The Lange 1 is, in no small part, responsible for what Glashutte represents today. As the launch piece of A. Lange & Söhne it was the first watch of a new era of Saxon horology, the genesis of fine German watchmaking as we know it. Needless to say, Lange & Söhne have a lot to celebrate as the Lange 1 hits 25 years old, and they’re doing so with a beauty of an anniversary limited edition.

Lange collectors need not worry, the watchmaker has kept true to the spirit of the original with no serious changes in the iconic asymmetrical design of the Lange 1. In fact, the design has barely changed in the last 25 years, with the outsize date and small seconds subdials off to the right, the main dial off to the left and the diminutive yet elegant 38.5mm case. Its evolution can be seen more clearly inside.

The hand-wound L121.1 movement has come a fair distance from the 1994 original. It boasts a precise jumping outsize date, a freely oscillating large balance spring, a large cam-poised balanced and plenty of other elements that’ll get a watch geek cooing over it. The twin barrels add up to a solid 72-hour power reserve.

It also has all the hallmarks of German watchmaking, from the three-quarter plate to the elegant Glashutte stripes. On this anniversary version however, the usually opulent finishing takes on new levels of extravagance, with a blued engraving that is, for want of a better word, breath-taking.

Unlike plenty of watchmakers celebrating their anniversaries – and there are plenty – Lange & Söhne have taken a restrained approach to the 25th edition of the Lange 1. It’s true to the spirit of the original while marking the progression of the watchmaker over the years. In short, it’s everything a Lange lover could want – and we want it.

Price & Specs:

Model Name: A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1“25th Anniversary” edition in white gold

Ref: 191.066 Dial/Case: 38.5 mm diameter x 10.7 mm height, white gold; cuvette in white gold with engraving Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L121.1, manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and as-sembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock en-graved by hand Functions: Time indicated in hours, minutes, and subsidiary seconds with stop seconds; power-reserve indicator; jumping Lange outsize date

Frequency: 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour Power Reserve: 72 hours Price & Availability: €43,700, limited to 250 pieces



Discover more at A. Lange & Söhne’s website.