In 2009 A. Lange & Söhne launched the Zeitwerk and in so doing, not only shone a modern spotlight on mechanical watches with digital displays, but also gave themselves a distinctive watch design that rapidly became (easily) identified with the brand. It remains my favourite Lange collection family.

Since then, various complications have been added to the Zeitwerk which have included a mix of the ‘expected’, such as a minute repeater, and the ‘less expected’, such as the ‘striking time’.

Now, Lange have gone back to basics, with a technical update of the Zeitwerk, the second generation if you will, with a new Calibre L043.6 which has seven patents and more power.

In fact you may remember the Zeitwerk Honeygold Lumen which had a new manually-wound Calibre L043.9. Beating at 18,000 VPH and with a power reserve of 72 hours, you can read more about it at that link.

To look at, the new models are familiar. I mention the 2021 Lumen because it was, with its new movement, and with the knowledge of hindsight, a foreshadowing of what might be to come.

The case of the 2022 Zeitwerk is the same size as the Honeygold Lumen – 41.9mm and 12.2mm thick (0.4mm thinner than in 2009), with the familiar mix of brushed and polished finishing. The case still has a crown at 2 o’clock but there is a new pusher at 4 o’clock for easy hour setting.

Otherwise, the new dial shows the classic digital time display, but a redesigned power reserve indicator has its last twelve hours marked in red (similar to the aforementioned Lumen) and a slightly enlarged small seconds.

The old Zeitwerk movement had a power reserve of 36 hours, which was the result of the energy consumption used by the three jumping discs. The power reserve was improved along the way e.g. the Zeitwerk Date (Calibre L043.8), and as mentioned, last year’s Lumen movement came with a notable increase, which has now made its way (back) to the base Zeitwerk.

The new in-house Calibre L043.6 is an evolution of the Calibre L043.8 and the Calibre L043.9 and as such, has the same overall specifications. The movement has a double barrel for double the amount of power reserve, a new regulator, with a cam-poised balance, an in-house balance spring and a patented beat-adjustment system. It beats at 18,000 VPH and features the usual three-quarter untreated German silver plate, hand-engraved balance and escape wheel cocks, and is basically the quality you expect and has the standard Lange features you expect.

The 2022 Zeitwerk comes in two new ‘launch’ variants to replace the originals. – 18k pink gold with a matte black dial on a black alligator strap, and 950 Pt with a rhodium-plated dial on a dark brown strap.

[Photo credit: A. Lange & Söhne]

Categories: A. Lange & Söhne, German watches, Watch Profile, watches