6 March 2019

It’s a symbol of rebirth, A. Lange & Söhne’s Lange 1: the renascence of both the Glashütte-based manufacturer and the whole of the watchmaking industry in Saxony. Certainly, when it appeared, in 1994, it’s unorthodox layout caused something of a stir, with its unusual off-center hour and minute subdial and oversized date window dominating the composition. But technically it was faultless: not only was the movement constructed in house, in keeping with the standards of the great local tradition, but above all it had innovative features, such as the twin mainspring barrel with a power reserve of 3 days. Since then, in any case, the popularity of the watch has proved that design to be a winner. And further confirmation is provided by the new Lange 1 25th Anniversary, produced in a limited edition of 250 pieces to mark the 25 years of the collection’s existence. Unchanged in appearance, it has a case in white gold and a solid silver stepped dial, with details printed in blue and the hands made of blued steel. Only the mechanism has been updated: it now has a self-winding caliber—obviously made in house—with a state-of-the-art balance spring system, able to guarantee excellent timekeeping, and a “precisely jumping” outsize date window (i.e. the date changes instantly, with extreme accuracy, at midnight). As always the construction reflects the company’s typical artisanal knowhow: a three-quarter plate made of alpaca, micrometric swan-neck regulating system, gold chatons, traditional “Glashütte-stripe” finish and bridge of the balance cock engraved and enameled by hand with a commemorative decoration. Even the cuvette caseback is customized: it is engraved with an image of the company’s headquarters, a reference to the anniversary and the names of Walter Lange and Günther Blümlein, the men responsible for that rebirth.