A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1 – 30th anniversary Watch Review
In 1994, A. Lange & Söhne unveiled its inaugural collection, a gorgeous foursome, including the now-famous LANGE 1. Now, the brand from Saxony is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the LANGE 1 with the release of four limited edition references. Angus Davies begins by looking at the reasons why the LANGE 1, now 30 years young, shows no signs of ageing. Moreover, the Lange devotee briefly revisits the company’s history before examining the latest models to emerge from the prestigious Manufactory in Glashütte.
Watch design
Over the years, I’ve met several watch designers and spent time trying to gain an insight into their professional world. I’ve heard some utter ‘form follows function’, while others have been at pains to describe the importance of light and how they strive to orchestrate its interaction with the case and dial. Colours, case treatments and dial textures are some of the other tools employed by design professionals in the pursuit of box-office success.
While watchland is populated by many attractive timepieces, most of them will require a makeover at some future point. This horological ‘nip and tuck’ may extend the product life cycle a couple of years, but intrinsic obsolescence inevitably rears its ugly head, and these references will be retired, making way for a new wave of fresh-faced models.
Seldom does an object remain untouched by the onset of years; however, the A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1 proves a rare exception. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, the model of today appears identical to the inaugural reference released back on 24 October 1994, save for the tiniest details that only die-hard Lange aficionados would notice. This prompts the question, “What is the secret to the LANGE 1’s enduring beauty?” I will try, as best as possible, to answer this question before discussing the four new anniversary models from the Glashütte-based Manufactory. But first, let’s step back in time.
The birth and rebirth of Lange
Ferdinand A. Lange (1815-1875) was born in Dresden and at the tender age of 15 embarked on a career in watchmaking. He began his watchmaking apprenticeship with Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes. Later, Ferdinand became a partner in Gutkaes’ business.
During the early 1800s, Glashütte, a former mining town some 30 km south of Dresden, was suffering economic hardship. All of the silver had been mined, the textile industry had collapsed and the prosperity of the region had been blighted by military conflict. Ferdinand A. Lange approached the Royal Saxon Ministry of the Interior and managed to obtain subsidies to establish a Manufactory in Glashütte on the proviso he recruited 15 apprentices from the town. Herr Lange commenced making watches in the town on 7 December 1845.
Over the years, Lange’s business prospered and ultimately Glashütte became the epicentre of the German watch industry, attracting other companies and skilled personnel. Ferdinand was succeeded by his sons, Richard and Emil and, in turn, Emil’s sons Otto, Rudolf and Gerhard took over the running of the business.
Rudolf’s son, Walter Lange, became a master watchmaker and worked for the family firm until 1948 when it was expropriated by the communist government, the DDR (German Democratic Republic).
The Berlin Wall fell on 9 November 1989 and, less than a year later, on 3 October 1990, Germany was reunified. Just two months after that, Walter Lange (1924-2017), the great-grandson of Ferdinand A. Lange, registered the company ‘Lange Uhren GmbH’ with the Dresden district court (7 December 1990).
On 24 October 1994, the company unveiled its inaugural collection, a glorious quartet comprising the ARKADE, the SAXONIA, the TOURBILLON ‘Pour le Mérite’ and the LANGE 1. Despite the Manufactory releasing further models over the years, for many horophiles, the LANGE 1 has left an indelible afterimage. Indeed, it’s distinctive design will, for many watch obsessives, always remain the face of the brand.
A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1 – dissecting the anatomy of the dial
Often watch designers talk about symmetry and balance and yet at first glance the LANGE 1 seems to set aside this aesthetic wisdom. The hours and minutes are displayed on an off-centre dial. A power-reserve indicator and small seconds display reside to the right and the brand’s outsize date sits adjacent to 1 o’clock. However, as the popularity of the LANGE 1 has shown, there is a harmonious undercurrent that evokes widespread smiles of appreciation.
To fully appreciate what the German marque has done requires two lines to be superimposed onto an image of the dial (see below). Scribing a vertical red line between the two date apertures and continuing it downwards reveals it perfectly bisects the mirror-polished centre of the power-reserve indicator before terminating at the fulcrum of the small seconds display. Likewise, drawing a horizontal line (shown in yellow) between the hour and minute display and the aforementioned power-reserve indicator reveals they share the same latitude.
The arrangement of all dial elements has been carefully considered. In fact, the brand freely admits that the ‘length and size ratios of the various displays are in accordance with the rules of the golden ratio’. Also known as the ‘divine proportion’ and closely associated with the Fibonacci sequence, the golden ratio is approximately 1.618 or ((1 + Square root of√5)/2). The divine proportion is often seen in nature and has led to many mathematical studies. It is the German brand’s obsessive focus on proportions that, in my opinion, has imbued the LANGE 1 with eternal appeal.
