Review: A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus in White Gold and Rubber Strap (Reference: 363.068)
A luxury sports watch with Lange DNA inside and out
After the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus in Stainless Steel was launched in 2019, I immediately registered my interest with a local Lange AD. I fell in love with this watch because of the refreshing, original design in blue dial which was not based on an octagon or oval dial shape and the new state-of-the-art calibre from the world’s top watchmaker - as an engineer by training, I tend to get excited by the latest and greatest models. The call never came and there was no use that I dropped by the AD numerous times to reinforce my interest tirelessly. The Odysseus was a smashing success and the tight production capacity was greatly overwhelmed by the demand. My local AD had gotten only one piece since the launch till today.
In April, 2020, two additional Odysseus models in white gold with either rubber strap or leather strap were introduced. The watches in grey dial are just as stunning with beautiful details as the stainless steel model in blue. It seems to me the Odysseus model in rubber strap is even more of a “luxury sports” watch due to the white gold case (more luxury) and rubber strap (more sporty). The availability of the leather strap to exchange quickly makes it a versatile watch as well. These white gold models are very hard to obtain too, as demonstrated by the activities in the secondary market. Lange only manufactured 3800 watches in 2020 estimated by an industry report, a smaller output than usual due to the impacts of the Covid-19 lockdown. Considering that there are six product families in Lange’s lineup, the annual production volume of Odysseus could only be very small. I was very lucky to finally acquire a white gold Odysseus with rubber strap (reference: 363.068) from the Lange Boutique in Costa Mesa, California, USA.
Odysseus was conceived to be a “sporty watch” for clients during “holidays”, “the most precious time of the year”, according to Mr. Anthony de Haas, Director of Product Development at A. Lange & Söhne, in this interview. With a screw down crown, 120-meter water resistance, an integrated rubber strap, luminous hands and markers, and highly robust construction, the Odysseus in white gold certainly is a mission accomplished. In an increasingly crowded field of luxury sports watches, Odysseus stands out by its invigorating design rooted in Lange DNA and a high performing calibre that is second to none. It has joined Royal Oaks and Nautilus in the elite club of highly sought-after sports watch families that will define the direction of the luxury watch industry in many years to come.
The Lange DNA is best illustrated by comparing Odysseus with a Lange dress watch side by side. As I also own a Lange Saxonia Outsize Date in rose gold acquired 2 years ago, I took some pictures of them together so we may see the similarity directly. First, the designs of the sub-dials including the second hand and the number markings are literally the same. There are no differences in the big size dates in both watches, down to the fonts for the dates and the apertures. The styles for the baton hour markings are consistent too, with the 12 o’clock indicated by double batons. The design DNA of Odysseus dial is unmistakably obvious by the side by side illustrations. No wonder Odysseus doesn’t look like any of the other sports watches in the market, as it follows the Lange heritage rather than imitating others.
A new and innovative design that is unique to Odysseus is the pushers for date and day adjustment. The geometric shapes project a sporty image with assertive sculpture like lines and shapes. The pushers are firm yet easy to operate and it is not prone to being pushed down by accident. As the water resistance is rated at 120 meters, there must be some cutting edge technology to safeguard any water leak between the moving parts. The design and execution of the pushers demonstrated a perfect combination of form and function.
With the watches turned over, the new calibre L155.1 Datomatic of Odysseus and the calibre L086.8 in Saxonia Outsize Date appear convincingly from the same family heritage. I have read somewhere that the first two digits in the calibre reference refer to the year the development work starts for this calibre. If this is true, the blue-prints for these two movements would start to be drawn around 2008 and 2015, respectively. This would imply a 4-year development time for the Datomatic, which got its name from the combination of “date mechanism” and “automatic winding”.
First, we notice the three-quarter plate that is a distinct hallmark of Lange movements compared to Swiss movements. We then see the balance wheel is secured by a balance bridge at both ends rather than a balance cock as seen in the Saxonia movement which is the case for most Lange movements. Obviously, the more sturdy balance bridge was used to ensure better shock resistant for a sports watch. The beautiful rotors in both calibres use a platinum ring to add weight and facilitate a very efficient automatic winding operation. The name “Datomatic” is proudly engraved on the rotor to showcase a brand new movement.
