaining distinctive and recognisable at a glance. With the 1815 Chronograph, moreover, I am glad that they were able to reduce the thickness of the case compared to the Datograph (most likely due to the lack of date mechanism), as this – in my opinion – greatly increases the watch’s wearability under a dress shirt. A small criticism goes to the size of the crown, which in my opinion is too small and not easily gripped, this is also the case with the other 1815 and Langematik models. Even though the crown is too small, the chronograph push buttons are of the perfect size. Unfortunately I see more and more modern chronographs with the pushers either stretching way too outward and disrupting the case’s harmony or sitting too close to the case making them uncomfortable to use. In the 1815 chronograph the perfect equilibrium has been found and the use of the pushers is pure heaven! Ditto – once again, I have to agree with Alex. Having big fingers, I had the hardest time winding this watch, and I often ended up having to hold the crown between my right hand’s thumb and index fingernails, while turning the watch back and forth by one-quarter turns with my left hand!!! Definitely not the way you want to wind a watch, and a real pain! I think Lange would do its future customers a great service by redesigning the crown on this watch. To me, this was the only really negative point about this otherwise very nice watch. The Movement
The Caliber L951.0 is, as said before, based on the calibre L951.1 used in the Datograph, but without the date. It is based on it, however it is not identical to it. As always, Lange didn’t just fit a movement into a new case and call it a new watch, but actually modified the calibre L951.1 before giving it its new denomination. The main differences are the new positions of the minute counter notch, which makes adjustment easier, and the switch lever spring, which has been removed from the wheel bridge in the 1815 Chronograph (this is now located directly on the switch lever to make space for the new minute counter notch). Finally, 2 additional endstones have been added on the wheel bridge for a better hold of the zero reset lever, although these are not visible through the back of the watch. The calibre L951.0 is also a treat for the eyes, with its bevy of blued screws, the Glashütte stripes, gold chatons and hand engraved balance cock. It's like discovering Technicolor when you’re used to black and white mute movies! Ahh, yes. This is THE reason I would buy this watch for – unfortunately, I would then want to wear it upside down, with the movement showing! I have to concur that the aesthetical appeal of this Lange chronograph movement is unrivalled, and that this is definitely one of those watch movements you can easily spend an hour looking at. In fact, this is exactly what happened as I was taking pictures of the watch – as I was tweaking my camera settings, I would sometime get distracted by what I was able to see through the viewfinder, and end up moving the camera to get a better look at some detail, thus wasting the 10 minutes I had just spent composing the shot! When Lange re-launched its modern pieces back in 1994, it definitely set a new standard in movement finishing and somewhat woke up the Swiss watch industry, much too keen to rest on its laurels. The 1815 Chronograph movement is no exception to this, and the beautiful finish gives true depth to the movement. In fact, during a discussion with “the” man known for movement finish (among other accomplishments), and a watchmaker’s watchmaker - Philippe Dufour - he told me that he considered that A. Lange & Söhne came closest to what he was doing on an artisanal basis among the brands having regular production. He also admitted, after being pressed further, that the calibres used in the Datograph and the 1815 Chronograph were, according to him, certainly the best chronograph movements currently available in conception, implementation and finish. He was actually toying with the idea of buying one! Having neither his technological knowledge nor his experience in watch movements, I guess I can’t argue with that. All I can say is that the chronograph is a pleasure to use and a pleasure to hold. Two elements make the cal L951.0 particularly pleasing: first, it vibrates at the traditional 18000 VPH, which gives the balance a swaying feeling when looking at it; and second, the balance is perfectly proportioned in comparison with the rest of the movement (I really dislike small balances). To top it all, this watch was amazingly accurate, with a difference of 2 seconds in one week! The 1815 Chronograph, like the Datograph, is assembled in a special workshop by a team of 10 watchmakers, who are only allowed to work in there after a lengthy training. In fact, Lange tells me that more than 8 months usually pass from the time the components for a watch like the 1815 Chronograph are completed to the time regulation and final tests are undertaken and the watch is ready for sale. The assembly of the 1815 Chronograph itself takes 3-4 days. Conclusion
I know that I was supposed to provide a counter-point to this article, but besides the issue with the size of the crown, there is really not a whole lot else to criticize about this watch. In conclusion, I will just say that if I could, today I would definitely buy this watch! It was truly a pleasure to wear, and a joy to photograph.
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