November 7, 2019: In a huge new beginning for the heritage German watchmaker A. Lange & Soehne, the brand has launched a new timepiece concept called Odysseus, the sixth one (after Lange 1, Saxonia, 1815, Richard Lange and Zeitwerk) in its repertoire. For the first timepiece in stainless steel, the Saxon watchmakers developed a tailor-made self-winding movement with a large day-of-week and date display.
The ODYSSEUS is a sporty-elegant watch. The prominent design of the stainless-steel case with a diameter of 40.5 mm and a height of 11.1 mm, featuring an integrated stainless-steel bracelet, embraces traditional brand elements and reinterprets them. This applies particularly to the sculpted, slightly cantilevered middle band of the three-part case. Its surfaces are decorated with a satin contour finish and the edges are emphasised with a chamfer. Specially sealed, tapered buttons for correcting the date and the day of week are arranged at 2 and 4 o’clock.
The Odysseus is the first Lange watch with a water-resistant case and a screw-down crown, exposed to a test pressure of 12 bar.
Located on the right, the Lange outsize date in the classic double aperture is complemented with an equally large day-of-week display on the left. The outer verticals of the frames echo the curvature of the bezel. The typical Lange font is used for both displays. The newly developed mechanism consists of 99 individual parts.
The dial is made of brass and has several levels with different surfaces. Just like the outer scale of the subsidiary seconds dial, the notched baton appliques made of white gold lie above concentric lines, a technique called azurage. They contrast against the grained inner surfaces of the main and subsidiary dial. A bevelled, argenté-coloured flange ring with a printed minute scale frames the dial. The number 60, printed in red at 12 o'clock, provides a colourful accent.
The stainless-steel bracelet’s length can be adjusted in small steps, up to 7 millimetres, thanks to a safety deployant buckle. By pressing the pusher embossed with the Lange signature, the bracelet can be pulled or pushed to adjust the desired length. It is not necessary to open the buckle. The bracelet can also be extended by adding further links.
The Odysseus’ new L155.1 DATOMATIC manufacture caliber features a unidirectionally winding central rotor with a centrifugal mass in platinum. When fully wound, the mainspring barrel delivers a maximum power reserve of 50 hours. To guarantee high rate accuracy regardless of external factors, the new self-winding calibre operates at a frequency of 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour. The newly designed balance is regulated with four countersunk poising screws that are flush with the outside of the balance-wheel rim. This design reduces turbulence despite the higher frequency. Together with the freely oscillating balance spring made in-house, the minimised air resistance has a positive impact on the movement’s rate accuracy and energy efficiency.
The oscillation system of the ODYSSEUS is held by a balance wheel bridge secured at two points. It is manually engraved with a wave motif. Other movement decorations also express the concept of combining traditional facets with new ones.
