Russell Sheldrake
Last week, I was able to join A. Lange & Söhne in a concourse of elegance at Hampton Court Palace, one of the world’s best car shows. The German brand may not be the first brand to think of when the crossover between watches and motorsports grew. However, the company’s CEO, Wilhelm Schmidt, is a massive car fanatic. Starting a life as a mechanic, Wilhelm is well embedded in the world of automobiles, often bringing one of his classic cars to the concourse of elegance. Sadly, he couldn’t do this year. But that didn’t mean he came empty-handed. Lange had two new releases to show the collected press and clients, but this year brought real heat.
Richard Lange’s jump count using the Rose Gold dial is a study of suppressed complication design. The ability to control the power passed through the hands of jump seconds for a second, complementary removal, is not only seemingly complicated, but it is also very satisfying to watch. As we saw with the Zeitwerk model, it is based on Lange’s expertise in jump time displays. However, this regulator display divides its complexity into a very calm and almost therapeutic vision.
I also had a 1815 tourbillon with an incredibly deep black enamel dial. This stole many hearts on the concourse with a delicate and shocking dial separated by a glittering spinning tour billon. Together these two pairs created an incredible capsule collection, making it an even more exciting experience next to some of these exotic and unusual vintage cars. The Black Tour Beyond Dial fits perfectly with the black bodywork of Mercedes AMG Project 1, but felt that the jump seconds felt inappropriate in the hand-adored interior of the 1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I.
We were also lucky enough to take a tour of the Royal Palace, climb onto the roof and explore the perfectly well-maintained gardens. And I have to say, I will not come to see this kind of event from the sky. Looking down at the fully placed row of cars, parked in a yew tree that stretches towards a long water pond where the man was dug.
Lange is certainly not a car brand, but their presence in shows like this makes perfect sense. The high aura of German brands goes seamlessly with the untouched motors that we were surrounded by. That was evident by how many of the car owners and worshippers were photographed along with the creations of the watches on display. Being in the Elegance concourse meant I was unable to attend Geneva Watch Day this year, but it was a very comfortable way to spend a few days in the British countryside. Enjoy the weekend!
Russell and Time + Tide Team
Watch this week’s meme: Love Bus is everywhere
It’s a pandemic and it needs to be stopped!
This week’s wrist shot: Handmade quality
This may not be a new release, but getting a clean, bright shot of Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1 is always worth pausing with a constant scroll.
Time+Tide Shop Pick of the Week: Beaucroft Element
Designed in Cambridge and built at Maidenhead, the incredibly compact Bocoloft elements offer one of the best value propositions you can find in the Studio Series. With its excellent proportions, clarity in layout and colorful dialing options, there is a good argument that this English beloved is one of the best everyday watches that can be purchased on a budget.
Beaucroft Element Range is available both online and in-store at Discovery Studios in London and Melbourne through the Time+Tide Shop. Price: £649
Our Favorite Time + This Week’s Trend
Time Issue EP 05: What women really think about your watch choice on your first date…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktebu6qmdoi
The gang is back in episode 5, but this time Ele takes the lead and tells us everything we’ve been pondering. What do women really think about watches? If you think that Rolex, which you paid better than the retailer, will secure a date for you, you might want to think again and watch the entire episode now…
Panerai revives military-specific diving watch icon with Luminor Marina Militurn PAM05218
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec-ytcleyg4
The Luminor Marina Militare PAM05218, a loyal recreation of most of the military-only models released in the same year when Panerai first became available to civilians, checks out many boxes. This new release feels like a true Italian military watch from a bygone era. And when a simple watch can get you back, it’s pretty impressive. Check out the full review of Jamie here.
150 years of Ardmer’s Pig marks at 38mm QPS and Stone -Dial Tourbillons
The combination of a shrunken eternal calendar with semi-precious stones and tour billon has proven to be a successful recipe with Order Mars Pigger in a batch of latest releases. The 38mm QP, both Royal Oak and Code 11.59, is one of the brand’s signature complications currently available in its Goldilocks case size. Read the scoop here.
