A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Possibly Unique Lange 1 White Gold 'Error Dial'
Basic Info
Listing code : L6L4J4
Brand : A. Lange & Söhne
Model : Lange 1
Reference number : 101.039
Movement : Manual winding
Case material : White gold
Bracelet material : Leather
Year of production : 2010
Condition : Used (Very good)
Scope of delivery : No original box, no original papers
Gender : Men's watch/Unisex
Location : United Kingdom, LONDON
Price : 29,995
Availability : Item is in stock
Caliber
Movement : Manual winding
Caliber/movement : Lange Manufakturkaliber L901.0
Power reserve : 72 h
Case
Case material : White gold
Case diameter : 38.5 mm
Thickness : 10 mm
Water resistance : 3 ATM
Bezel material : White gold
Crystal : Sapphire crystal
Dial : Silver
Dial numerals : Roman numerals
Bracelet/strap
Bracelet material : Leather
Bracelet color : Black
Clasp : Buckle
Clasp material : White Gold
Functions
Date
Other
Display back, Small seconds, Power Reserve Display
Inextricably linked with the Saxony region of Germany for over a century, it could be said that A. Lange & Söhne, after a tumultuous period in Europe, had somewhat of a rebirth at the hands of Walter, the great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph Lange - or the ‘A’ in A. Lange & Söhne - and Günter Blümlein in 1989.
When this resurgence occurred, A. Lange & Söhne did so with four key models; the Arkade, Saxonia, Tourbillon Pour le Mérite and the present example, the Lange 1. Lange 1s subsequently became the most collectable model in the catalogue and is arguably the best Glashütte has to offer - representing a white gold excursion to the bright side of the Iron Curtain.
This particular example, reference 101.025, comes with an elegant yet magnificent wrist presence, thanks to its 18ct white gold 3-part case construction and ideal 39mm diameter. As a later 2010 example, it also features a Sapphire display caseback - which means the stunning manual wind L9010.0 movement is centre stage with its German-Silver bridges, hand-engraved Balance Cock, refined interior angles, chamfering, and an exquisite level of hand finishing.
At the time of launch, with mechanical luxury only now returning after the Quartz Crisis, there is something to be said for the complicated nature of this watch. A look at its decentralised dial will offer you both Hour, Minute, Date, Sub-Seconds, and Power Reserve - but won’t overwhelm - because the layout itself is a stroke of masterful design. When a line is drawn from the centre of each of the three key displays, a perfect Isosceles triangle is formed - riffing off the aesthetically pleasing Fibonacci Spiral and providing an unorthodox negative space.
A particularly captivating feature of this A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 is its unique 'Error dial.' As connoisseurs of vintage timepieces, we find charm in the occasional imperfection, a term rarely associated with A. Lange & Söhne. The time-indicating subdial features a '6 o'clock' Roman numeral that, while correctly oriented for reading, is technically a mistake - A. Lange & Söhne traditionally inverts their 6 o'clock marker, so the correct dial would have it upside down. The present example is therefore likely piece-unique as research has shown no other examples with the same feature.
One of our favourite, more understated features of the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 is the date window, inspired by the Semper Opera House Clock - with its deeply recessed white gold frame and mirror-polished bezels, it falls not into the trap of some date windows and becomes illegibly dark, but instead reflects the available light perfectly, meaning the Panorama date and bold serif font is perfectly visible.
This particular example comes in exceptional condition with the movement running perfectly, 0s/d, 280 amps with 0 beat error. The watch also comes with an Extract from the Archive. We've paired the watch with a more everyday strap from our friends at The Strap Tailor, but it can be dressed up for more formal wear on the black Alligator strap that also comes with this watch.
