With its regulator style that expresses the ultimate in precision, the RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite” is a complication that unites A. Lange & Söhne’s unique fusée-and-chain transmission and a one-minute tourbillon with a patented stop-seconds mechanism. Now, this timepiece – whose name pays tribute to what is probably the most inventive mind in the Lange watchmaking dynasty – is being introduced in a white-gold version with blued steel hands and blue minutes scale markers. This exclusive special model is available only at A. Lange & Söhne boutiques.

Since the presentation of its first new-era watch collection 20 years ago, A. Lange & Söhne has introduced four extraordinary complications with the distinctive “Pour le Mérite” hallmark. What they all have in common is the fusée-and-chain transmission that Lange perfected for the wristwatch format. It assures that the movement is powered by a constant torque throughout its entire power-reserve period. Additionally, the RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite” features a one-minute tourbillon for best rate stability.

Its stop-seconds mechanism makes it possible to instantaneously block the balance inside the tourbillon cage and thus stop the movement simply by pulling the crown. This allows the watch to be set to one-second accuracy. So some 200 years after the tourbillon was invented, Lange’s engineers have finally found a way to stop it.

Additionally, the RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite” is endowed with an innovative and also patented pivoting dial segment: from 6 to 12 o’clock, a small auxiliary dial fills the gap in the hour circle, which at all other times exposes the fascinating tourbillon.

The regulator dial of the RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite” shows the time indications with separate displays. The large upper minute circle and the smaller subsidiary dials for the hours and seconds are centred in the corners of an isosceles triangle. This layout was inspired by Chronometer No. 93 crafted by Dresden watchmaker Johann Heinrich Seyffert (1751–1818). In the late 18th century, he ranked among the pioneers of precision watchmaking in Saxony. Alexander von Humboldt, the famous German natural scientist, was one of the individuals who held Seyffert’s timekeeping instruments in high esteem and relied on their remarkable rate accuracy during his expeditions.

The special edition of the RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite” is now being presented with a noble white-gold case. The high-contrast time display with blued-steel hands and blue hour markers in the minute circle assures excellent legibility on the argenté-coloured solid-silver dial as the background. The exclusive timepiece is available only in A. Lange & Söhne boutiques, including those in New York and Moscow that opened in 2014.