1815 Flyback Chronograph 39.5mm 18K White Gold | Ref. 401.026 | 2014 Full Set

The Story

The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph is widely recognized across haute horlogerie as the ultimate benchmark for manually wound chronograph engineering. Named after the birth year of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, the 1815 family pays direct homage to Glashütte’s rich pocket watch tradition. Reference 401.026 represents the highly coveted first-generation 39.5mm execution in solid 18K white gold. Now officially discontinued, its slimmer profile and perfectly proportioned dial layout are universally preferred by purists over later iterations, making it a cornerstone piece for serious collectors who value Saxon watchmaking mastery above all else.

The Craft: 18K White Gold Geometry & The Legendary Calibre L951.0

The 39.5mm case is sculpted from solid 18K white gold, maintaining an extraordinarily comfortable dress profile of under 11mm in thickness. The case showcases Lange's signature multi-tier construction, featuring alternating satin-brushed case flanks and mirror-polished bezels and step lugs.

The solid silver dial is a masterclass in classical symmetry. Inspired by 19th-century pocket chronographs, it features heat-blued steel hands that shift dynamically from cobalt to deep midnight black under light, framed by black Arabic numerals and a outer pulsometer scale. The recessed running seconds and 30-minute jumping chronograph registers sit slightly below the central axis: a signature visual trait of Lange chronographs.

Turn the watch over to behold what many horological experts consider the single most beautiful movement ever created: the In-house Calibre L951.0. Visible through the sapphire exhibition caseback, this manual-wind flyback chronograph movement consists of 305 hand-finished parts. It features untreated German silver bridges, a column-wheel mechanism, a horizontal clutch, screwed gold chatons, and a hand-engraved balance cock, ensuring that no two movements in existence are completely identical.

Condition & Discontinued 2014 Full Set Package

This collector-grade 1815 Chronograph is presented in Very Good overall condition, exhibiting sharp case geometry, immaculate sapphire crystals on both sides, and clean white gold surfaces throughout. The original alligator strap is secured by an authentic solid 18K white gold pin buckle.

The timepiece arrives as a True Complete Full Set, complete with its original A. Lange & Söhne presentation box, leather document wallet, operating manuals, and the original guarantee booklet officially stamped and dated in 2014. Fully inspected and verified for amplitude and timing precision, this discontinued 39.5mm Saxon reference is ready for its next owner.