The contrast of silver and blue marks A. Lange & Söhne’s 25th anniversary

A quarter of a century has now passed since Günter Blümlein and Walter Lange rebuilt the horological giant that is A. Lange & Söhne. On the 24th of October 1994, the two stood side by side and presented four timepieces – the Lange 1, the Cabaret, the Saxonia and, the Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite,” ushering in a new era of Saxon watchmaking.

Of the four, the Lange 1 was arguably the one most poised to cement its position as an icon in the world of watchmaking given the unique characteristics of its design. The asymmetric dial played home to an over-sized date, an off-centre dial for time and another for the seconds, and a power reserve indicator – the Lange 1 stood out, loud and proud. Coupled with a double mainspring barrel, it was the best way to exemplify Lange’s balance of form and function.

In celebrating its 25th anniversary, A. Lange & Söhne unveiled the Lange 1 “25th Anniversary” piece ahead of SIHH 2019. Made in an 18k white gold case, the watch features a colour that Lange has only used on dials previously. The deep blue of the numerals, hands, and words provides a great contrast to the two-toned silvery dial. A hunter case back showcases an extremely detailed engraving of Lange’s headquarters and upon opening that, a hand-engraved balance cock with blued lines, a first for the brand.

The Lange 1 “25th Anniversary” will be limited to just 250 watches and Lange has explicitly announced that it’s the first watch to kick off the anniversary celebrations for this year. Langenation folks, it’s time to start discussing what 24th of October might just bring us this year.