While A. Lange & Söhne’s rich history reaches back to the 19th century when Ferdinand Adolph Lange was born in 1815, the modern rebirth of the firm occurred in 1990 when Ferdinand’s great grandson Walter and Günter Blümlein set out to re-establish the firm’s prestigious past and a return of superior high quality watchmaking to Glashütte. By 1992, they had filed patents for their oversized date wheels and in 1994 the brand released four watches that today are icons amongst haute horlogerie, the Lange 1, the Arkade, the Saxonia and the Tourbillon "Pour le Mérite". Since that time A. Lange & Söhne’s has become a global force and a cherished horological collectible known for their technical complications, and clean modern aesthetic. In 1996, Walter Lange released the 1815 Collection in honour of Ferdinand’s birth in 1815, and while the watches ranged in design from time only to complications timepieces, they all featured large cases with railway-track minute scale, and Arabic numerals all reminiscent of their traditional past and fine pocket watches manufacturing.

The present 18k pink gold 1815 Chronograph from the first generation produced between 2004 and 2008 is a wonderful representation of the goals set forward by Walter Lange. The watch combines traditional watch making with 21st century engineering with the caliber 951, their renowned chronograph movement first used in 1999 in their Datograph model. The flyback mechanism allows the hands to zero reset for immediate new measurements. The black dial with two silvered subsidiary dials plays off the pink gold of the case and has a bold masculine aesthetic. This example is very appealing and is accompanied by its guarantee and original presentation box. It is an opportunity to own a first generation 1815 Chronograph by A. Lange & Söhne.