A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1

The A. Lange & Sohne – Lange 1 can be traced back to the re-birth of the brand in 1994, the flawless execution of the overall design meant that this particular reference would remain unchanged for the better part of 25 years. The overall design follows the rule of thirds, that being said at first glance the dial may seem obscure and unbalanced. The symmetry is found towards the center of the dial, the middle of the date window is on par with the start of the main sub-dial (hours and minutes). The central pinion for the hours and minutes is on par with the power reserve pinion.

This specific reference 101.022 – Lange 1 was originally introduced in 1995. It features a 38.5mm yellow gold case paired with an elegant ivory dial. This particular example comes as a full set, originally sold in 2011 and recently serviced.

The Brand

Saxony’s meteoric rise and fall lead to the eventual creation of A. Lange & Söhne, founded by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in 1845. The foundations of German watchmaking can be attributed to Lange and his mentor Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes. Sadly, the company A. Lange & Söhne was expropriated after World War II as a result the brand disappeared. In 1990, Walter Lange, Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s great-grandson, ventured to resuscitate the brand. For the second time, a watch manufactory named A. Lange & Söhne, was built from scratch in Glashütte. The brand is now known to have created some of the most appreciated complications in the industry through its unique design language and master engineering.

The dial 

The two subsidiary dials, used for the hours, minutes, and seconds are slightly sunken. The faceted blued hands perfectly contrast the ivory dial and printed numerals. 

The case

The overall structure of the case may seem simple although it is believed that each case is separately finished, the tell tail being the angled lugs. The use of alternating finishes on the relatively well-sized case adds another element of complexity and matches that of the dial’s alternating finishes.

This Lange 1 – 101.022 houses a manual-winding calibre L190.1 and boasts a 72-hour power reserve. The movement features traditional finishes as well as a beautiful hand-engraved balance cock.

Brand: A. Lange & Sohne
Model: 101.022
Movement: L190.1 
Case Diameter: 38.5mm
Year: 2011
Box & Papers: Full Set