An auction that makes a difference
AN AUCTION THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
After the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH “Hampton Court Edition” was unveiled at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace in early September, the auction of this unique timepiece on 6 November by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, at the occasion of the Geneva Watch Auction XVI is drawing closer. The proceeds will go to the British charity The Prince’s Trust. With an unprecedented variation combining a white-gold case and a black dial with sandstone-coloured numerals, the auction of this one-off piece under the direction of renowned watch expert Aurel Bacs is eagerly awaited.
On 6 November 2022, the auction house Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will auction the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH “Hampton Court Edition” at the Hotel La Réserve in Geneva as part of its “Geneva Watch Auction XVI.” This unique flyback chronograph in a white-gold case with a black dial is dedicated to this year’s Concours of Elegance, which took place in the park of the Hampton Court Palace from 2 to 4 September. A. Lange & Söhne has been a partner of the prestigious classic car event since 2018 and now presented the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH “Hampton Court Edition” as a special highlight.
Like the historical rarities on four wheels, this custom-made model is an expression of perfection, elegance, and technical sophistication. The case of this one of a kind is made of 18-carat white gold and features a black dial with sandstone-coloured numerals and a corresponding tachymeter scale. The classic design is in harmony with the watch family named after Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s birthyear and is also reflected in the artfully engraved hinged cuvette, which shows the logo of the Concours of Elegance. Concealed behind it, but visible through the sapphire-glass back, the twice-assembled L951.5 Lange calibre ticks with 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour (2.5 hertz). The large eccentric poising weights, which are driven by a freely oscillating balance spring manufactured in-house, ensure ultimate precision results. Thanks to its complex chronograph mechanism with flyback function and column-wheel control, stop times can be recorded to an accuracy of one-fifth of a second.
The 1815 CHRONOGRAPH “Hampton Court Edition” thus bridges the gap between classic automobiles and timekeeping. “Classic cars and Lange watches inspire enthusiasts and connoisseurs by preserving traditional craftsmanship and also representing technological progress at the highest level,” explains Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid. This ideal also reflects the personal life motto of Walter Lange (1924–2017) – “never stand still” – and shapes the self-image of the manufactory to this very day.
Giving young people a perspective
The company founder paved the way for the renaissance of the Glashütte precision watchmaking industry and was particularly committed to promoting young talents and the future of watchmaking in Glashütte. On his initiative, A. Lange & Söhne began training watchmakers in-house 25 years ago.
“Young people are the future,” emphasises Wilhelm Schmid. “That’s why we also want to support them socially by contributing to the important work of The Prince’s Trust through the charity auction. Anyone who wants to support us is invited to place a bid.”
The Prince’s Trust was founded in 1976 by HM King Charles III with the aim of helping young people between the ages of 11 and 30 to develop basic life skills, prepare for work and gain access to employment opportunities.
Jonathan Townsend, UK Chief Executive of The Prince’s Trust said: “We are very grateful for the commitment of A. Lange & Söhne. With the proceeds of the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH ‘Hampton Court Edition’, we will be able to reach even more young people and help them on the pathway to a brighter future.”
A maxim that is also supported by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo. The auction house expects a particularly high level of interest from collectors and hopes to generate considerable proceeds. “Crafted by masters of their trade, the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH ‘Hampton Court Edition’ is a collector’s dream in that it is an expression of supreme craftsmanship and technical perfection. The fact that this masterpiece of contemporary precision watchmaking is destined for a good cause makes it even more desirable. At Phillips, we are proud to be part of this project that makes the world just a little bit better,” says auctioneer Aurel Bacs.
Under his leadership, an A. Lange & Söhne timepiece was auctioned off for a good cause back in 2018. The unique 1815 “Homage to Walter Lange” with a steel case was sold at the time for 852,500 Swiss francs (713,627 euros).
For more information on the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH “Hampton Court Edition,” please visit www.alange-soehne.com/auction.
Information on participating in the auction can be found on the Phillips website:
Auction calendar: www.phillips.com/calendar
Opportunities to bid along: www.phillips.com/buysell/buy
Guidelines: www.phillips.com/buysell/geneva/guide
About The Prince’s Trust
100% of the proceeds from the sale of this watch will be donated to The Prince’s Trust to support young people transform their lives. The Prince’s Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (1079675) and Scotland (SC041198).
The Prince’s Trust helps young people all over the UK to build their confidence and skills and supports them into jobs, education and training. Founded by HM The King in 1976, the charity supports 11- to 30-year-olds who are unemployed, struggling at school and at risk of exclusion.
Many of the young people helped by The Trust’s youth support workers and mentors are in or leaving care, facing issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, or have been in trouble with the law. The courses offered by The Trust give young people the practical and financial support needed to stabilise their lives, helping develop self-esteem and skills for work. Three in four young people supported by The Prince’s Trust move into work, education or training.
The Trust has helped over a million young people to date. Further information about The Prince’s Trust is available at princes-trust.org.uk or on 0800 842 842.
About Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo
The team of specialists at Phillips Watches is dedicated to an uncompromised approach to quality, transparency, and client service, achieving a global auction sale total of $209.3 million in 2021, the most successful year for any auction house in watch auction history.
About Phillips
Phillips is a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art and design. With dedicated expertise in the areas of 20th Century and Contemporary Art, Design, Photographs, Editions, Watches, and Jewelry, Phillips offers professional services and advice on all aspects of collecting. Auctions and exhibitions are held at salerooms in New York, London, Geneva, and Hong Kong, while clients are further served through representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips also offers an online auction platform accessible anywhere in the world. In addition to providing selling and buying opportunities through auction, Phillips brokers private sales and offers assistance with appraisals, valuations, and other financial services.
About A. Lange & Söhne
Dresden watchmaker Ferdinand Adolph Lange laid the cornerstone of Saxony’s precision watchmaking industry when he established his manufactory in 1845. His precious pocket watches remain highly coveted among collectors all over the world. The company was expropriated after the Second World War, and the name A. Lange & Söhne nearly vanished. But in 1990, Walter Lange, Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s great-grandson, ventured to start over again. Today, Lange crafts only a few thousand wristwatches, mainly in gold or platinum, per year. They are endowed exclusively with proprietary movements that are lavishly decorated and twice assembled by hand. With 69 manufacture calibres developed since 1990, A. Lange & Söhne has secured a top-tier position among the world’s finest watch brands. Its greatest successes include brand icons such as the LANGE 1, the first regularly produced wristwatch with an outsize date, and the ZEITWERK, with its precisely jumping numerals. Extraordinary complications such as the ZEITWERK MINUTE REPEATER, the TRIPLE SPLIT and the so far most complicated model, the GRAND COMPLICATION, introduced in 2013 in a limited edition of six, represent what the manufactory always strives for: to drive the traditional art of watchmaking to ever-new heights. The sporty yet elegant ODYSSEUS, introduced in 2019, marked the start of a new chapter for A. Lange & Söhne.
Press enquiries
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