1815 CHRONOGRAPH for “Best of Show” winner

This year, A. Lange & Söhne once again awarded the “Best of Show” winner of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este with a one-of-a-kind piece created especially for the occasion. During a celebratory gala dinner, Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid presented the overall winner of the traditional beauty contest for classic automobiles with an exclusive edition of the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH in white gold with a hand-engraved Concorso coat of arms on the hinged cuvette.

The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is one of the most prestigious and exclusive events for classic cars in the world. The competition, which attracts collectors and lovers of automotive works of art from all over the world every year, took place from 23 to 25 May 2025 on the picturesque grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d'Este in Cernobbio on Lake Como in northern Italy. Around 50 of the most spectacular classic cars competed for the coveted trophies in eight competition classes, including the prestigious “Trofeo BMW Group – Best of Show”, for which the top-class jury of experts selects the overall winner of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. This year's prize went to an Alfa Romeo Tipo B (P3) from 1934 (Auriga Collection Germany).

Honouring automotive tradition

During the celebratory gala dinner on 25 May, Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid presented the winner with a one-of-a-kind 1815 CHRONOGRAPH in white gold with a solid pink-gold dial. With the “Como Edition”, the German watch manufacture, a partner of the Concorso since 2012, pays tribute to the preservation and care of historically significant automobiles. The special edition also reflects the many parallels between the German manufacture and the world of historic automobiles: traditional craftsmanship, mechanical innovation, and classic design.

A tradition that never stands still

“The 1815 CHRONOGRAPH perfectly expresses the similarities between motorsport and timekeeping. Each of the 306 movement components is completed with the utmost precision in our manufacture in Glashütte. In addition, each calibre is assembled twice to perfectly coordinate the interaction of all parts,” explained Wilhelm Schmid. As a part of the 1815 watch family, the timepiece is a contemporary interpretation of the brand's traditional values, for subtle elegance and durability. Values that were once important to Ferdinand Adolph Lange, who founded the first watch manufacture in Glashütte in 1845. The watch family was named after his birth year, in recognition of his remarkable achievements.

At this year's Watches and Wonders in Geneva, one of the most important watch fairs in the world, A. Lange & Söhne presented two new versions of the 1815. They are available in white or pink gold, boast blue dials and create a link to the past with many traditional references. The dial, for example, is designed with Arabic numerals and a railway-track minute scale. The newly developed manufacture movement also features traditional elements, such as the three-quarter plate made of untreated German silver, blued screws, gold chatons and the hand-engraved balance cock. It also offers an increased power reserve of 72 hours. In addition to the two new 1815 variants, visitors to the Concorso were also able to discover up close the MINUTE REPEATER PERPETUAL and the ODYSSEUS HONEYGOLD, the two of which were also presented at Watches and Wonders. “The Concorso d'Eleganza has been an important tradition for us for many years and it is always a pleasure to be able to present our watches in this elegant setting,” emphasised Schmid.