Hands On: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Tourbillon Black Enamel
The most recent launch from A. Lange & Söhne was surprising, even while being familiar. The 1815 Tourbillon Black Enamel is, well, an 1815 Tourbillon with a black enamel dial. Nothing about the watch is unexpected, since all the elements have been employed elsewhere. But the watch is outstanding in quality, as is expected for a Lange, and strikingly and usually beautiful. Moreover, it is priced reasonably well, as such things go. Initial thoughts Cosmetic variations of an existing model are rarely great, but the new 1815 Tourbillon manages to be that. The original 1815 Tourbillon was fundamentally a good watch – well made and functionally designed – but a little plain. The latest variation is outstanding. It’s just as well made, but the black enamel dial adds oomph. No risks were taken with the aesthetics; it is exactly the same in terms of design, but now in glossy black enamel. The tourbillon also hacks and includes a zero-reset seconds Perhaps most unexpected is the price. Many recent Lange releases often felt too expensive, this breaks the habit. At just under US$220,000, the 1815 Tourbillon is priced fairly, maybe even competitively, in its segment. In this respect, the 1815 Tourbillon reminds me of the Tribute to Celestial, an equally surprisingly well priced watch by Lange’s sister company Vacheron Constantin. And for the lucky, lucky few, Lange bestowed a baguette diamond bezel on a handful of these tourbillons, which raises the price by only about US$7...
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