Anthony de Haas, the product development director at A. Lange & Söhne brings an infectious enthusiasm to his latest media interview about the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater Honey Gold. It is likely his third go-around, but he is still diving into the key features with clarity and resonance.
He breaks down the minute repeater’s functions, going into the nitty-gritty of the watch’s intricate details. As he speaks, de Haas keeps driving home the importance of accuracy and precision in timekeeping.
At the Rosewood Hotel in Bangkok, we find ourselves with Maestro de Haas as he pays tribute to one of the most technically sophisticated mechanisms that chime the time on demand. Departing from the conventional quarter hours, it produces chimes in 10-minute intervals, aligning with its mechanical digital time display.
Pressing the button at 10 o’clock starts a sequence: A low-pitched tone for each elapsed hour, a double tone (high-pitched/low-pitched) for every 10 minutes, and a high-pitched tone for each elapsed minute.
For example, if the time is 7:52, the watch makes seven low tones, five double tones, and two high tones. This special sound setup lets you both hear and see the time.
With the timepiece in hand, de Haas explains: “If I push the button now, it sounds the hours with 10-minute intervals. Then, when I activate the minute repeater function, you have a low-pitched sound; for 12 hours, you hear 12 strikes — ‘Ding Ding, ding’ (low-pitched). This is a decimal Minute Repeater, which means it doesn’t strike in quarters but in 10-minute intervals, like a digital watch. So, you will hear five sets for 50 minutes — ‘Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong’ [five times for every 10 minutes].”
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The Zeitwerk Minute Repeater Honey Gold has a unique button to activate the repeater, ditching the typical slide in most minute repeaters. The twin mainspring barrel provides the power for the striking mechanism.
Timepiece symphony
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They have added advanced safety features to the movement to ensure everything runs smoothly in the mechanical system. If the power reserve drops below 12 hours, the striking mechanism will not respond, preventing the repeater sequence from stopping too early or the watch from halting unintentionally. Look for a red dot on the power-reserve indicator — it marks the 12-hour point.
During the repeater’s operation, the switching action of the numeral discs is intentionally delayed and the crown remains immovable. This prevents interference with the strikework sampling sequence, preserving the acoustic indication of time. At 12:59 hours, the longest series of tones takes about 20 seconds to conclude the repeater sequence. If a new minute begins during the striking, the minute and hour jump occurs immediately after the tone sequence ends. Subsequently, the next numeral disc switching cycle follows the regular timing once the second hand passes the 60-second mark.
The Zeitwerk Minute Repeater Honey Gold brings a distinct and expressive sound with its time display, making a lasting impression. The honey-gold case of the watch enhances its distinctive sound, creating clear and resonant tones with a rich, warm timbre. A. Lange & Söhne’s commitment to innovative mechanical engineering includes patented Honey Gold, known for its hardness compared to other gold alloys.
While it is a popular material, de Haas cautions: “It’s a very tricky material, so we keep honey gold exclusive for limited applications. The material wears out tools quickly, necessitating frequent changes. Working with it is quite intense, so we maintain its exclusivity.”
Passion and watchmaking
The pride and joy of the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater Honey Gold is, of course, the sound it produces. An avid drummer, de Haas says: “Each minute repeater possesses a unique and unparalleled sound. Besides the gongs and gong hammers, the case material exerts the most significant influence on the sound. Like a musical instrument, diverse tone colours and auditory impressions emerge based on the material employed. This holds true for our new innovation in honey gold as well. Its sound is distinct from all other materials, truly unique.”
As a music enthusiast, he links his passion for drumming to watchmaking. Drawing from his musical background, he points out the merits of copper and brass in musical instruments. While copper may be pricier, he emphasises that it doesn’t necessarily mean it is better — it is just a unique choice.
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He adds: “Typically, copper imparts warmth. When it comes to platinum, it allows for implantation into something great — very pure, crisp, almost like a cold, clean song. It lacks emotional nuances and I’ve heard everything. In 2020, we launched the watch in white gold, slightly louder. What a contrast. I describe it as sounding almost clumsy but with a sweet melody. It’s louder, maybe more aggressive, straightforward, akin to steel as a musical instrument.”
He also highlights the nature of honey gold, noting its mix of platinum’s clarity and purity, along with a touch of warmth reminiscent of copper.
As for his love of music, he adds: “When I was 10, I discovered my passion for drumming and from that point on, I spent four hours a day honing my skills. Moreover, being from Holland, I was inspired by the renowned Dutch drummer from the band Golden Earring.”
Golden Earring, a Dutch rock band originating from The Hague in 1961, holds significance for de Haas. The band disbanded due to the guitarist’s battle with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease). Still, Haas had the privilege of being taught by Cesar Zuiderwijk, the band’s lead drummer. This unique connection bore fruit when de Haas surprised attendees with a performance at the Bangkok dinner, garnering a standing ovation.
From drums to crafting tools, he found his true love for timepieces when a friend studying watchmaking introduced him to the art. Captivated by the subject, young de Haas joined, and the rest is history.
