December 3, 2013: Recently at Christie’s ‘Important Watches’ auction in Geneva, an exceptional timepiece from A. Lange & Söhne changed owners for the equivalent of nearly 380,000 euros: the only Double Split with a stainless steel case. The double rattrapante chronograph was the first mechanical watch to allow comparative lap measurements of up to thirty minutes. The impressive auction result was far more than the estimated 96,000 to 140,000 euros. The watch – sold in 2008 – went under the hammer for more than four times the original retail price of the series-production model made of platinum.
At the same auction, a Lange Zeitwerk “Luminous” from a limited edition of 100 pieces was sold for the equivalent of 122,000 euros, at about 75 per cent increased value compared to the original retail price. It was probably the first time that this model has ever been auctioned. This watch, with the luminescent jumping numerals display and the innovative constant-force escapement, was introduced in 2010 and is one of the most popular models of the brand.
