Back in 2004, A. Lange & Söhne achieved a technical feat by creating the Double Split -- the world's first mechanical chronograph with a dual rattrapante function, whose two pairs of stopwatch hands can run separately as well as together, while increasing lap-time measurements from 60sec to 30min.
Double Split and Triple Split with additional continuous rattrapante hour counter and the third separately stoppable pair of hands.
As if that wasn't enough of a showcase of German micro-engineering, the Glashütte-based watchmaker has devised the even more astounding Triple Split, unveiled earlier this year at SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) 2018 in Geneva.
A. Lange & Söhne's marvel model outperforms the Double Split by being the world's first mechanical split-seconds chronograph allowing multi-hour comparative time measurements. With the addition of a third, separately stoppable pair of hands, the Triple Split can be used for measurements that last up to 12 hours.
In horology, a simple rattrapante mechanism has two hands attached to arbors that run one inside the other, with the rattrapante hand catching up on the other hand after measuring intermediate time.
The Triple Split's threefold rattrapante mechanism operates with three pairs of these hands, with the rattrapante hands standing out in blued steel.
The ensemble is comprised of the sweep seconds hands and the other two pairs on the precisely jumping rattrapante minute counter and a continuous rattrapante hour counter, respectively positioned between 3 and 5 o'clock and at 12 o'clock on the grey dial in solid silver.
The hands are initially superposed, but when the measurement is started they all begin to run simultaneously until pushing the rattrapante pusher to freeze intermediate times. The rattrapante hands stop to display lap times while the seconds hand as well as the minute and hour hands continue to run and measure the total time.
Double Split and Triple Split with additional continuous rattrapante hour counter and the third separately stoppable pair of hands.
A second actuation of the pusher causes the three stopped hands to catch up and synchronise with the running hands that measure the duration of the event.
The flyback function further allows the resetting and restarting of the chronograph by pressing the lower pusher even during an ongoing measurement.
Available in 100 pieces, the coveted timepiece is even more stunning on the caseback, where the sapphire crystal reveals the newly developed chronograph movement, calibre L132.1 and its choreographed interaction of wheels, levers, springs, clutches and jumpers.
Despite the extended functionality, the white-gold Triple Split with a diameter of 43.2mm is pretty much the same size as the pink-gold Double Split while providing a longer power reserve of 55 hours, with the indicator positioned at 6 o'clock on the dial.
How can this ultimate chronograph be of practical use?
The Triple Split can precisely time the winner and runner-up in a triathlon or compare the times of two opponents in a Formula 1 race, a Tour de France leg or a marathon, as well as record the times of consecutively starting events such as the outbound and return legs of a long-haul flight.