A. Lange & Söhne has also paid close attention to several small but not inconsequential details. Lancette hands indicate the hours, minutes and available power within the spring barrel. The small seconds display features a fine hand endowed with a diamond-shaped counterweight. Both the off-centre hour and minute display, along with the small seconds dial, are snailed and recessed, introducing texture and depth to the LANGE 1’s prepossessing face.
But it is the outsize date display which is the star of the show. The aesthetic appearance of this indication was inspired by the first so-called ‘digital’ clock housed within the Semperoper Dresden (the city’s opera house). Incidentally, this clock, which is positioned on high just above the opera house’s stage, was created by Gutkaes’ Manufactory.
The outsize date employs two separate discs that collaborate to clearly impart meaning. One disc indicates tens and rotates above the second disc which is marked with units. The relative difference in the heights is minimal and by framing the date indication with gleaming brightwork, everything appears flat, as if arranged on one plane.
A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1 – the birth of a collection
Since 1994, no doubt emboldened by the rapturous reception of the LANGE 1, the Glashütte-based company has released several new variants. These references have been executed in a variety of sizes and case materials and sometimes incorporate one or two additional complications, eg the LANGE 1 TOURBILLON PERPETUAL CALENDAR. Today, the LANGE 1 is not just a standalone model, it is an entire collection of horological beauties, all crafted within the company’s Manufactory in Saxony.
Now, to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1, the über-luxurious brand has unveiled four new references, destined to whet the appetite of most self-respecting purists. Without further ado, let’s take a look.
LANGE 1 and LITTLE LANGE 1 – pink gold version with a blue dial
In 1998, Lange released its appropriately named LITTLE LANGE 1. Measuring 36.8 mm, its case dimensions were slightly smaller than that of the LANGE 1; however, its divine proportions and mechanical virtue remained undiminished.
At the time of its unveiling, the LITTLE LANGE 1 was widely perceived as a ladies’ model. Indeed, the brand released versions of the LITTLE LANGE 1 that were overtly feminine in character, courtesy of their guilloché dials and gemset cases.
However, in the modern-era, gender stereotypes have been set aside. These days many men crave smaller case dimensions, while some ladies prefer a larger timepiece. And why not? As Adam Smith, the Scottish economist and philosopher, famously said in 1776, “The consumer is king” (and queen). Put simply, choose your watch based on your personal taste, not gender-driven labels.
The new pink gold versions of the LANGE 1 and LITTLE LANGE 1 are endued with a blue dial formed of 925 silver. On both references, the frame delineating the outsize date, the hands and the applied indexes are executed in pink gold, coordinating with the adjacent case material. The brand’s name, the model’s place of origin and various other markings are presented in white. Upholding LANGE 1 tradition, the off-centre hour and minute display, together with the small seconds dial, are recessed and snailed.
Beyond the pulchritudinous face of each reference, both models are blessed with beautifully sculpted torsos. The bezels are slender, affording more room for the dial indications to breathe. Close examination of the lugs reveals they project from the case, stepping outwards before arcing inwards again as they near the tip of the horns. This latter, nuanced detail will have significantly heightened production costs but, in my opinion, the resultant elegance justifies every additional Euro spent.
All surfaces are polished to a resplendent gleam, save for two areas. The caseback, fitted with a pane of sapphire crystal, is framed with a brushed pink gold circlet. Likewise, the central section of the housing is brushed, counterbalancing the adjacent high polished sections of the case. Everything appears to be the product of protracted thought.
LANGE 1 and LITTLE LANGE 1 – platinum with a black onyx dial
While A. Lange & Söhne has shown it is a strong advocate for consistent design, it has not shunned creativity. Over the years, it has released ‘Lumen’ models that reveal glimpses of movement via a smoked sapphire dial. Moreover, it has also produced ‘Handwerkskunst’ creations.
Now, for the first time on LANGE 1, the Manufactory has crafted models equipped with jet-black onyx dials. Housed in platinum, these latest models articulate meaning in monochromatic tones. Rhodium-plated gold hands converse with a combination of matching indexes and white markings. The prevailing date is shown on two discs that feature white Arabic numerals set against a black backdrop, all framed with slender silver-hued brightwork.
The dials are formed of 925 silver faced with a layer of sumptuous black onyx, granting an abyss-like appearance. Breaking with tradition, the onyx off-set hour and minute display along with the small seconds display are not recessed nor snailed, instead all areas of the dial’s surface are smooth, flat and eminently lustrous.
