Apart from the Cabaret Tourbillon, A. Lange & Söhne has also reintroduced the Langematik Perpetual in two limited editions of 50 pieces with a midnight blue dial. Unveiled in 2001, the Langematik Perpetual was the brand’s first perpetual calendar as well as the first wristwatch to combine a perpetual calendar with a big date. In fact, till today it remains one of the finest automatic perpetual calendars on the market by virtue of its architecture, finishing as well as ease of adjustment.
Launched to mark its 20th anniversary this year, the new Langematik Perpetual is available in either white or pink gold. It measures 38.5mm wide and 10.2mm high, giving it rather elegant proportions. The novelty of this edition, however, is the midnight-blue dial, which creates a pleasing tone-on-tone effect against the moon phase disc in a more vibrant shade of blue at six o’clock.
The design of the dial is no doubt a masterclass of contrasts and complements. It features both Roman as well as Arabic numerals, both tighter as well as wider tracking for the typography and yet manages to be perfectly balanced and harmonious overall.
For enhanced readability, the chapter ring has been embossed with a radial pattern which creates a subtle depth. And though the dial is decidedly classical, the hands for the hours, minutes, days of the week and month are luminous, as are the hour markers along the minute scale.
Powering the watch is the beautiful self-winding cal. L922.1, which combines a traditional perpetual calendar with the brand’s outsize date display. It is characterised by a particularly long grand lever that samples a wheel with 48 notches, which corresponds to a full four-year cycle, pivoting further for longer months and less for shorter months.
Additionally, the movement features a zero-reset mechanism which allows for more precise synchronisation. All calendar displays can also be advanced collectively via a recessed corrector at 10 o’clock on the case.
Visible on the back of the movement is a distinctive off-centre, three-quarter micro-rotor. Apart from its size, the rotor is also made of 21k yellow gold along with a centrifugal mass in platinum so as to ensure substantial inertia to sufficiently wind the watch. In characteristic Lange fashion, the movement is beautifully decorated with perlage on the base plate, stripping on the bridges as well as hand-engraving on the balance cock. Notably it also features a black-polished cap for the cock of the escape wheel along with a sharp inward angle.
