63
A. Lange & Söhne
Ref. 701.021
Tourbillon Pour Le Mérite
mechanically complex and early limited edition yellow gold tourbillon wristwatch with fusée and chain mechanism, power reserve indication, guarantee, and presentation box, numbered 79 of a limited edition of 150 pieces
Full-Cataloguing
- Tourbillon with fusée and chain mechanism
- Number 79 of a limited edition of 150 pieces
- From the family of the original owner and full set
- In superb state of presevation
Taking the tourbillon to new heights, the Pour le Mérite was the world’s first wristwatch to feature the fusée-and-chain transmission, a refined constant-force mechanism that was developed together with leading movement developers, Renaud & Papi. Used to equalize the mainspring’s power, a fusée and chain was used on all 12 historic Lange tourbillon pocket watches produced since the founding of the brand in 1845. This complication optimizes the rate accuracy of the watch. The most famous of these twelve tourbillons, the reference 41000 “Jahrhundertourbillon” was exhibited at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. The Pour Le Mérite Tourbillon is a direct descendent of the 41000, both technically and aesthetically, with the same finely constructed tourbillon carriage.
Featuring a gorgeous, symmetrical two register dial surrounded by elegant Arabic numerals and railway track, the arched signature draws your eye to the elegant tourbillon aperture at 6 o’clock. The diamond capped steel tourbillon bridge contrasts harmoniously with the gold tourbillon carriage. Proudly marked “Made in Germany” to represent fine Saxon watchmaking, the inscription is in a sans serif typeface only found on early models from the brand – latter designations were changed to the serif font Engravers MT that is similar to the brand’s logo.
Offered by the family of the original owner who hardly ever wore it, the watch is in a superb state of preservation.
Production was limited to 200 pieces in precious metals and 1 piece in steel:
18K yellow gold: 106 examples
18K white gold: 20 examples (19 with blue dials, 1 with black dial)
18K pink gold: 24 examples
Platinum: 50 examples
Steel: 1 example
A. Lange & Söhne
German | 1845Originally founded in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in Glashütte, Dresden, Germany, the firm established an entire watchmaking culture and industry in Glashütte. The brand quickly became Germany's finest watchmaker, first creating dependable, easy-to-repair watches before going on to produce some of the world's finest complicated pocket watches, including Grande Sonnerie watches, tourbillon watches and Grande Complications.
On the final day of World War II, their factories were destroyed by Russian bombers, and in 1948 the brand was confiscated by the Soviet Union. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, Ferdinand's great grandson Walter Lange re-established the brand with the objective to once again produce top-quality luxury watches. Now part of the Richemont Group, its original vintage and modern creations are highly coveted by collectors. Key models from the modern era include the Lange 1, Pour Le Mérite Tourbillon and the Zeitwerk.