The Lang & Heyne Anton Manufaktur Edition Tourbillon

Despite its modest production, Lang & Heyne is one of the most impressive German watch brands today. Founded in 2001 by Marco Lang and Mirko Heyne, even after Heyne’s departure in 2003 to join Nomos Glashütte (currently heading research and development at Nomos) and Marco Lang leaving in 2019, the manufacture continues to be active, producing high-end, typically Saxon watches. The brand’s website currently showcases nine models, each named after Saxony’s illustrious ruling family from the past. And the newest one is this handsome Anton Tourbillon Manufaktur Edition.

The original 2018 Lang & Heyne Anton got its name from Anton the Kind, a 19th-century ruler of Saxony. Following the Georg, the Anton marked the brand’s second foray into rectangular watches. It featured the in-house, meticulously finished calibre IX, with a tourbillon visible through an opening on the dial. The original Anton exuded a traditional haute horlogerie aesthetic with an exhibition caseback and boasting a Grand Feu enamel dial, prominent Art Deco numerals, a squared railway track with blue lance tip indices at 3, 9, and 12 o’clock, and a recessed seconds railway track around the tourbillon. The Anton Manufaktur Edition, recently unveiled, introduces a fresh and contemporary appearance.

The Lang & Heyne Anton Manufaktur Edition joins the collection with a platinum case, maintaining the signature three-lug design. Unchanged in size and construction from its predecessor, the case measures 40mm x 32mm (excluding the lugs) with a thickness of 9.4mm. The case’s decorative Art Deco lines on the sides, inward-bent lugs, and rounded bevelled corners contribute to its handsome appearance. The large onion crown, adorned with a cabochon-cut black onyx and protected by gentle crown guards, adds to this exceptional timepiece’s elegant monochromatic presentation and overall aesthetics. The black alligator strap with shark skin lining and a pin buckle (or folding clasp on request) completes its refined and smart appearance.

The dial created by Lang & Heyne for this Anton edition features a dark grey, delicately grained base plate, with the time read of the black zirconium oxide ceramic disc, highly polished, with the laser-engraved and lacquer-lined minute track and Roman numerals. Note the blue lance-tip indices at 3, 9, and 12 o’clock, which find their place on the new edition’s dial, starkly contrasting the classic 2018 variant. The running seconds are still indicated by a thermal-blued screw on the tourbillon’s lyre, albeit without the track around the opening. The hour and minute hands have adopted a pike shape, filled with HyCeram, underscoring Lang & Heyne’s commitment to embracing new materials and innovation.

To showcase the intricate mechanics of the flying tourbillon, Lang & Heyne opted to open up the bottom part of the dial (gone with it the proud Made in Saxony statement) and the underlying plate, adding a new dimension to the “flying” designation. Visually stunning and large at 11.1mm in diameter, Alfred Helwig’s design-inspired mechanical whirlwind for the Manufaktur Edition boasts improvements to the shockproof spring and anchor components. The tourbillon bridge is different, yet the overall aesthetic remains distinctively true to the original calibre IX, maintaining the 55-hour power reserve and 2.5Hz frequency.

The sapphire crystal caseback unveils the gold-plated, grainy-textured mainplate adorned with hand-engraved details, including the brand’s logo, “Manufaktur Edition”, the model’s name, and its limited-edition number. As in previous editions, the hand-wound calibre IX is adorned with two diamonds mounted in polished sets. The 163-component movement appears almost simple, with parts seemingly spread over ample space, inviting admiration for the superb decoration details, like the finely bevelled wheels and the mirror-polished jewel sinks. Some elements are textured, while others are highly polished, exemplified by the bridges and cocks held by blued screws.

The Lang & Heyne Anton Manufaktur Edition is an extraordinary timepiece crafted for a select group of discerning collectors. The brand will produce only five pieces, priced at EUR 160,000 without taxes. For additional information, please visit the brand’s website at lang-und-heyne.de.