Many timepieces made by the world’s top watchmakers including F.P. Journe, Kari Voutilainen, Laurent Ferrier and Marco Lang are running at 2.5Hz or 3Hz as opposed to more conventional 4Hz. Professor Bill Sander solved the mystery of the preference for lower frequency after interviewing the top watchmakers in this fascinating video. The main reasons were that the balance wheel would run slower and easier to be seen in action and the tick-tocking sound would be more clearly heard by our ears. Historically, the timepieces made in the past were beating at slower rates, which is perfect for watch collectors to view, admire and enjoy. Interestingly, most Lange watches are running at 3Hz, probably for the same reasons following a more classic approach to watchmaking. Notably, the L115.1 Datomatic runs at 4Hz frequency, the first time for Lange. It seems that rationales behind this change were due to operating conditions for sports watches, where stability is paramount, as the inertia of the balance wheel thus shock resistance is boosted by the higher frequency.
Another interesting trade-off between the balance wheel frequencies is the energy consumption thus the power reserves. The calibre L086.8 in my Saxonia offers 72 hours power reserve (77 hours in my tests actually) with a 3Hz frequency. The Datomatic provides 50 hours autonomy at 4Hz, consequently. A bit more than two full days is still plenty of power reserve for daily wear or lazy vacations.
It is common that luxury sports watches use the same calibre as their brands’ dress watches. For example, the AP Royal Oaks basic model shares the same 4302 calibre as the Code 11.59 basic model. The new AP chronograph calibre was introduced for Code 11.59 first before coming to Royal Oaks. The movement “324 S C” inside Patek Nautilus 5711/1A-010 is exactly the same one that has been used in many Calatrava and Twenty-4 watches. Not for Odysseus, as we see here, as a brand new calibre was developed for Odysseus to ensure the overall robustness and performance in the harsh and extreme conditions.
Last but not least, we may look at the rubber strap for Odysseus, another first for Lange. The rubber strap connects with the case links seamlessly with striking matching patterns on the top of the strap. On the back, there are air ducts to provide air circulation for wearing conform especially in outdoor conditions. On one of the links, there is a circular button used for quick release of the strap. It is possible to exchange instantly the rubber strap with the leather strap. Although I prefer the rubber strap for the casual and sporty look, the option to change the watch to go with more formal occasions with a leather strap is super nice.
In summary, Odysseus is a sporty, more casual Lange watch that is suitable for weekends, vacations and daily wear. It is a new product line, the 6th for Lange, designed from scratch in and out for this purpose, yet during the process firmly resting on the Lange DNA, both for aesthetics and the engineering. I imagine that Lange designers definitely had Royal Oaks, Nautilus and Overseas in their mind when contemplating options for Odysseus, but they certainly didn’t simply join the herd like some other brands. The stunning outcomes for the dial, case, bracelet/straps and calibre are testimony of Lange’s watchmaking prowess and innovative spirit, which certainly have won the hearts of watch collectors and enthusiasts.
As Odysseus is a new family of three that will for sure grow over time, it is fun to guess what complications will come next. Based on the current design, there are two variations that may be done without big modifications. One is the dual-time GMT function that is useful for vacations and business travels. As the crown only adjusts time for the current models, it will be easy to use the crown to control the setting of the 2nd time zone. The other natural choice would be the chronograph complication that is common for the luxury sports watch collections. The nice thing is that the two pushers on the current models are perfect for the chronograph operations. The main work would be the replacement of the date/day displays with sub-dials for elapsed time tracking. Well, we will know for sure when the new models are coming out in the future. In the meantime, I’m a very happy man with my Odysseus with the rubber strap.
Additional Reading:
Official product page and 2020 launch video
An interview with Lange Director
A review by Monochrome
A review by Hodinkee
A review by SJX
A review by GaryG, Quill & Pad
A review by Foversta, WatchProZine
Great review, Sfwatchlover! Thanks for this. Two questions: 1) does the strap come in different lengths, and 2) is it easy to detach the bracelet from the case and how does it work? Best, Mxamp