Sameera Gamage 
During this year’s Watches & Wonders, A. Lange & Söhne introduced a new version of their first ever sport-elegant timepiece, presented in stunning 750 honey-gold material.
2019 marked a major milestone for A. Lange & Söhne, as this was the year they introduced their sixth line as well as their first sporty-elegant timepiece. The ODYSSEUS was developed specifically for those individuals that lead a active sporty lifestyle, but still want to wear a luxury elegant timepiece that featured high-end watchmaking artistry.
This is where the ODYSSEUS comes in. While I personally wouldn’t wear it for high-intensity activities, it’s certainly a watch designed to meet the demands of the everyday individual. The case’s special construction, as well as the water resistance, make the watch a companion you can rely on for everyday activities. The Odysseus was certainly a bold step for Lange, marking the brand’s first-ever serially produced stainless steel sports watch with an integrated bracelet.
It was no easy task coming up with the design and movement for this iconic piece, with the first conceptual designs starting almost 10 years prior to its release in 2019. The A. Lange & Söhne research and development team, which consisted of developers, product designers, engineers, technicians and prototype makers, all got heavily involved in this project, sharing a joint passion to convert the mission of creating a legacy into a reality.
The ODYSSEUS features a design language that makes it unmistakably a Lange timepiece. The most noticeable detail is the oversized date and, in this case, day-of-the-week windows that we see throughout the various A. Lange & Söhne collections. What sets this model apart from the other A. Lange & Söhne collections is the bracelet design and the dial details. As this is the brand’s first integrated sports bracelet, that speaks for itself; however, with the dial, A. Lange & Söhne have chosen to make it as visually aesthetic as possible, instead of leaning into the technical side as seen in the other collections.
A. Lange & Söhne currently have a time and day-date model and a chronograph in the ODYSSEUS collection. The time and day-date models are presented in stainless steel, 750 white gold or titanium. For Watches & Wonders 2025, A. Lange & Söhne have bought out a new iteration for the ODYSSEUS time and day-date collection, this time in a completely new material that set’s it apart from its predecessors.
Case Design
The fourth colour and material version of the ODYSSEUS comes with a honey-gold case, which measures 40.5mm x 11.1mm thick. The 750 honey-gold is an exclusive alloy that is characterised by its colour and particular hardness. The case of the ODYSSEUS features a mixture of angular surfaces which provides a dramatic contrast compared to the round and smooth surfaces of the bezel. The various finishing techniques, from the vertical satin-brushed lugs to the mirror-like polished bezel, allow the timepiece to play with light beautifully, and paired with the honey-gold material, these elements are even more attractive.
The tapered pushers for the date and day-of-the-week correction is placed on either side of the screw-down crown, which gives the ODYSSEUS timepiece a distinctive look. It’s clear from the get-go that the case design of the ODYSSEUS is different from the other collections in A. Lange & Söhne’s catalogue, and that’s precisely the point. Now, with the 750 honey gold material, it elevates the elegance and luxury appeal of the watch even more.
Dial Design
The elegant hue of the brown dial complements the honey gold case perfectly, giving a warm, elegant look. As mentioned previously, the dial of the ODYSSEUS is completely different o the more technical aesthetic we see from the brand’s other collections. The dial features various design elements that enhances the watches appearance.
The nothced baton hour indices are made of honey gold and filled with white Super-LumiNova, which gives a stark contrast against the brown dial. There is also an embossed groove structure that rounds around the hour indices, with the circular centre of the dial having a matte-like finish. This beautifully decorated dial is replicated on the constant seconds counter at 6 o’clock, with the seconds “track” having an embossed groove structure like the main dial and a matte circular centre.
The dial’s various finishes, from the patterns to the honey gold indices and hands, give the watch remarkable depth and refinement. With the addition of honey gold elements, the new Odysseus dial seamlessly bridges sportiness with understated luxury, making it a compelling evolution of the collection.
Movement
Inside the ODYSSEUS sits A. Lange & Söhne’s in-house manufacture calibre L155.1 DATOMATIC movement. The movement was given the name DATOMATIC, which can be see on the winding rotor on the case back due date mechanism combined with the mechanical automatic movement.
This movement is assembled twice according to A. Lange & Söhne to ensure reliability and performance from the calibre. The skeletonised and partially black-rhodiumed rotor works unidirectionally, which means that whichever way it rotates will still deliver constant energy to the movement. When the mainspring barrels are fully wound, it can deliver a maximum power reserve of 50 hours. The balance wheel also operates at a high frequency of 4Hz (28,800 VpH), ensuring that a consistent level of high precision is delivered from the calibre.
According to A. Lange & Söhne, the movement’s performance is increased compared to other Lange calibre’s thanks to “How it is regulated with four recessed screws that are flush with the outside of the balance-wheel rim. This design reduces turbulence despite the higher frequency. Together with the freely oscillating balance spring made in-house, the minimised air resistance has positive impact on the movement’s rate accuracy and energy efficiency.”
Initial Thoughts
Since its debut in 2019, the ODYSSEUS has been a bold statement from A. Lange & Söhne, an elegant yet robust sports-luxury timepiece designed for everyday wear. While it carries the unmistakable DNA of Lange, the ODYSSEUS stands apart with its integrated bracelet, contemporary dial aesthetics, and sportier appeal.
This use of honey gold elevates the timepiece to a new level of elegance, especially the five-row bracelet, which harmoniously integrates onto the case, allowing this new material to really outshine its predecessors. The meticulous attention to detail, as seen in the contrasting finishes, intricate dial textures, and high-performance DATOMATIC movement, reinforces the brand’s commitment to blending traditional craftsmanship with modern functionality.
“With the ODYSSEUS, we laid the foundation for our latest watch family in 2019, thus unfolding a creative potential for us that we further tapped into by developing this new model in honey gold. In a special way, the warm lustre emanating from this exceptional colour combination reflects our ambition to never stand still”.
A. Lange & Söhne CEO Wilhelm Schmid
Specification: ODYSSEUS Honeygold (363.150)
- Dimensions: 40.5mm x 11.1mm thick
- Case Material: 750 Honeygold
- Dial: Brass Brown colour
- Movement: Calibre L155.1 DATOMATIC
- Movement Frequency: 28,800 VpH (4hZ)
- Movement Power reserve: 50 hours
- Water resistance: 120m (12 Bar)
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal (Mohs hardness 9) with anti-reflective coating
- Case back: See-through case back, Screw-down crown
- Bracelet/Strap: 5-link 750 Honeygold bracelet with safety deployant buckjle with precision adjustment mechanism for adjusting the length.
