The 2015 platinum Zeitwerk Minute Repeater from A. Lange & Söhne revolutionised the traditional minute repeater complication when it replaced the conventional quarter-hour chime with a ten-minute interval signal, aligning the auditory experience with the watch's unique mechanical-digital display. Today, the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater is the only mechanical wristwatch that marries a jumping hour display with a decimal minute repeater. This innovative timepiece can melodiously indicate the hours, ten-minute intervals, and minutes with precision and A. Lange & Söhne has now unveiled a version of this marvel in a limited edition run of 30 pieces. The case is made from the brand's proprietary HONEYGOLD®, which not only offers a distinctive aesthetic but also enhances the acoustic quality of the repeater.
Anthony de Haas, Director Product Development at A. Lange & Söhne, explains, “Every minute repeater has its own, one-of-a-kind sound. Apart from the gongs and gong hammers, the case material has the greatest impact on the sound. Similar to a musical instrument, different tone colours and sound impressions are created, depending on the material used. That is also the case with our novelty in honey gold. It sounds different to all other materials ‒ truly distinctive.”
The watch is a horological masterpiece delights visually and aurally with its unique and expressive sound. The honeygold case acts as a resonant body, producing a sound that is both clear and richly timbred. Additionally, the meticulous polishing of the gongs and the black polishing of the gong hammers are clearly visible on the dial during the chime sequence. Furthermore, the watch also features an innovative button mechanism to activate the repeater, eliminating the need for a traditional slide and integrating safety features to ensure the mechanism's integrity. The latter include the prevention of activation when power reserve is low and the locking of the crown during operation.
“To attain this particular sound quality, all parameters are perfectly matched to one another. The gongs that are meticulously hand-tuned deliver a pure, resonant sound and harmonise with the sound characteristics of the Lange-exclusive case alloy. Additionally, all components are carefully tuned by one of our master watchmakers. This requires multiple disassembly, reworking, reassembly and finally, testing procedures. Much of the manufacturing time is thus dedicated to perfecting the sound: to complete such a watch calls for acute hearing and extreme dexterity,” elaborates Tino Bobe, Director Manufacture.
The Zeitwerk Minute Repeater Honeygold comes as the latest addition to its distinctive series of timepieces and accompanies earlier watches such as the original Zeitwerk Minute Repeater in platinum and the exclusive white gold edition with a deep-blue dial.
Interestingly, all of them share the same case diameter of 44.2mm. They are also well-known for their constant-force escapement which has been positioned between the barrel and the balance. This mechanism ensures precise instantaneous advancement of the numeral discs and helps to enhance rate stability by providing a steady delivery of power to the balance.
