What We Know
A. Lange & Söhne is synonymous with the most elegant approach to maximalist watchmaking. The tiny time-telling cities contained within the brand’s cases are hypnotic and baffling. Trust me, it becomes all the more impressive when you visit Glashütte and see the work in action. And the brand’s CEO, Wilhelm Schmid, has said that among the complicated watches the brand is known for, their most talented watchmakers would often far rather work on tourbillons and perpetual calendars than the famous Triple Split. It’s that complex. It’s that impressive. And after five years away, it’s back.
In 2018, Lange launched the first version of the “upgrade,” of sorts, to the brand’s Double Split. The watch is essentially a rattrapante (a chronograph that can time two intervals), but with the added ability to “split” the interval of the 30-minute counter and, with the Triple Split, the 12-hour counter. It’s an incredibly technical and impressive bit of watchmaking and even more impressive when you hear it’s cased in a relatively compact (for its complexity) 43.2mm by 15.6mm case, now in platinum. This is the first time the watch has been made in platinum and the first example since 2021. The dial is 0.925 silver, with a light grey track and main dial and dark grey lower subdials, plus luminous hands and hour markers. Finally, the case is water-resistant to 50 meters.
The movement, the manually wound L123.1 caliber, is made of 567 parts, 46 jewels, and has 5 screwed gold chatons. With 55 hours of power reserve and running at 3Hz, the caliber allows the watch to show (of course) hours, minutes, seconds, and power reserve, as well as the flyback chronograph with what the brand calls the triple rattrapante. The crown-side pushers operate the chronograph, while the opposite top pusher runs the rattrapante mechanism.
The watch has a well-balanced dial and, having seen it in person, it wears very well despite the noticeable heft on the wrist. That heft is balanced out a bit by the quick-release deployant buckle in 950 platinum. I think collectors will like this version because it is platinum, and that’s all well and good, but frankly, the party is in the back. Lange provided some gratuitous movement photos that emphasize the movement’s depth and complexity. They also show off how great a job Lange does finishing the German silver plates and steel levers, plus you can see the blued screws holding the chatons. Basically, I just wanted to share some cool photos.
Photo courtesy A. Lange & Söhne.
Photo courtesy A. Lange & Söhne.
Photo courtesy A. Lange & Söhne.
As with last time, the new Triple Split is limited to 100 pieces and will be in high demand. The retail price is ~€210,000, or around $245,000.
What We Think
This is what it’s all about for Lange: complexity in chronograph manufacture. Yes, the Triple Split, like a lot of the great Lange watches, is a bit large. But for what it does, I think it’s more than a fair trade-off, even for those with smaller wrists. There’s not much you can say about the movement or the complexity of the watch that isn’t already self-evident just looking at it. And yet, the examples on the secondary market seem to trade at or around the price the watches were launched at five years ago. If I were shopping at this price, I’d certainly have a Triple Split, and now there are 100 more people who will be so lucky.
The Basics
Brand: A. Lange & Söhne
Model: Triple Split
Reference Number: 424.025F
Diameter: 43.2mm
Thickness: 15.6mm
Case Material: Platinum
Dial Color: Grey (made of .925 silver)
Indexes: Appliqués in rhodium-plated .750 gold; hour markers at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock are luminous
Lume: Yes, unspecified
Water Resistance: Unspecified
Strap/Bracelet: Hand-stitched alligator leather, dark brown with grey seam; Quick-release deployant buckle in 950 platinum
The Movement
Caliber: Lange manufacture caliber L132.1
Functions: Hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds; flyback chronograph with triple rattrapante (rattrapante chronograph with intermediate timing from 1/6th second up to 12 hours); power reserve
Diameter: 30.6mm
Thickness: 9.4mm
Power Reserve: 55 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 21,600 vph
Jewels: 46 (5 gold chatons)
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Shock-resistant balance with eccentric poising weights; balance made in-house; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver
Pricing & Availability
Price: ~€210,000
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: 100 pieces
For more, click here.