A. Lange & Söhne L121.1 manufacture calibre
The inaugural LANGE 1 of 1994 was equipped with the handwound L901.0 calibre. But in 2015, the Glashütte-based company unveiled its 50th manufacture movement, the L121.1 calibre. Again, another handwound movement, the L121.1 calibre incorporated several enhancements.
This latter movement is found in the LANGE 1 and LITTLE LANGE 1. It is fitted with a variable-inertia balance. This is a more precise means of regulating the movement when contrasted with a ‘regular’ index-adjusted balance. The rate is also less prone to positional influence and should the watch be subjected to a shock, it is less likely to require remedial regulation.
When Lange unveiled the L901.0 calibre, the rim of the balance wheel featured traditional poising screws. However, with the advent of the L121.1 calibre and the move to a variable-inertia balance, the exterior rim of the balance wheel was intentionally made smooth, eschewing any screws. Instead, Lange moved to C-shaped inertia weights for regulating the rate and these are positioned ‘in-board’, mitigating any air perturbation which could adversely affect isochronism.
In common with its Lange siblings, the L121.1 calibre is beautifully finished. Untreated German silver abounds, thermally blued screws grace the three-quarter plate, the balance cock is elaborately engraved by hand and screwed gold chatons punctuate the mechanical scene. The inventory of refinements seems never-ending and includes Glashütte ribbing, mirror-polishing, perlage, anglage, circular-grained wheels, etc. Everything the wearer can see, and much of what they can’t, has been painstakingly refined to a glorious conclusion.
Beyond the movement’s many visual delights, there is another detail which I find endearing. The watch features two mainsprings, both housed in a single barrel. By adopting this approach, the movement delivers a prodigious power reserve of 72 hours. Moreover, by using two mainsprings rather than one, the force serving the escapement should prove more linear. This should not be confused with a constant force mechanism (another Lange speciality) but the approach will certainly improve rate stability.
A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1 – closing remarks
Every year, journalists and retailers attend trade fairs keen to discover what’s new. The watch industry releases numerous ‘novelties’, journalists tap keyboards and retailers speculatively place orders. Some new arrivals will be successful in the short term, but very few will remain current indefinitely.
The A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1 is a rare exception to the rule. For example, the process of making the model’s parts, finishing movement components and, finally, painstakingly assembling and regulating the watch means production volumes will always be relatively small. But the LANGE 1 is also rare because despite the passage time, its looks have never changed.
Returning to my previous discussions of watch design, I recall one expert saying that an accomplished design should require nothing to be added or removed. It’s a comment that seems appropriate when discussing the LANGE 1. It still proffers the same quotient of eye-appeal today as it did back in 1994. Indeed, it seems as if it has been imbued with the elixir of immortality.
Further reading
https://www.alange-soehne.com/
Technical specification
- Model: A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1
- Reference: 191.062
- Case: 950 platinum, diameter 38.5 mm, height 10 mm, sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds, UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator, outsize date
- Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L121.1, hand-wound movement, frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz), contains 43 jewels, power reserve 72 hours when fully wound, 368 components
- Strap: black glossy hand-stitched alligator leather paired with a prong buckle in 950 platinum
- Price on request
- Limited Edition: 300 pieces
- Model: A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1
- Reference: 191.063
- Case: 750 pink gold, diameter 38.5 mm, height 10 mm, sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds, UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator, outsize date
- Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L121.1, hand-wound movement, frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz), contains 43 jewels, power reserve 72 hours when fully wound, 368 components
- Strap: blue hand-stitched alligator leather strap paired with a prong buckle in 750 pink gold
- Price on request
- Limited Edition: 300 pieces
- Model: A. Lange & Söhne LITTLE LANGE 1
- Reference: 181.062
- Case: 950 platinum, diameter 36.8 mm, height 9.98 mm, sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds, UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator, outsize date
- Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L121.1, hand-wound movement, frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz), contains 43 jewels, power reserve 72 hours when fully wound, 368 components
- Strap: black glossy hand-stitched alligator leather paired with a prong buckle in 950 platinum
- Price on request
- Limited Edition: 150 pieces
- Model: A. Lange & Söhne LANGE 1
- Reference: 181.063
- Case: 750 pink gold, diameter 36.8 mm, height 9.98 mm, sapphire crystal to the front and exhibition caseback.
- Functions: hours, minutes, subsidiary seconds with stop seconds, UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator, outsize date
- Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L121.1, hand-wound movement, frequency 21,600 vph (3 Hz), contains 43 jewels, power reserve 72 hours when fully wound, 368 components
- Strap: blue hand-stitched alligator leather strap paired with a prong buckle in 750 pink gold
- Price on request
- Limited Edition: 150 pieces
