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A. Lange & Söhne unveils two new editions of the tempting 1815 UP/DOWN

• This distinctive German watch is now presented with a blue dial made from silver. • It is housed in a pink gold case or a white gold case. • It is powered by Lange manufacture calibre L051.2. • Both editions are limited to 300 pieces each. They are individually numbered. • They will be presented at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace in the UK this weekend.

What are the new editions of the 1815 UP/DOWN?

A. Lange & Söhne (Lange) has unveiled the 1815 UP/DOWN with a blue dial housed in a 37.5 mm pink gold or white gold case. It joins the present catalogue 1815 UP/DOWN, a reference introduced in 2013 and the second-generation of this model. The 1815 UP/DOWN is inspired by historic Lange pocket watches.

Both new editions of the 1815 UP/DOWN will be presented at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace (located just outside central London) this weekend.

Also Read: A. Lange & Söhne unveils the elegant new Saxonia Annual Calendar

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What are their dial features?

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 UP/DOWN.
Image: The Arabic numerals, railroad-style minute scale, and recessed central dial are inspired by historic Lange pocket watches. I love the contrast of the blue dial with the argenté-coloured subdials. The second scale on the small seconds subdial (4 o’clock) and AUF/AB scale with the red bit on the power-reserve subdial are beautiful design elements. On the power-reserve subdial, “AUF” means UP and indicates a fully wound movement, and “AB” means DOWN or an unwound movement. Hence the name UP/DOWN for the watch. On the header image, notice that the colour of the hour and minute hands matches their respective case. When the power reserve is depleted (hand at “AB”), the small seconds hand stops at zero (60 on the scale).

Both editions showcase a blue dial made from 925 silver. The subdials for the small seconds (4 o’clock) and UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator (8 ‘clock) are argenté-coloured. The subdials feature a snailed finish. The lancet-shaped hour and minute hands are made from 750 gold. Small seconds and power-reserve indicator hands are made from blued steel.

Does the movement feature an in-house manufactured balance spring?

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 UP/DOWN.
Image: The caseback side (left) and dial side (right) of Lange manufacture calibre L051.2. On the caseback side, notice the brand’s three-quarter plate (made from untreated German silver) and hand-engraved balance cock with the shock-resistant screw balance, an indexless oscillation system and an in-house manufactured balance spring below it. Notice the winding wheels decorated with solarisation and the seven gold chatons protected by blued screws. The hidden dial side is impeccably finished. Every Lange calibre goes through a double assembly, which means they are disassembled after the first assembly and then reassembled before being cased. The power reserve mechanism is not a separate module, rather “it is directly integrated in the movement with a specially designed, space-saving planetary gear system.”

Yes. Lange manufactures balance springs in-house, a capability that only a handful of watch brands possess. The 1815 UP/DOWN is powered by Lange manufacture calibre L051.2, a manually wound movement that drives the central hours and minutes, small seconds with a stop seconds function and UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator. It measures 30.6 mm (diameter) * 4.6 mm (height), comprises of 245 parts, 29 jewels, 7 screwed gold chatons, beats at a luxurious frequency of 3 Hz or 21,600 vph and delivers a power reserve of 72 hours. Winding and time-setting are performed via the crown at 3 o’clock. 

What are their case features?

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 UP/DOWN.
Image: The three-quarter plate has a charm of its own. Notice the edition number engraving on the caseback.

The case is made from 750 pink gold or 750 white gold, measuring 37.5 mm (diameter) * 8.7 mm (thickness). Dial side and caseback feature sapphire crystals (Mohs hardness of 9).

The pink gold edition comes with a hand-stitched reddish-brown alligator leather strap; whereas the white gold version comes with a hand-stitched blue alligator leather strap. Both are fitted with a prong buckle, made from 750 pink gold or 750 white gold depending on edition.

What do we think?

If you visit Lange’s website, you might stumble upon Lange Classics, clicking on which takes you to a page where five models are celebrated. Here, the 1815 UP/DOWN is grouped together with the Lange 1, Datograph UP/DOWN, Saxonia Thin and the Zeitwerk. This is a huge honour coming from the brand itself. In their own words: “The models that have become paragons of consistency and style icons rank among our classics. They represent the A. Lange & Söhne brand with their unassuming, and at the same time, unique appeal” and “Virtually unmodified in their appearance for decades, these timepieces have proven their worth over and over again.”

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 UP/DOWN.
Image: Noticed the polished and brushed finishes on the case. “The slender, subtly tiered bezel” is a design element on its own. The case is relatively thin at 8.7 mm.

The best validation comes from collectors themselves; few of my friends own an 1815 UP/DOWN. Several more want one. One friend even has the first-generation reference! The 1815 UP/DOWN is a classic dress watch with a twist, one that is tempting for first-time (and not only) customers of the brand.

While the new editions expand the model line-up, it is not the first time the brand has given this reference a blue dial. The 1815 UP/DOWN Wempe Edition, a 50-piece limited edition (25 in pink gold / 25 in white gold) with a deep-blue dial, was unveiled in 2019 to celebrate the brand’s partnership with the German retailer.

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 UP/DOWN.
Image: A dress watch par excellence.

Now almost seven years later, the 1815 UP/DOWN with a blue dial is back, and it is in a slightly more compact dimension (37.5 mm) than the present catalogue references (39 mm). This is a trend the brand has been pursuing since 2025 when it unveiled the “simple” 1815 three-hand watch with a 34 mm case size (also with a blue dial housed in a pink gold and white gold case). This was followed by the all-new Saxonia Annual Calendar with a 36 mm case size, one of my top picks from Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026.

The new editions of the 1815 UP/DOWN are tempting additions to the brand’s catalogue and, at 300 pieces each, promise rarity for one of their design classics.

Additional Details

Name: 1815 UP/DOWN

Reference: 244.037 (Pink gold edition)

Price: On request

Limited to 300 individually numbered pieces

Name: 1815 UP/DOWN

Reference: 244.028 (White gold edition)

Price: On request

Limited to 300 individually numbered pieces

Please click here to learn more.