Flying With Style: A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Dual Time Watch

By Ariel Adams February 21, 2011

Timepieces are the original traveler’s gadget. In fact, historically speaking most long distance travel and navigation was reliant on suitable timing instruments. Back when A. Lange & Sohne only made pocket watches they would occasionally put together a watch with two dials and movements in it for clients who needed a watch to track two time zones–though they admit this was a rare type of project. Today’s fast travel has made it almost a necessity for travelers to have the ability to track the time at home in addition to the “local time” of where they are currently situated.

Today’s traveler has a universe of options to choose from when looking for a timepiece to embark with. “World Time” watches offer the time in at least 24 time zones, while “GMT” or “Dual Time” watches offer two time zones–where one time can be adjusted quite easily on the fly. When looking for a suitable travel watch, it is advisable to look for a dual time timepiece that is easy to read without a cluttered dial, and offers a simple way to change the time.

A solid option is the brand new A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Dual Time watch. Actually quite simple looking for the high-end German brand, the Saxonia Dual Time is a smooth operated with elegant looks. See those two large pushers on the left of the case? Push one of them and the main time advances one hour, and the other pusher makes the time go back in one hour increments. This is considered a simple way to change the time accurately when changing time zones.

Using a color coded system, the Saxonia Dual Time uses gold hands for the “local time” and blued steel hands for the reference (or “home”) time. This approach helps reduce confusion when looking at the dial, and offers a splash of color as well. The main time uses a subsidiary seconds dial over 6 o’clock, while there is another subdial under 12 o’clock that is used to indicate whether the time is AM or PM at home. Home time is read via the centrally mounted blued steel hour hand, while both times use the same minute hand. The elegant dial uses applied gold baton hour markers and has a pleasant symmetrical layout.

The complications are thanks to the in-house made and designed A. Lange & Sohne calibre L086.2 automatic movement with a 72-hour power reserve. Lange was wise to offer this movement as an automatic for convenience purposes. Like all A. Lange & Sohne movements, it is painstakingly hand decorated and finished. The Saxonia Dual Time is offered in a 40mm wide case available in 18k pink or white gold–with matching hands and hour markers on the dial. At just 9.1mm thick, the case is also quite thin. Back on the solid silver dial the term “Glashutte in Sachsen” is printed which refers to the fact that the “Saxonia” name of the watch stems from A. Lange & Sohne being located in the mountain town of Glashutte, in Saxony. The watch is matched to a hand-stitched crocodile strap and has a great, almost minimalist look not commonly found in the brand’s impressive line-up. Price for this handsome and functional traveling companion is $25,400 in 18k pink gold and $26,600 in 18k white gold. www.alange-soehne.com.

Ariel Adams is the Haute Living Watch Editor and also publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.