The Short Answer
A. Lange & Söhne just brought the Triple Split back for a third act, this time in 950 platinum with a rhodium-colored "panda" dial. Reference 424.025F is limited to 100 pieces, runs the manufacture caliber L132.1, and is the only mechanical split-seconds chronograph in the world built to time two separate events across a full 12 hours.
Price is listed as upon request, but history gives a real baseline: the original 2018 white gold Triple Split launched at EUR 139,000, and the 2021 pink gold version rose to EUR 159,400. Platinum has always cost Lange more to work with, so expect this one to open above both.
The rhodium-colored main dial and dark grey sub-registers give the platinum Triple Split a panda-dial look that neither prior version had.
The watch photos in this article were generated with AI image tools, conditioned on real reference photography of the A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split so the case shape and dial layout are accurate to the real watch.
Why Lange Built a Watch Almost Nobody Needs
The Double Split, launched in 2004, could already do something no other chronograph could: track two elapsed times at once, split seconds and split minutes, for up to 30 minutes. It solved lap timing. It did not solve marathon timing, or anything running past half an hour.
The Triple Split, introduced in 2018, added a third split function: hours. That single addition let the watch track two separate events running as long as 12 hours each, with independent split seconds, minutes, and hours for both. Nothing else in serial production does this.
The Engineering Behind the Extra Split
Adding split hours meant adding an entire second set of split-hour arbors on top of what the Double Split already carried. Lange also built in an isolator mechanism that disconnects the rattrapante system from the going train the instant it is not in use, cutting the drag that a permanently engaged split mechanism puts on rate stability. The result is a 567-part movement with a 55-hour power reserve, nearly 50 percent longer than the Double Split's 38 hours.
What Changes in the Platinum Version
Reference 424.025F swaps the case metal to 950 platinum, 43.2mm across and 15.6mm thick, the same dimensions the Triple Split has always used. The dial changes more than the case does.
Up close, the sub-dials read as black at a glance but are actually a dark grey, a detail that only shows under close light against the silvered main dial.
A Panda Dial, Lange's Way
The 925 silver dial gets a rhodié coating that reads as a cool grey-white, paired with sub-registers dark enough to look black from arm's length. Collectors have already nicknamed it a panda dial, a term usually reserved for Rolex Daytonas and Zenith chronographs, not German haute horlogerie. It is arguably the most wearable dial the Triple Split has worn yet.
The Movement: Caliber L132.1
Caliber L132.1 is hand-wound, runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz), and carries the finishing Lange builds into everything above entry level: Glashütte ribbing on German silver bridges, a hand-engraved balance cock, and a screwed gold chaton over the escape wheel. Water resistance stays a token 3 bar, a reminder that this watch is built for a desk or a track timing booth, not a pool.
Three Generations, Three Prices
The 43.2mm case has not grown across three generations. What has changed is the metal, the dial color, and, each time, the price.
The Honest Trade-Off
A watch this specialized asks a real question: who actually needs to time two 12-hour events at once. Almost nobody, and Lange has never pretended otherwise. What buyers are actually paying for is the engineering flex, the isolator mechanism, the 567-part movement, and finishing that few brands attempt at any price. If you need a chronograph for daily wear, a Datograph does that job for less complexity and less money.
Where the Triple Split Sits in Lange's Catalog
Lange builds three tiers of chronograph complexity: the Datograph for a standard flyback chronograph done at the highest level, the Double Split for one split function, and the Triple Split for all three. Each step up roughly doubles the movement's part count and, historically, adds tens of thousands of euros to the price.
The 567-part caliber L132.1 is visible through the sapphire caseback, with Glashütte ribbing across the German silver bridges and a hand-engraved balance cock.
Buying One Pre-Owned
Because every Triple Split generation is limited to 100 pieces, pre-owned availability is thin and prices for the earlier white gold and pink gold versions have generally held or climbed since launch. A platinum example, once it reaches the secondary market, is likely to command a premium over its list price rather than a discount, the pattern Lange limited editions tend to follow.
A watch built around an isolator mechanism and a second full set of split arbors is not a simple service job, worth knowing before buying one outside an authorized Lange network.
FAQ
What is the A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split?
The Triple Split is a manually wound rattrapante chronograph that can track two separate elapsed times of up to 12 hours each, with independent split seconds, minutes, and hours. It is the only production watch that does this.
How much does the platinum Triple Split cost?
Lange has listed reference 424.025F at price upon request. The 2018 white gold original launched at EUR 139,000 and the 2021 pink gold version at EUR 159,400, and platinum has historically cost Lange more to produce than either.
How is the Triple Split different from the Double Split?
The Double Split, launched in 2004, splits seconds and minutes for up to 30 minutes. The Triple Split adds a third split function for hours, extending timed events to a full 12 hours, and runs a longer 55-hour power reserve versus the Double Split's 38 hours.
How many platinum Triple Splits will be made?
Reference 424.025F is limited to 100 pieces, each with an engraved edition number, matching the limitation Lange used on both prior Triple Split versions.
Is the Triple Split a practical everyday watch?
Not really, and Lange does not market it that way. At 3 bar water resistance and built around a highly specialized rattrapante mechanism, it is a desk watch and a showcase for Lange's chronograph engineering rather than a daily wearer.
Related Reading
- What Is a Rattrapante? The Split-Seconds Chronograph, Explained
- The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Buying Guide: The Independent Benchmark, Read by a Dealer
- Lange Just Revived the Cabaret Tourbillon at Villa d'Este. A Working Dealer's Read on the 50-Piece Honeygold Release.
- Column Wheel vs Cam-Lever: How Chronograph Movements Actually Differ