4 New Limited Editions to Celebrate the 30th-Anniversary of the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1

Exactly 30 years ago, on 24 October 1994, at the Dresden Royal Palace, Günter Blümlein, Walter Lange and Hartmut Knothe unveiled the inaugural collection of the rejuvenated A. Lange & Söhne brand, consisting of the Saxonia, the Arkade, the Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite” and, of course, the Lange 1. A watch that has been instrumental in the resurrection of the brand, of German watchmaking and of the whole concept of high-end horology, the emblematic Lange 1 is celebrating today its 30th anniversary. And to pay tribute to its longevity, here are 4 new limited editions; in platinum with a black onyx dial or in pink gold with a blue dial, available either a classic Lange 1 or as a Little Lange 1. 

The Lange 1 is a watch of such importance for the brand and for the luxury watch industry as a whole that it should deserve an entire article about its history, which would certainly feel relevant today on its 30th anniversary. Well, you should feel lucky, since we have done that already in this in-depth article retracing the entire lineage of the Lange 1 as a watch (the classic 38.5mm) but also as a collection, with all possible variants, and also including one of our in-depth movies. So, if you have an hour of your time to spare (you won’t regret it…), pour yourself a coffee, sit comfortably and enjoy this in-depth story.

Now, for those already familiar with the history of the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 collection, or if you want to know what the brand has cooked for the 30th Anniversary of the Lange 1, let’s go straight to the point. 4 new limited editions, two different sizes, two different and unprecedented combinations of colours and materials. Classic 38.5mm Lange 1 or smaller 36.8mm Little Lange 1, platinum case with a solid black onyx dial, or 18k rose gold case with a solid silver dial in blue. And both sharing the same in-house calibre. So, the celebration of 30 years of existence is done by new colours and materials, with limited edition models.

Looking at these new models, we can see the classic architecture of both the Lange 1 and the Little Lange 1, as available in multiple variations in the current collection. On one side, we have the Lange 1 with its 38.5mm diameter, a below-10 thickness and all the signature traits of this watch since its introduction in 1994 – of course, these new limited editions are based on the updated Lange 1 released in 2015. On the other hand, we have the Little Lange 1, a downsized edition first seen in 1998, revised in 2018 in the same vein and with the same movement as the classic Lange 1. This edition measures 36.8mm in diameter, shares most of the visual and technical attributes with the aforementioned model and keeps the same pleasant thinness – again below 10mm.

One of the hallmarks of the Lange 1 (and the Little Lange 1) was its perfectly balanced asymmetry, with a dial designed according to the golden ratio, with an off-centred hours-minutes sub-dial at 9 o’clock, a sub-seconds at 4 o’clock, a power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock and the all-important outsize date inspired by the five-minute digital display clock found above the stage of the Dresden Opera House. Well, all of that has been respected in these new limited editions, with the Little Lange 1 being just a slightly downsized edition keeping all of the display intact.

Now to make these 30th anniversary Lange 1 limited editions special, A. Lange & Söhne has created two unprecedented colour/material combinations. The first pair is housed in a noble 950 platinum case with an elegant, glossy solid silver dial covered with black onyx – a jet-black shimmering gemstone that somehow reminds me of the black enamel Lange 1 Tourbillon Handwerkskunst 20th anniversary. These black onyx models are worn on a glossy black alligator leather strap. The other pair introduces a new combination of 18k rose gold for the case and dark blue for the dial – two elements previously available separately but never merged. These are worn on a blue alligator leather strap. In all versions, the straps are closed by prong buckles matching the case’s material.

Inside the 38.5mm case of the Lange 1 or the 36.8mm case of the Little Lange 1 is the same movement, the L121.1 manufacture calibre, which was first presented in 2015 on the occasion of the facelift of the Lange 1. Despite keeping the display intact, this movement was entirely new, with the classic 3/4 plate rotated 180 degrees, a new in-house balance wheel (running at 3Hz), a twin mainspring barrel for steady delivery of torque (72h power reserve), a new date mechanism with instantaneously jumping discs, a stop-seconds and a zero-reset mechanism for the seconds hand when the power reserve drops to zero. The sapphire back reveals classic high-end decoration the Lange way, with untreated German silver plates with Glashütte ribbing, 8 screwed gold chatons held by blued screws, polished bevels and a hand-engraved balance cock.

Regarding availability, the larger Lange 1 models, either platinum/onyx or rose gold/blue, are limited runs of 300 pieces. The smaller Little Lange 1 models are each limited to 150 pieces. On a personal note, and without denying the beauty of these limited editions the platinum/onyx version is a truly handsome watch, no doubt), I would have expected something a bit more spectacular from ALS to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Lange 1… A new complication, a revised movement or case, a new Handwerkskunst model, a more substantial sub-collection like what was done for the 25th anniversary. Something that would have made history within the model’s lineage. Now, it feels a little underwhelming.

The 38.5mm models are priced at EUR 60,000 in platinum and EUR 50,300 in gold. The 36.8mm models are priced at EUR 56,500 in platinum and EUR 46,400 in gold.

For more details, please consult www.alange-soehne.com.