German watchmakers have a competitive advantage in the United States now that the European Union’s tariff rate of 15% makes their timepieces up to 10% less expensive than equivalent made in Switzerland pieces from the likes of Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin that are now being charged a 39% tariff on goods entering the country.
That will be welcome news for fans of A. Lange & Söhne’s Zeitwerk collection, which has just been extended with a new piece in pink gold with a slate grey dial.
The all-mechanical digital watch shows the time with oversized jumping hours and minutes positioned left and right of the dial, which is balanced top and bottom with a power reserve display and large seconds subdial.
The date is show on a peripheral track circling the dial where the day of the month is picked-out in red.
Zeitwerk watches first appeared in 2009 powered by a 2.5Hz manufacture calibre L043.8, which has two mainsprings delivering 72 hours of power reserve.
Controlling the super-sized jumping hours and minutes requires considerably more force than for sweeping hands.
The process is controlled by a patented constant-force escapement that harvests power while the hours and minutes are static and jumps them forward faster than the blink of an eye.
At midnight, every indicator changes: hours, minutes and dates in what Anthony de Haas, Lange’s director of product development calls “an exceptional show”.
The hand-wound and hand-finished movement is housed in a 44.2mm x 12.3mm 18ct pink gold case and presented via an exhibition case back.
It is worn on a brown crocodile leather strap.
Price is on request for the new A. Lange & Söhne’s Zeitwerk Date in pink gold, but its white gold stablemate retails for the equivalent of $132,000.