The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Side Step was created in honour of the longstanding partnership between the German manufacture and the jeweller Wempe, which dates back to the 1920s. Further to this, Wempe was also one of the twelve jewellers invited to celebrate the re-inauguration of the brand in 1994. Released in 2003, this watch celebrates Wempe's 125th anniversary, and was produced as a limited edition of 125 pieces, with only 50 of those cased in platinum, while there were 75 in rose gold. As a platinum example, with a case number of below 15, this particular reference 222.049 is an exceptional find for any collector.

The asymmetrical nature of the piece comes as no surprise to those familiar with A. Lange & Söhne's work, as we see the sub-dial placed at 4 o'clock, which completely replaces the numeral and sits comfortably between 3 and 5 o'clock. The placement of this sub-dial is also a subtle reminder of the 1815 Moonphase "Emil Lange", from 1999, where the sub-dial was in the same position. The watch has a deep black dial, in addition to printed white numerals and minute track, while the hands in white gold. The silvered sub-dial is finished with a concentric circle pattern, and a single blued hand in contrast to the otherwise monochromatic dial.

The watch is powered by the calibre L944.1, which features a three quarter plate that is intricately hand-engraved with a pattern of roses unfurling amongst the blued screws, chatons, and jewels. The texture and depth of the roses themselves are impressive, with crosshatching and shading detail making this a very special surprise when viewed through the open caseback. The inspiration for this comes from the 'Meissen Rose', a style of floral painting on porcelain that depict intertwined roses with slightly opened petals. The watch is also incredibly slim, at just 36mm in diameter and 7.45mm in thickness.

Closer look

Condition

This A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Side Step Wempe has never been previously worn by the original owner and thus remains in new old stock condition. The front and back stickers have only been removed for the purposes of photography. This example comes as a full set with the original box, paperwork, hang tags, and attached is the unworn Lange strap. Upon arrival, the watch even remained set to "Lange time" as it would have when first delivered to the original owner.

Warranty

As this watch has never been serviced, it does not come with a mechanical warranty. It does, however, include a lifetime guarantee of authenticity from A Collected Man.