Last year, the replica A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Homage to Walter Lange. The Homage to Walter Lange was the product of Walter Lange’s fascination with a very unusual complication: the independent seconds. This complication is a kind of predecessor to the chronograph – it basically includes a seconds-hand which can be set running, stopped, and set running again, without also stopping the main timekeeping train. The most obvious difference between an independent seconds hand and a chronograph is that the latter also has a reset-to-zero function.
The replica Homage as a limited version was announced in white, pink, and yellow gold, but Lange also said there would be one more made, with a steel case and black enamel dial. This would be auctioned for charity sometime in 2019, although at launch Lange hadn’t specified a launch partner or charity.
This is pretty much as pure as watch-making at Lange gets on the dial side. Against the black enamel dial, Lange’s characteristically extremely sharp execution of its replica watch hands stands out like a diamond in a coal-scuttle. The central seconds-hand, in addition to being independent, is also a jumping, or dead seconds-hand; there’s a continuously running seconds hand in the sub-dial at six o’clock.
The movement is constructed and finished to exactly the standard you would expect from Lange, which is to say, it’s immaculate. The independent jumping seconds train is actuated by the escape wheel, and it’s quite an ingenious system. One of the reasons this is a bit of a big deal for the replica A. Lange & Söhne enthusiasts is that steel-cased Langes are extremely rare and when they do appear at auction, they tend to command correspondingly stratospheric prices.
Schmid describes the charity to which all proceeds from the auction will be donated: “The name of the charity organization we have chosen is Children Action. They will use the money to provide aid to children in need. They have projects in fields such as medical care or psychological support, which are set up and implemented by experts. And there is one more thing: The founder of Children Action, Bernard Sabrier, bears the administrative overhead expenses. Therefore, 100% of the money will go to the aid projects.”
Crystal ball-gazing about auction results is always a little bit of a risky business (sometimes a very risky one), but this is an unusual complication in, for the fake Lange, an absolutely rare case material. I suppose there’s a very reasonable expectation of a great result; and so much the better that it’s for a good cause.