Credits: Article and images by @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/07/09/why-i-bought-it-a-lange-sohne-double-split-chronograph-reprise/
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· The finishing is both purposeful and beautiful. A term that I sometimes use to refer to Lange’s style of finishing is “vigorous”: those Glashütte stripes on the bridges, for instance, will never be mistaken for the barely-there striping applied by Philippe Dufour. But for me it’s all part of a coherent Saxon style, like the screwed gold chatons that secure some of the jewels. It is especially appropriate for a masculine watch like the Double Split.
· A lot of thought was obviously given to the dial side of the watch as well. One thing that you can see when you run the chronograph is that the little diamond-shaped opening at the bottom end of the chronograph second hand perfectly frames the central axes of each of the subdials, including the power reserve, each time it swings over them. Of course, that’s not just a matter of cosmetics; I’m sure it wasn’t that easy to develop the movement architecture so that those three axes were all equidistant from the center of the dial.
· Applied Roman numerals? Check. Pleasantly busy Lange-style tachymeter and seconds track? Check. Luminous dots seamlessly integrated into the outer tips of the applied baton markers for the hours? Check. Even the power reserve, which in pictures looks a bit small, seems in proportion when the watch is seen live.
· White metal, black dial: while the platinum Datograph is perhaps the leading exemplar of this motif, for me the Double Split is very, very close behind.
Love already, and we haven’t even talked about that monumental movement! Let’s see if I can describe all the things that it does:
· It’s a stopwatch.
· Outstanding pusher feel on both the start-stop and return-to zero functions.
· A design that seems to reduce any jumping on start-up or jittering of the chronograph second hand virtually to zero.
· If you wish, it flies back to zero without having to stop the watch and stays zeroed until you release the return button, at which point it begins to record time again.
· Instantaneously jumping chronograph minutes. Not continuously-creeping-along-with-the-advancing-chronograph-second-hand, not even Frédéric Piguet 1185-style, semi-instantaneous changes that creep a bit starting at about 57 seconds and then tick over, but rather crisp, snapping changes perfectly coordinated with the chronograph second hand.
· The A. Lange & Söhne Double Split does all of this not once, but twice! The “split” part is the rattrapante mechanism that uses two chronograph second hands to allow capture of intermediate intervals like lap times; the “double” part is that this same function has been applied to the chronograph minutes as well – the only wristwatch in existence that allows split timing of intervals up to 30 minutes.
And all the while, there’s no drama, no anxiety about whether the hands will snap precisely back to zero when actuated, and no sense of fragility.
Is it for you?
So, I’m a big fan, but is this a watch that is suitable for your collection? You might want to consider it if:
· Like me, you view it as one of the great watchmaking accomplishments of our time.
· You either don’t yet have a “dress” chronograph or, alternatively, have a collection that focuses on non-sporting stopwatches like this one.
· You can wear it comfortably. I don’t have a large wrist, but I do have a wrist with a broad and flat top surface; this trait allows me to wear big watches quite well, and despite its heft the Double Split wears beautifully for me.
· You love the way it looks; not just the dramatic movement, but the characteristic Lange-style dial that you will be looking at most of the time.
Happily, not every watch is for everyone! From my experience, you might want to direct your acquisitive energies elsewhere if:
· You try on the Double Split (which you should definitely do before considering a purchase) and its size, weight, or the way it sits on your wrist just don’t suit you.
· You understand all of the potentially interesting things that this watch can do, but don’t see why anyone needs a watch that does them.
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Credits: Article and images by @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/07/09/why-i-bought-it-a-lange-sohne-double-split-chronograph-reprise/