2020 marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of German?brand A. Lange Sohne, and while the year has already seen several major updates from the marque perhaps the most spectacular of all has been saved for Watches Wonders Shanghai 2020. With a direct reference to founder F. A. Lange in the name, its clear the brand has high hopes for this limited edition, and looking at the sheer scope of mechanical prowess on display its fair to say those hopes are justified. The limited edition A. Lange Sohne Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold Homage to F. A. Lange combines some of A. Lange Sohnes most dramatic complications with a clean and masculine colorway for a genuine piece of horological spectacle.The overall layout of the A. Lange Sohne Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold Homage to F. A. Lange is not entirely new, first appearing in a different colorway in 2017s Tourbograph Perpetual Pour le Merite. To the brand faithful, then, the 43mm case should feel somewhat familiar. The form is classic A. Lange Sohne, with clean Germanic lines, straight wide set lugs, broad rectangular pushers, and straight brushed case sides topped by a wide smooth polished bezel. What is new, however, is the material. A. Lange Sohne has only used its proprietary Honeygold 18k yellow gold alloy in a handful of releases since its creation in 2010, and while the brand keeps the details of this alloy tightly guarded it displays a significant boost in scratch resistance over normal 18k gold. The tone of this Honeygold alloy is handsome as well, with the classic yellow gold look tinged with just a hint of red to give this timeless material a touch of modern masculinity. Like the case, the dial of the A. Lange Sohne Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold Homage to F. A. Lange takes the brands signature cues and reinvents them in a dramatic new color scheme, but here this is augmented by a stunning array of complications. From the oversized tourbillon aperture at 6 oclock, to the split seconds chronograph, to the perpetual calendar, and the vividly detailed moonphase window at 12 oclock, the design stands as a testament to the brands ability to present multiple complications on a single dial without creating a sense of visual clutter or unbalancing the overall visual weight distribution. A large share of this comes down to the double duty each of the subdials performs. The slightly larger subdial at 12 oclock houses both the moonphase display and an outer pointer date ring, but both are given enough breathing room to feel open and proportional. Likewise, the combination pointer day and chronograph minutes at 9 oclock is finely proportioned and aided by clever blued color coding, while the month and leap year indicator at 3 oclock mirrors it handsomely. Amongst all the combined displays, only the 6 oclock tourbillon is given its own solitary space, and that delicate complication is surrounded by an extra-wide window to give a tantalizing view of the movement finishing within. The dial surface itself is classic A. Lange Sohne with its precise bold serif text, Arabic numerals, and characteristic gold alpha hands, but this relatively traditional look hides a secret. The entire dial is made from additional 18k Honeygold alloy, with every numeral, index, and line of text polished through to the golden surface underneath a gray rhodium finish. This contrast of matte granite gray with flashing gold creates a dynamic and miles-deep look in changing light, one which elevates A. Lange Sohnes distinctive aesthetic in a new and creative direction.The manufacture L133.1 handwound movement inside the A. Lange Sohne Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold Homage to F. A. Lange is deeply impressive in its own right, combining some of the most complex elements in modern mechanical horology with rarely seen, centuries old watchmaking concepts. To this end, isochronism in the mainspring barrel is ensured by the antiquated fusee and chain transmission system. For those unfamiliar, its similar to a CVT transmission in a car or a sprocket and gear on a bicycle, essentially a series of stepped gears in a conical arrangement connected to a drive chain to ensure smooth torque delivery at different stages of the mainsprings winding curve. The perpetual calendar and moonphase are similarly impressive, as the perpetual calendar will maintain accuracy with a single setting until the year 2100, while the moonphase dial is accurate to one day every 122.6 years. In terms of more pedestrian performance, this highly complicated tourbillon equipped movement offers 36 hours of power reserve at a 21,600 bph beat rate. A. Lange Sohne pairs this traditionally styled tribute to its founder with an equally traditional strap, a hand stitched alligator leather option in deep teak brown mounted to an 18k Honeygold deployant clasp.Among the ongoing tributes for the brands 175th anniversary, few new offerings can match the A. Lange Sohne Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold Homage to F. A. Lange for sheer visual and mechanical spectacle. Only 50 examples of the limited edition A. Lange Sohne Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold Homage to F. A. Lange will be made, and are available now through authorized dealers with pricing available upon request. For more information, please visit the brands website. [...]