Watches and Wonders 2022: A. Lange & Sohne Odysseus for the brave and inquisitive wearer
4 min read
The brand’s first titanium timepiece, A. Lange & Sohne's Odysseus is fashioned for the sporty and audacious. Its robust build and carefully hand-finished components represent the agility and grit characteristic to the Greek King of Ithaca, Odysseus. Embodying the brand’s “Never stand still” motto, the watch scales new technical and aesthetic heights with its limited 250-watch collection (bearing engraved edition numbers). You can take it hiking, sailing or whatever your adventurous persona demands. After all, its sturdy body and water resistance are designed to accompany you on your journey, wherever it may lead.
So, from the new ice blue coloured dial to the meticulously crafted structure—here’s our lowdown on what this latest addition has to offer.
Of Titanium Strength And Sophistication
Departing from its original iteration in stainless steel, the new Odysseus in titanium offers plenty to the wearer. For one, the metal makes the overall timepiece over 40 percent lighter than the stainless steel version. Additionally, the large case diameter of 40.5 mm but snug height of 11.1 mm makes the watch a comfortable accessory on your wrist. As a metal, titanium’s properties ensure corrosion resistance, thus promising durability.
For Sport and Leisure Enthusiasts
The robust material is accentuated by a contemporary ice-blue dial, bearing polished, matte and brushed surfaces. A subsidiary dial, main dial and large day and date display (now trademarks of the titanium Odysseus) comprise the multi-part dial. Both the main dial and subsidiary seconds dial boast an outer ring that differs in design and structure. The décor on the hour ring features extremely fine guilloche grooves that gently arc towards the hour markers. The ring around the seconds dial features circular lines. These offer a three-dimensional effect and create a signature exclusive to A. Lange & Sohne. The contrast between the orderly lines on the rings and irregular inner surfaces of the dials is evocative of the brand’s sporty but sophisticated persona.
There’s also an argenté-coloured flange ring right under the bezel bearing the minute scale. It creates a shadow gap, enhancing the articulateness of the watch—essential if it will be accompanying you on an adventure. This is further elevated by the commanding leaf-shaped hour and minute hands crafted with polished white gold, filled with a luminous compound.
Employing the L155.1 DATOMATIC Movement
The DATOMATIC (an amalgam of ‘date’ and ‘automatic’) movement powers the Odysseus. Using the precise self-winding movement, the timepiece offers a power reserve of 50 hours. The winding power comes from the central rotor with a centrifugal mass in 950 platinum. The wearer can admire this movement through the sapphire crystal caseback. The watch is water resistant up to 12 bar (and it is embodied on the watch in the form of stylised wave patterns). The oscillation system utilises an aerodynamically-optimised balance with recessed poising screws, which is firmly suspended beneath the balance bridge. This offers excellent rate stability, ensuring accurate and consistent time. Among the hand-finished parts of the timepiece is the German silver-plate adorned with Glashütte ribbing.
Odysseus has always been a landmark timepiece for A. Lange & Sohne. It was the brand’s first series of watches crafted in stainless steel. And in 2022, the same timepiece is the first to be produced in platinum. A. Lange and Sohne gives due attention to the properties of the materials it employs. In doing so, the brand reinforces the primary characteristic that has kept its luxury watches abreast: optimum quality. I guess the Odysseus can no longer be characterised as just another integrated sports steel watch.
