Description
Lang & Heyne Friedrich August I Rose Gold
The reign of Friedrich August I was a unique and glamourous period of Saxony’s politics and culture, renowned for its art and taste for beauty. This collection pays tribute to the elegance and exquisite style of that epoch spanning 1600-1700s when clock making was coming into its own as a new and exciting field of discovery and creation.
This collection features three case materials: massive 18ct rose gold, massive 18ct white gold and 950 platinum. Further distinction is made by the handshape which can be either the embellished Louis XV design or a simpler spade shape.
Each piece has its own appeal and is very much driven by the needs and preferences of its wearer.
The rose gold model with Louis XV embellished hand timepiece is perhaps the most classical with its gentle lines and intricate detail. This piece is a beauty with everlasting appeal and true intrinsic value.
Technical details
Case: 43.5mm, height 10.5mm, sapphire crystal case front and back, 3 ATM, massive 18ct rose gold
Dial: Double-sunk enamel dial, Arabic numerals, minute indication in red
Movement: Manual winding, 46 hour power reserve, hour and minute indication, eccentric second, second hand stop, in-house Calibre 1
Lang & Heyne: Tradition and Values
Tradition and value are evident in all aspects of a Lang & Heyne timepiece. However, several highlights ensure your Lang & Heyne stands apart from its contemporaries in both style and finish.
- Unmistakeable: three lugs provide a stable hold for the watch strap and emphasize the vertical axis to balance it against the crown and its protective form.
- Detail: polished and partly flame-blued screws are a particular source of pride for Lang & Heyne. Using a fine, goat’s hair brush on domed threads and bevelled/polished heads, in-house specialists manufacture only 12 to 15 screws per day!
- Heritage: using a rediscovered method from the 18th and 19th century, plates, bridges and balance cocks are given a unique cover known as silver grinding which uses a stiff-bristle brush to apply a special mixture to the brass movement component resulting in a fine, grain-like surface that is then gold-plated.
- Hands: every attention is given to the perfection of the three-dimensional shape and fill of the hands whether they are ornate, engraved Louis-XV hands or perfectly filed/polished spade & cathedral hands, the beauty is in the detail.
- Precision: the balance spring is mathematically and precisely calculated to enhance every oscillation. The last coil is carefully adjusted upwards for precision by an experienced specialist in a time-consuming and exacting procedure so you reap the benefits of better timing.
- Solid gold: since 2016 each Lang & Heyne watch houses golden wheels with chamfered spokes combined with steel pinions to decrease friction and enhance performance.
- More gold: in accordance with Saxon watchmaking tradition, polished gold chatons are countersunk and screwed into the bridges and balance cocks, giving the ruby jewels a deep, fiery-red appearance. However, the crowning glory is the diamond that crowns the masterpiece, visually enhancing and protecting the tongued jewels set below and ensuring the sensitive pivot is resistant against shock.
- Enamel: Many models feature a pristine enamel dial, produced in several layers through a complex manufacturing process that delivers a charming, characterful result, well-suited to Lang & Heyne’s noble collection.
- Moustache Anchor: the anchor system is made of solid gold and operates in the lever escapement to correct the barycentre of the anchor which facilitates smoother power transmission to the balance in various positions, enhancing performance and power usage.
- In-house calibres: it goes without saying that this level of watchmaking and attention to detail is achieved by overseeing and steering every aspect of production. Lang & Heyne develops and uses in-house, manufactory calibres in all its timepieces.
CALIBER I
Since the end of the 19th century in Saxony, the typical three-quarter plate has been built using state-of-the-art techniques for fine movement. Our CALIBER I is an honest tribute to this heritage, emphasizing typical elements not only of function, but also of beauty.
Big shining rubies, set in gleaming gold chatons, create a balanced contrast to the silver finished plate. Even the smallest of the stones, the one holding the lever anchor in place, is set in gold chatons and secured by deeply blued steel screws. The meticulous black, hand-polished chamfer finishing of the anchor bridge and the balance cock as well as the slit golden screws of the balance wheel creates charming reflections of light.
The ultimate in beauty, however, is the sparkling diamond that crowns the balance. It is majestically placed on top of the hand-engraved balance cock, in perfect with the elegant swan-neck fine adjustment. The balance spring is bent markedly upward in its last winding to ensure the smooth pulse of the shock-resistant gold screw balance wheel.
CALIBER I is equipped with a second hand stop mechanism. When the crown has been pulled out, a spring gently bends itself around the balance shaft and the second hand stops, hence permitting the watch to be set accurately to the second.
