A. Lange & Söhne expands its horological design language with the launch of its first ever titanium watch.
Any horological enthusiast will know that A. Lange & Söhne’s brand of watchmaking runs both serious and refined; even conservative by some standards. Casual was never a word that was associated with the brand. That remained true until A. Lange & Söhne debuted the Odysseus in 2019 — its first ever sporty watch. Encased first in stainless steel and later in white gold, the Odysseus cleaves to the brand’s elegant aesthetics but opens up a new avenue of exploration into the luxury sports watch category. Today, A. Lange & Söhne is venturing out further into casual sporty territory with the launch of the Odysseus Ref. 363.117, encased entirely in titanium.
The decision to craft a luxury sports watch in titanium may seem like an obvious choice but is, in reality, far less so. Traditionally, top-end watchmakers like A. Lange & Söhne rarely use titanium, preferring to stick to more precious materials like gold and platinum, with a sprinkling of steel as a more accessible, laid-back option. Titanium, however, is less well-trod, and usually reserved for special editions. That fact is what makes the new titanium Odysseus so special. The fact that this is A. Lange & Söhne’s first ever titanium watch serves to reinforce its significance. Oh, and the watch is also limited to just 250 pieces — a rarity through and through.
The advantages of using titanium as a construction material are clear. Titanium weighs some 43 per cent less than stainless steel, which means the new Odysseus is a comfortable breeze on the wrist. Titanium is also corrosion-resistant thanks to its unique chemical properties; when exposed to oxygen, it forms a thin transparent oxide coating that protects the material. As is expected from A. Lange & Söhne, the case and bracelet have been impeccably finished with a series of polished, matte, and brushed surfaces that precisely abut each other. The bracelet is also precision-stepped and its length can be adjusted by increments as small as seven millimetres.
This being A. Lange & Söhne, however, means that the material isn’t the only detail that changed about the new Odysseus. Its ice-blue dial — a new colour for the line — has also been uniquely finished. The outer hour ring on the dial has been guillochéd to form gentle arcs that extend between each hour marker, giving it what the brand calls an “embedded”, three-dimensional appearance. In contrast, the original stainless steel model featured conventional concentric lines, and the white gold version featured straight lines radiating out from the centre. The new arced guilloché pattern is characteristic of A. Lange & Söhne’s attention to detail and is exclusive to this model.
Housed within the case is A. Lange & Söhne’s L115.1 Datomatic movement, which can be admired through the sapphire glass caseback. This is the same movement housed within the first two iterations of the Odysseus, and remains exceptional for its movement architecture, which features both a central rotor for ample winding power and an oscillation system that beats at 4Hz for excellent rate stability. As with all A. Lange & Söhne watches, all parts are beautifully decorated and finished by hand, and the movement itself is assembled twice to ensure that all parts fit together flawlessly.
Related Links:
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus: In Good Sport
A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Minute Repeater: Perfect Chiming
A.Lange & Söhne: The Connoisseurs Connection
The A. Lange & Söhne Promise of Quality Fine Watchmaking
