The new model “Albert ” of the watch manufactury LANG & HEYNE in Dresden is a classical timepiece with a chronograph placed on the backside and a central minute counter. The timepiece pays tribute to King Albert of Saxony.
The LANG & HEYNE ALBERT chronograph appears clear and restrained with its white enamel dial or galvanic black dial in solid silver.
Both dial versions feature Roman numeral hour-markers. The indication of time in its whole accuracy is not disturbed by additional dials and the MONOPUSHER integrated in the crown permits the perpetuation of the classical appearance of the watch case.
The bottom glass offers the view of the levers and springs of the COLUMN WHEEL CHRONOGRAPH in all its aesthetics.
The LANG & HEYNE ALBERT watch houses the manufacture’s fourth caliber. The CALIBER IV is a chronograph movement which on the one hand let appear the watch in a classy and noble character from the outside, but on the other hand offers to every watch enthusiast a great delight on technical finesse. The aim was to contrast a column wheel mechanism in a way that both the seconds counter and the minutes counter act from the center of the watch.
Big chronograph wheels in gold with their two hundred teeth lay the foundation of a perfect catch for the start and a smooth motion of the hands. Gracile levers and springs oscillate in discreet elegance, following the program of the column wheel in their motion. And last but not least, it is the contrast of the fine classical materials that makes this work a genuine LANG & HEYNE watch.
The idea for the construction of this watch came to Marco Lang and his watchmaker’s apprentice Johannes Jahnke while discussing about the future journeyman watchmaker exam piece of Johannes. Traditionally, models of escapement are constructed for those exams, but Johannes already had built such a model with Marco before even starting his watchmaker apprenticeship with LANG & HEYNE.
To challenge and to support the talented boy, the master decided therefore, to make the task more complicated.
Different concepts were worked out and Johannes had to chose one. As an enthusiast of classical chronographs, he had not to think about it for a long time. Both, Marco and Johannes, decided for a mechanism built on the backside, where the beauty of the mechanism is especially shown to advantage. To give the possibility for a future increase of models for LANG & HEYNE, the basis of the caliber is the already known “Caliber I”.
In contrast to the complicated appearing architecture of the movement, the optic of the dial should leave a clear impression. Therefore, Johannes decided for a central minute counter, which is technically particularly difficult to realize in a model with a chronograph on the backside.
For all known constructions with central minute counters, the everlasting friction of the minute counter arbor on the permanent moving minute pinion is very disturbing, when the chronograph is not in use. To resolve this problem, the construction of Johannes owns an arm at the pivoted detent which uncouples the minute counter arbor from the minute pinion.
The simple but noble roman dial of LANG & HEYNE “Albert” emanates a modest statement. The indication of time in its whole accuracy is not disturbed by additional dials and the monopusher integrated in the crown permits the perpetuation of the classical appearance of the watch case.
Looking through the bottom glass, you can observe the breathtaking play of the levers and springs of the column wheel chronograph in all its aesthetics. Highest technical claims again meet LANG & HEYNE´s joy of completed shaping and the fine manual finish of the watch pieces.
About LANG & HEYNE Caliber IV
With “Caliber IV” LANG & HEYNE has created a chronograph movement which on the one hand lets appear the watch in a modest and noble character from the outside, but on the other hand offers to every watch enthusiast a great delight on technical finesse.
The aim was to construct a column wheel mechanism in a way that both the seconds counter and the minutes counter act from the center of the watch. Big chronograph wheels in gold with their two hundred teeth lay the foundation of a perfect catch for the start and a smooth motion of the hands.
Gracile levers and springs oscillate in discreet elegance, following the program of the column wheel in their motion. And last but not least, it is the contrast of the fine classical materials that makes this work to a genuine LANG & HEYNE watch.
Technical details
Model: LANG & HEYNE ALBERT
Movement
Manual winding movement Caliber IV
Diameter: 16¼ lines (36.6mm)
Height: 7.0mm
Frequency: 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour (2.5Hz)
Running Time: 46 hours
Jewels: 22 rubies, 1 diamond
• Shock-resistant gold-screw balance
• Breguet spring
• Swan-neck fine adjustment
• Pulsating eccentric second hand
• Second hand stop mechanism
• Winding wheels with double solar finish
• Mono-pusher column wheel chronograph
• Chronograph wheels in gold with two hundred teeth
• Minutes counter mechanism installed on the backside
• Friction-less decoupling of the minutes counter, when the chronograph function is not in use
Functions
Eccentric second at 6 o’clock
Chronograph second and minute from the center
Chronograph mechanism with 3-phase operation
(start/stop /reset) through crown pusher
Case
Platinum 950 or 18 carat gold
Diameter: 44mm
Height: 12.5mm
Pusher integrated into crown
Sapphire glass on top and bottom
Water-resistant up to 3 bar
Dial
Simple sunk enamel dial or solid silver dial galvanic black
Roman numerals
Minute indication in blue or white
Strap
Alligator leather strap with shark lining leather
Pin buckle or folding clasp
Versions
18ct rose gold version with white enamel dial and rose gold spade hands
18ct rose gold version with black galvanized silver dial and rose gold spade hands
18ct white gold version with white enamel dial and flame-blued spade hands
18ct white gold version with white enamel dial and rose gold spade hands
18ct white gold version with black galvanized silver dial and rose gold spade hands
Platinum with version black galvanized silver dial and rose gold spade hands
