The new SIHH 2018 A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split is an exercise in watchmaking showmanship

The SIHH 2018 A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split is the world’s first Triple Rattrapante Chronograph that allows multi-hour comparative time measurements. An evolutionary step up from the brand’s beloved Double Split, the additional rattrapante hands on the minute and hour totalisers make it possible to stop lap and reference times of events that last as long as twelve hours. Let’s just say from the onset, the A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split is an exercise in watchmaking showmanship – there’s absolutely no denying that in the few short decades since its revival, A. Lange & Sohne has scaled some really improbable summits to be widely recognised among the world’s most storied and most lauded watchmakers. That said, while it is true that prior to the SIHH 2018 Lange Triple Split, no other mechanical chronograph could time the events of a 17 July 2016 triathlon where German triathlete broke a world record and his British rival came in a distant second to the degree and accuracy of 7 hours, 35 minutes and 39 seconds with the latter taking 20 minutes and 44 seconds longer to finish; this is the first rattrapante chronograph of its kind: a rattrapante chronograph capable of measuring and comparing the time of two concurrent events for almost half a day’s duration.

The new Lange & Sohne Triple Split is an evolutionary step up from the brand’s beloved Double Split, the additional rattrapante hands on the minute and hour totalisers make it possible to stop lap and reference times of events that last as long as twelve hours.

SIHH 2018 A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split, World’s First Triple Rattrapante Chronograph

The Lange Double Split first debuted 14 years ago at SIHH 2004 and it was the first rattrapante chronograph with split seconds and split minutes. The Double Split was a rarity in a world of one minute rattrapante chronographs, it was capable of recording simultaneously elapsed times of up to 30 minutes. Comparatively, the new SIHH 2018 A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split not only records split seconds and split minutes but also up to 12 split hours.

Now typically, professional Ironman athletes finish their races in under four hours, while the final finishers will take about eight hours, with lots of competitors finishing in between. A regular competitor will typically take just over eight hours and while Ironman allows for up to 17 hours to complete the race, most of the time, they are done by the 10 hour mark,this watch could conceivably measure a marathon but let’s face it, it’s not going to be used for that purpose, rendering the new SIHH 2018 Lange Triple Split emblematic of the brand’s philosophical pursuit of horological perfection even if it’s totally outrageous (in a good way); that said, pilots could probably time transcontinental flights or drives but let’s face it, improving technologies would likely shorten those durations drastically while this mechanical rattrapante chronograph outlives us all.

Rattrapante chronograph are considered among of some of the most challenging ol complications and the new Triple Split is an evolutionary improvement upon the Double Split and with the added complexity. To wit, a standard rattrapante mechanism requires two hands to be attached to arbors that run one inside the other whereas a Triple rattrapante needs to activate each pair collectively or separately (pairs of hands for seconds, minutes and hours), essentially requiring multiple arbor configurations thus more components yet amazingly without an increase in case dimensions to boot.

The SIHH 2018 A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split cal. L132.1 comes impressively with 55-hour power reserve, compared to 38 hours in the Double Split with no discernible increase in size of the mainspring barrel. Furthermore, the newly developed in-house calibre also comes equipped with Lange’s in-house patented disengagement mechanism that prevents friction and amplitude losses, designed to ensure that neither the measurement of lap times nor the motions of the precisely jumping minute counter has a negative effect on rate stability. Needless to say, this demonstrates the maison’s peerless reputation as the maker of premier modern chronographs.

As per the Double Split, split seconds are indicated by a pair of central hands on the new Lange Triple Split; but unlike the Double Split, the Triple Split’s 12 o’clock subdial counts split hours instead of power reserve, moving that indicator to 6 o’clock ingeniously creating some symmetry and balance on the face of the dial, given that the Saxony manufacture has literally added another indicator to the dial. Three blued steel rattrapante hands contrast polished rhodiumed chronograph hands for better legibility as in the brand’s predecessor rattrapante chronograph.

A standard rattrapante mechanism requires two hands to be attached to arbors that run one inside the other whereas a Triple rattrapante needs to activate each pair collectively or separately (pairs of hands for seconds, minutes and hours), essentially requiring multiple arbor configurations

A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split Price and Specs

Limited Edition 100 timepieces
Case 43.2 mm white gold case
Movement Manually wound Lange manufacture calibre L132.1 with 55 hours power reserve
Strap Hand-stitched black alligator leather
Price €139,000 (with 19% tax)