The combination of a white gold case, silver dial and blue hands makes this iteration of the Lange 1 extremely special. Produced in very small quantities, with most research pointing to a run of around 200 pieces, these watches are rarely seen. According to industry lore, the model was originally conceived as a limited or special edition, but while the project was abandoned, the watch remained in production – but never made it into any Lange catalogue, making it a “secret” model of sorts.

At its heart, the 101.027X is a classical Lange 1, with its asymmetrical dial design, 38.5 mm case with welded lugs and a large date window. The sub-dials for the hours, minutes and seconds have added texture thanks to the fine concentric circles that help differentiate them from the rest of the dial.

This legendary design is elevated by the small details that separate it from the standard production of the early 2000s. Blued hands when paired with this crisp silver dial is an effect we are used to seeing in the watch world, but this is a rather uncommon sight from A. Lange & Söhne, which only serves to amplify it.

This reference is descended from the 101.027, another white gold case Lange 1, but with a rich blue dial, applied numerals and hands in white gold. This creates a completely different feeling than the model we have here, and gives credence to the understanding that this watch was often bought as a special request from clients and therefore did not need a completely new reference number.

Inside is the standard L901.0 movement which was the first A. Lange & Söhne designed when the company reformed in 1990. Made from German silver with broad Glashütte striping across the main plate and the characteristic hand engraved balance cock. The movement performs extremely well, with 72 hours of power reserve, beating at 21,600 vph and equipped with 53 jewels.

The combination of a white gold case, silver dial and blue hands makes this iteration of the Lange 1 extremely special. Produced in very small quantities, with most research pointing to a run of around 200 pieces, these watches are rarely seen. According to industry lore, the model was originally conceived as a limited or special edition, but while the project was abandoned, the watch remained in production – but never made it into any Lange catalogue, making it a “secret” model of sorts.

The watch was serviced by A. Lange & Söhne in 2021 and is in near mint condition, with no notable scratches or concerns.