What is the Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold?
A. Lange & Söhne (Lange) has unveiled the Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold, originally introduced in 2008 and discontinued in 2013. It returns to the catalogue as Lange’s 18th Honeygold model.
“The patented honey gold, which is reserved for very few, exclusive models, is particularly remarkable. It is harder than other gold alloys and registered under the trademark of HONEYGOLD®. The material owes its name to the warm hue, ranging between pink and white gold.”
A limited edition of 50 pieces, it is being introduced during the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este held on the shores of Lake Como in Northern Italy. It is a Concours d’Elegance (“competition of elegance”) event for classic and vintage automobiles, where Lange has been a partner since 2012. This follows immediately after Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, held from 14th to 20th April, where the brand unveiled the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen” and the Saxonia Annual Calendar, two exceptional models.
Why is it significant?
It was the world’s first tourbillon with a stop seconds mechanism. The tourbillon was invented by renowned watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet (January 10th, 1747 – September 17th, 1823) and patented in 1801. For over 200 years (until the Cabaret Tourbillon came along in 2008), none of them could be stopped.
“But it was flawed from the very beginning. It was not possible to stop the tourbillon. Consequently, the time-keeping instruments that embodied a tourbillon ran precisely but could not be precisely synchronised. The problem was: How can a tourbillon be stopped? The question remained unanswered for more than 200 years. In the CABARET TOURBILLON, Lange’s master watchmakers can now present the elusive solution – the world’s first stop-seconds mechanism for a tourbillon.
The mechanism is activated when the crown is pulled. This causes the two arms of an arresting spring to embrace and stop the tourbillon. Both springs ends are bent outward to prevent any unintentional engagement when braking and releasing the balance.
The patented device with its specially shaped arresting spring makes it possible to stop the tourbillon at any time, regardless of the momentary angular positions of the balance and the carriage. The invention offers another advantage: Because the balance is stopped directly, the potential energy of the hairspring is stored so that the balance will automatically resume oscillating as soon as the crown is pushed home again.” (Source: The A. Lange & Söhne “State of the Art Tradition” catalogue: Edition 2009 – 2010.)
What are its dial features?
Its sophisticated dial is made from 750 Honeygold. Crafted in-house at Lange, its several steps take a few weeks to complete. Featuring a black-rhodiumed background, it comprises three parts – the main dial and the two subdials for small seconds (at 8 o’clock) and UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator (at 4 o’clock).
The frames – inner and outer dial, scales – markers and lettering on the subdials, and brand name inscription (below the outsize date) are “painstakingly sculpted from the dial material” with a height of only 0.15 mm. The polished Roman numerals, lozenge-shaped hour-markers and the frame for the outsize date are made from 750 gold and “separately integrated in the dial.” Hands are made from 750 gold.
How complicated is its movement?
Extremely. It is powered by Lange manufacture calibre L042.1, a manually wound form movement that drives the hours, minutes, small seconds, Lange outsize date, tourbillon with stop seconds function and the UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator.
It measures 32.6 mm (length) * 22.3 mm (width) * 6.4 mm (height). It comprises 370 parts, of which 84 are for the tourbillon, 47 jewels including two diamond endstones and 9 screwed gold chatons. It beats at a luxurious rate of 3 Hz or 21,600 vph and has a power reserve of 120 hours or 5 days delivered from two mainspring barrels. Movement features include a lever escapement, shock resistant screw balance and an in-house manufactured “superior quality balance spring.”
What are its case and strap features?
As its name suggests, the case is made from 750 Honeygold. It measures 39.2 mm (length) * 29.5 mm (width) * 10.3 mm (height). Dial and caseback side feature sapphire crystals (Mohs hardness of 9). The watch comes with a hand-stitched dark-brown alligator leather strap fitted with a prong buckle made from 750 Honeygold.
What do we think?
When I read the press release for the Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold, my first reaction was why bring back a model discontinued in 2013, nearly 13 years ago? Lange has several other watches that could receive the Honeygold treatment. Just last December, the brand unveiled the Lange 1 Daymatic Honeygold, a model originally introduced in 2010 and discontinued a few years ago. During an interview in Geneva last month, Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid told me that the manufacture operates under strict human capacity constraints and must be prudent about which watches to produce and which to discontinue. After all, the brand produces fewer than 5,000 watches a year across its six collections.
As much as I would like to believe that the re-introduction of the Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold is a precursor to bringing the rectangular Cabaret collection introduced in 1997 back (many collectors would welcome this), it remains highly unlikely. After all, the brand already revisited the model as the Cabaret Tourbillon Handwerkskunst, a 30-piece limited edition in 2021!
As a 50-piece limited edition, there is no doubt that the Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold will find carefully selected homes among the brand’s collectors worldwide (if not allocated already). Still, what does this model really achieve on a broader level?
The brand is facing unprecedented interest and demand among a new generation of watch enthusiasts and collectors worldwide. I have personally encountered this and know several who aspire to own their first Lange watch! Many are from countries where the brand does not even have a physical presence. These folks would benefit from being educated on the brand’s history since its rebirth in 1994, when they introduced the Lange 1, 1815 Tourbillon Pour Le Mérite, Saxonia and Arkade and in 1999, when they introduced the Datograph, the first in-house “from-the-ground-up” chronograph movement in decades!
The Cabaret Tourbillon holds an important place in the brand’s history. As the first tourbillon with a stop seconds mechanism in a little over 200 years, it represents a significant horological milestone. This legacy gives the watch immense aspirational value for enthusiasts and collectors. The Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold serves as a reminder of what Lange – a horological startup just 32 years ago – has been able to achieve and what it is capable of.
Additional Details
Name: Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold
Reference: 703.050
Price: Upon Request.
Limited to 50 individually numbered pieces.
Please visit alange-soehne.com for more information.
