Words: Jonathan Wells
From Bangkok to Beirut, Sydney to Santiago, the names of 24 cities encircle the dial of A.Lange & Söhne’s latest; the Lange 1 Time Zone “25th Anniversary”. And this peripheral ring is the ideal adornment for this 25-limited edition from the German watchmaker — for it is the perfect timepiece for any globe-trotting, jet-setting gentleman.
In a globalised world, watches with several time zones rank among the most useful complications.
But, while some of these GMT timepieces can lead to confusion, the Lange 1 Time Zone “25th Anniversary” provides a clearly legible double time indication, with the aforementioned city ring simplifying the setting of a second time zone.
And the watch’s strengths extend beyond its practicality. Just look at it. Simple, sleek and sophisticated, the 25 models are crafted from white gold, with silver and blue colours dominating the dial. At 41.9mm, the case features an argenté-coloured dial, thermally blued screws, and blue inscriptions — with the outsized date standing out at 1 o’clock.
The watch, set on a blue alligator leather strap with white-gold prong buckle, is the latest in the Lange 1 range — which bears the tagline “Born in Saxony — at home around the world”. And it’s a fitting slogan. Thanks to the twin mainspring barrel of the manually wound calibre, a power reserver of three days will keep you punctual wherever you are in the world.
And, what’s more, the sapphire-crystal casebook exposes the three-quarter plate and wheel train — just one of many quality hallmarks including screwed gold chatons, a screw balance with a classic whiplash precision index adjuster, and manually engraved intermediate wheel and balance cocks.
But the real jewel in the watch’s crown is that peripheral city ring. A golden arrow at 5 o’clock points at the name of the city that represents the currently displayed time zone. And the corrector, found at 8 o’clock, travels around the entire world in an easterly direction. So, if you’re as well travelled as this watch, it’s the perfect timepiece for you.
You’ve got your globe-trotting watch sorted, now it’s for sunglasses. Here are the best to wear this summer…
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