A. Lange & Söhne’s Limited Edition Platinum Datograph Up/Down “Lumen”
Luminosity and legibility from the German watch brand’s latest chronography
Setting eyes upon A. Lange & Söhne‘s new, limited edition Datograph Up/Down—well before holding it in one’s hands, feeling the valuable weight of the platinum—activates a desire to decipher its visual codes. The Chronograph, referred to as the “Lumen,” carries so much inside the 41mm case. There’s the meticulous semi-transparent dial—easily intelligible despite all of the information conveyed on top if it—which features stunning guilloché finishing, indices that appear to float and the signature outsize-date function. Beneath the sub-dials, one finds a 60-hour power-reserve indicator. There’s so much here—and it all works in complete harmony.
At its heart, the watch features a manually wound Lange manufacture calibre L951.7 movement. It’s visible through an exhibition caseback—revealing a city’s worth of activity. From the untreated German silver plates and 46 jewels, ultimately 454 components keep this timepiece precise. Masterful timekeeping is a brand tentpole—and it seems that with the infrastructure here, it will be upheld.
As the name implies, luminosity matters here. A luminous compound has been used in several ways. Yes, the hour- and minute-24hands receive the treatment, but so does the sweeping seconds chronograph hand. The same holds true for both sub-dials—and even the power reserve arrow and outsized date. This is A. Lange & Söhne’s fourth “Lumen” model since 2010. It’s an extraordinary piece—and it glows in the dark.
A. Lange & Söhne’s Datograph Lumen in platinum sell for $95,000. Only 200 watches will be manufactured.
