We accept A rare, refined and elegant self-winding stainless steel wristwatch from German haute horlogerie brand Lang & Heyne, founded in 2001 by watchmakers Marco Lang and Mirko Heyne. Limited edition launched in 2021. Stainless steel case, diameter 40 mm, 10.95 mm thick, sapphire caseback. Blue solid silver dial with a ‘petticoat’ relief pattern" in the center and a concentric groove decoration on the chapter ring, with opened motion work bridge made of Arcap. Caliber 33.2, manual winding, power reserve of up to 46 hours. Functions - display of time in hours, minutes and seconds. Integrated five-link Hektor stainless steel bracelet, triple folding clasp. Limited edition of 33 pieces.
Lang & Heyne, based in Dresden, Germany, specializes in the production of collectible wristwatches in a modern but tradition-conscious version of the Baroque style. The brand equips its collections with high-quality in-house calibers – from classic models with small seconds to calendars, tourbillons and chronographs. Lang & Heyne uses only platinum and gold in the production of its watches, but in 2021 the brand released the first stainless steel timepiece in its history. This is the Hektor watch, limited to 99 pieces, 33 per dial color, available in blue (the present example), grey or green.
The combination of the elegant, sporty design, the stainless steel bracelet of unique design and the refined workmanship of the unusual hand-wound movement undoubtedly makes the present watch appear as a worthy alternative to the great classics of this genre
This isn’t only Lang & Heyne’s first steel watch, but also the brand’s first foray into the classic genre of luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets. When developing this design, there is always a risk of following one of the archetypes created by the outstanding Gerald Genta. However, it must be admitted that Lang & Heyne has avoided this trap. The result is a unique product with a sporty case that features a crown protection, a lip at 9 o’clock to preserve symmetry, water resistance up to 50 meters and an unusual integrated five-link bracelet. The convex links of the bracelet have lateral bevels that create an interesting play of reflections. The best examples of luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets show that they best fit the Art Deco esthetic. However, Lang & Heyne has brought baroque elements into the design of the Hektor – this is how they interpret the Saxon style they’re creating. One is a fan-shaped skeletonized bridge integrated into the dial, and the other are hands with extravagant diamond tips. The fan shape also appears in the outline of the beveled links of the bracelet.
The fan-shaped bridge on the dial is there for a reason: it repeats the design of the bridges of the new caliber 33.2, which was developed for this watch. In its design, there is an unusual and very impressive combination of industrial style and the visual feature of the calibers of the famous Jean-Antoine Lépine, who used the peculiar fan-shaped bridges. Caliber 33.2 is characterized by a rare monochrome appearance. The mainplate, bridges and wheels are made of Arcap, a non-magnetic high-tech alloy of copper, nickel and zinc, while the pinions, pins, screws and levers are made of steel. The haute horlogerie finish includes the straight-grinded bridges, solarized winding wheels, flatpolished screw heads, ball-polished pins and axle tips, and highly polished bevels.
The Lang & Heyne Hektor Limited Edition would appear to be a good buy for the collector who wants to acquire a rare, refined and elegant limited-edition stainless steel mechanical watch from a small, creative German watch brand specializing in collectible haute horlogerie watches. The combination of the elegant, sporty design, the stainless steel bracelet of unique design and the refined workmanship of the unusual hand-wound movement undoubtedly makes the present watch appear as a worthy alternative to the great classics of this genre and contributes to the appeal of this lot.
| Case | Polished & brushed stainless steel case, with a sapphire caseback & a protected crown at 3 o'clock |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel integrated bracelet with brushed & polished links & a butterfly clasp |
| Dial | Engine turned green stepped dial, with applied luminous indices, luminous arrow hands & a openworked hand setting mechanism, signed "Lange & Heyne Dresden Made in Saxony" |
| Movement | Rhodium-plated brushed hand-wound movement with skelotonized gear train bridges, swan neck fine adjustments & polished screws |
| Cal. | 33.2 |
| Ref. | Hektor |
| Case No. | 1/99 |
| D= | 40 mm |
| Year | Circa 2020 |
| Case: | Very good, only small signs of wear |
| Bracelet: | Very good, only small signs of wear |
| Dial: | Mint condition |
| Movement: | Very good, all functions working properly |
| Amplitude (Dial on top/Lift angle 52): | Approx 330° |
| Accuracy (Dial on top): | Approx +10 sec/day |
| Box: | Yes |
| Papers: | Yes |
When Marco Lang and Mirko Heyne designed their very first watch shortly before the millennium, his was probably more of a passing phase rather than a life plan in the making. Based on their precision and attention to detail, they were often being teased an idealists.
