A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down 405.031

About This Watch

The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down is frequently cited by watchmakers, collectors, and critics as the single greatest chronograph wristwatch ever made. The caliber L951.6 combines a column-wheel flyback chronograph with Lange's outsize date and a power reserve indicator, all within a manually wound movement of staggering complexity and finishing. The 451 individual components are assembled, tested, disassembled, decorated by hand, and then reassembled — the Lange double-assembly process that ensures perfection. The platinum case lends appropriate gravitas to what many consider the ultimate expression of the chronograph art. The black dial provides maximum contrast for the silver-toned sub-dials: running seconds at 9 o'clock, 30-minute counter at 3, power reserve ("Up/Down") at the top, and the outsize date in twin apertures at the bottom. Through the caseback, the movement is a revelation: the column wheel is visible and mirror-polished, the chronograph levers are elaborately decorated, and every surface receives multiple finishing techniques. Production numbers are extremely limited, and the Datograph commands a premium that reflects its status at the pinnacle of chronograph watchmaking.