Photos by Jake Witkin
Unveiled this year as one of the standout novelties from Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024, the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” is essentially all of the coolest and most exclusive features from the German manufacturer’s catalog, rolled together and combined into one seriously fantastic watch. Only Lange could release a new iteration of an existing model and have it be one of the standout pieces of the entire show, and although this 50-piece limited edition costs nearly as much as a well-furnished house in many parts of this country, the new Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” might just be the wildest and most in-your-face watch that A. Lange & Söhne has ever put forward.
From a core design and functionality standpoint, the new A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” ref. 740.055FE / LSLS7406AA is largely the same watch as the limited-edition white gold model from 2019, which is fitted with a salmon-colored pink gold dial, although it omits the arc-shaped power reserve indicator that previously resided at the very edge of the dial between the 9 o’clock and 10 o’clock locations. Just like its salmon dial sibling, the new Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” features a flyback chronograph, perpetual calendar, moonphase indicator, and a one-minute tourbillon, plus Lange’s signature outsize date, which displays its numerical value using two separate discs that appear through twin apertures at the top of the dial.
However, unlike its salmon dial sibling from 2019, the new A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” features a case crafted from the brand’s patented Honeygold alloy, which is a special blend of 18k gold that is harder and more durable than traditional 18k alloys, while also offering a unique warm appearance that sits somewhere between pink and white gold. Additionally, as one of Lange’s “Lumen” models, this latest Honeygold limited edition also features a smoked sapphire dial, along with ample amounts of green-glowing luminous material that is applied to the various elements of its display, and the lume on these components shines through the semi-transparent surface of the dial when viewed in low-light conditions.
Crafted from 18k Honeygold, the case of the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” measures 41.5mm in diameter by 14.6mm thick, while water resistance comes in at 30 meters to protect against incidental contact (you would have to be absolutely mad to go swimming with this one anyway). Sapphire crystals are fitted to both the dial side of the watch and its screw-on display caseback, while the sides of the case are furnished by a signed crown at 3 o’clock, along with three rectangular pushers, plus three additional push-pieces that sit flush against the case and are used to set its numerous different calendar displays. Meanwhile the lugs of the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” are fitted with a dark brown alligator leather strap that is completed by a signed deployant-style buckle that is constructed from 18k Honeygold to match the case.
While its Honeygold case is certainly one of the standout features, arguably the most striking detail of the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” is its semi-transparent dial. Just like other “Lumen” models, the dial itself is constructed from a piece of smoked sapphire, which allows the various luminous elements on the watch to shine through its surface when viewed in the dark. Aside from the omission of the power reserve indicator that can be found on previous versions of the model, the dial fitted to the new Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” follows in the footsteps of its predecessors with two multifunction registers and a moonphase indicator occupying the lower half of the display, while a tachymeter scale surrounds the periphery of the dial, and the brand’s signature outsize date complication sits on the upper half of the face at 12 o’clock.
As for the functions of the two registers, the one on the left serves as the running sections for the time, in addition to also functioning as both a day display and day/night indicator. Meanwhile, the other register includes a 30-minute totalizer for the chronograph, along with a month display and leap year indicator. Staying true to its “Lumen” name, an ample amount of luminous material appears throughout the watch, and green-glowing lume is applied to the two sub-dials, in addition to the moonphase display, both discs for the outsize date complication, and the tachymeter scale that surrounds the periphery of the dial. Although the hour markers are simple faceted batons in Honeygold that are applied to the surface of the dial, the pair of centrally-mounted alpha hands are also luminous to offer easy access to the time in low-light settings, and since the smoked sapphire dial is semi-transparent, the luminous calendar discs shine through the surface of the dial to create a highly striking display in the dark.
Just like all A. Lange & Söhne watches, the movement is arguably even more visually impressive than the dial, and flipping the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” over reveals an unobstructed view of the Caliber L952.4 manual-wind movement, which sits on full display through the sapphire window in the caseback. Running at a frequency of 18,000vph (2.5 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 50 hours, the 684-component A. Lange & Söhne Cal. L952.4 represents a subtle update compared to the Cal. L952.2 that can be found inside its predecessors, and while it omits the arc-shaped power reserve indicator, it still features a column wheel-operated flyback chronograph with jumping minutes, along with a perpetual calendar, moonphase display, day/night indicator, and one-minute tourbillon.
While many brands choose to showcase their tourbillon complications through apertures in the dial, the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” only reveals this party-piece detail through its display-style caseback, and just like all Lange movements, the Cal. L952.4 is immaculately finished with German silver plates and bridges, blued screws, gold chatons, perlage, striping, and small hand engravings on the bridge for the balance wheel and tourbillon assembly. Even the most basic A. Lange & Söhne movements are objectively beautiful creations. However, the brand’s highly complex calibers take things to a whole new level. The view through the caseback of the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” reveals an intricate mechanical city with an incredible visual depth that holds up to even the highest levels of scrutiny under magnification.
Despite being the brand’s signature proprietary alloy, Honeygold is only used by A. Lange & Söhne on a very limited basis, and its various “Lumen” models are even more exclusive offerings, as they represent some of Lange’s most striking and unconventional designs that defy the traditional aesthetic that characterizes most of the German manufacturer’s catalog. When you combine these two features with one of the most mechanically complex models in the brand’s entire lineup, you get an incredibly exclusive timepiece that sits right near the very top of the Glashütte-based manufacturer’s products. Although its case may be crafted from 18k Honeygold, you might as well consider the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” to be pure Unobtanium, and even having the eye-watering budget to purchase this model does very little when it comes to securing an allocation for this ultra-exclusive timepiece.
A. Lange & Söhne declined to provide official pricing information for the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” ref. 740.055FE / LSLS7406AA, although we have been told that this 50-piece limited edition is priced at €620,000 EUR (or approximately $660,000 USD, at the time of writing). While this hefty sum could just as easily buy you a house or a variety of different breathtaking supercars, it has not deterred buyers in the slightest, and while speaking with a few industry insiders, I was told that the majority of examples were immediately claimed following the initial announcement of this ultra-exclusive model. Although it may only exist in theory for us mere mortals who lack a six-figure budget and an extensive purchase history with the brand, it’s undeniable that the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” represents one of the most noteworthy models the company has ever put forward, and it serves as an epic showcase for the brand’s most premium and exclusive technologies. For more information on the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold “Lumen” watch, please visit the brand’s website.
