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On October 24, 1994, the Saxon manufactory A. Lange & Soehne, revived after an almost half-century hiatus, presented the first collection of watches to the press and selected customers. The creation of this line, which received the simple and capacious name Lange 1, took almost five years - work on the watch began immediately after the company Lange Uhren GmbH was again officially registered in 1990 in its native Glashütte.
As Walter Lange himself, the heir to the great watch dynasty and the main initiator of the revival of the company, recalled, in Lange 1 every step, every, even a minor element, was carefully thought out. From an unusual eccentric design with a dial offset from the center and a power reserve indicator to luxurious processing of a corporate movement with platinum ¾ and rubies in gold bezels secured with blackened screws, in the best watchmaking tradition of 19th century Glashütte. As Mr. Lange himself wrote in the book “The Renaissance of Time”: “It was obvious that many collectors know and remember the magnificent watches in quality and design that were produced at Ferdinand Lange's factories before the war. But we were not going to attract attention only due to the great heritage. We they wanted modern watch connoisseurs to understand at first glance at Lange 1 that they were acquiring something exceptional.The result was not long in coming. The next day, more than 60 publications around the world came out with a description of "new exotic luxury watches from Germany." And then President A. Lange & Soehne Gunter Blumlyayn (he also headed the IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre), the first to believe in the risky project of Walter Lange, noted with satisfaction: “From now on, the mark“ made in Glashütte ”has again become the highest standard in the world of watch mechanics. "
BINDING THREADAlong with Lange 1, the Saxon manufactory introduced a number of exceptional models in 1994: the Saxonia collection, a rectangular Arcade watch inspired by Dresden architecture, and even its own Pour la Merite tourbillon - absolutely sensational for its time. But it was the corporate design with the main dial at 9 o’clock, a side second at 5 o’clock, Big Date in the upper right corner of the dial and power reserve indicator that instantly became the recognizable face of A. Lange & Soehne, a real icon of the Saxon timepiece style. "
The unusual appearance of Lange 1, of course, did not arise from scratch. The Big Date, read from any angle at a glance, became a kind of dedication to the famous watchmaker Johann Christian Friedrich Gütkes, author of the famous watch for the scene of the Dresden opera Semper (time was visible from any series), which was also the father-in-law and teacher of Ferdinand Lange who founded his studio in Glashütte in 1815, near Dresden.
Unusual for the 1990s and, as it turned out, the choice of materials for the first collection was absolutely right - no steel, no brass. Only solid gold for the case, solid silver for the dial and a durable nickel silver for the platinum movement. As if there was no pre-war depression, the separation of Germany and the socialist economy - the thin thread of common values stretched by the Lange heir from the 21st century to his ancestor from the 19th century turned out to be stronger than any economic realities.
In the early years of the company’s revival, curious journalists and collectors regularly asked Walter Lange and other representatives of the manufactory: when will you make affordable steel watches? And now asking such a question does not even occur to anyone. Because there are many steel watches. And Lange 1 is just one.
FUNCTION BEFORE EVERYTHINGIn addition to its stunning aesthetics, the first manufacture caliber L 901.0 installed in Lange 1 was a real declaration of the technical capabilities of A. Lange & Soehne: the double winding drum provided an impressive range of 72 hours, the adjustment of the balance by the “swan neck” made it easy for the master to correct the error of movement without disassembling the whole mechanism. After such a debut, it was obvious that you can only move forward, and new achievements in the collection were not slow to follow.
In the millennium in the Lange 1 family, the first complication of the "Big Three" Grand Complication appeared - the tourbillon. It was followed by the first model with astronomical indication - Lange 1 Moon Phase, in which the panoramic moon phase adorned the center of the dial of hours and minutes. In 2005, the world premiere of the most revolutionary collection model, the Lange I Time Zone, presented a completely new and very “Saxon” look at the indication of world time. The unusual design of the caliber L031.1 (with an unchanged double drum and 72-hour power reserve) consisted in the ability to combine the standard "city ring" around the circumference of the case with an asymmetric dial and discrete indicators in the Lange 1 style. As a result, the traditional second hand is at mark "5 hours "has been replaced by a pointer to a second time zone with its own hour and minute hands. The ring could be moved from west to east with side buttons, in accordance with the number of clicks, the arrows on the additional dial automatically moved.
In 2010, a self-winding version appeared in the collection - the Lange 1 Daymatic, equipped with a new L021.1 caliber with a 50-hour power reserve and also an eccentric micro-rotor located in a special depression of platinum ¾. This kept the elegant subtlety of the 39.5 mm case made of yellow, pink gold or platinum. To distinguish the automatic model from the manual winding, the design of the dial was made mirrored: the hour and minute pointer shifted to the left side, “Big date” and the second hand to the right, and the power reserve indicator turned into a day indicator.
But the real triumph of Lange 1 watch mechanics was the most sophisticated manufactory model presented at the Geneva Salon in 2012, the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar.As the name implies, two of the three highest complications connected here: the tourbillon and the perpetual calendar. But on their own they were not so exceptional. As already mentioned, A. Lange & Soehne introduced the first tourbillon back in 1994, and the first perpetual calendar in 2001, so the manufactory engineers were already experienced specialists in creating the complications. The main task was how to place all the numerous calendar indicators and the tourbillon without violating the Lange 1 brand aesthetics - with the obligatory offset dial, the Big Date and the retrograde hand. It is not surprising that when creating this masterpiece, the best ideas from all Lange 1 models were borrowed: a day index of the week and automatic winding - from Daymatic, the Moon phase combined with a second hand - from Moonphase, even the city ring from Lange 1 Timezone, turned into a circular indicator of months! And, of course, a luxurious tourbillon with hand-engraved bridges, which could be seen through the sapphire window on the back case. This watch, modestly modest in appearance, delivered maximum pleasure to the initiates. Is it any wonder that already in 2013 this particular model was recognized as the “watch of the year” according to the version of the leading German watch magazine Armbanduhren.
WITHBET INABOUT DARKNESSSince all Lange 1 watches are distinguished by a unique and recognizable at first glance dial, there are things that, according to aesthetic laws, are unlikely to ever appear in a collection. For example, a chronograph. Yes, and why? For this, A. Lange & Soehne has a beautiful Datograph line in the Saxonia collection.
Whereas the “First” Lange bears this proud name precisely because it does not follow the path paved by others, but paves its own - including in the field of visual effects. In 2013, a year after the most complex model of the collection, Lange & Soehne presented the most unusual and literally bright model - Grand Lange 1 "Lumen". The case of the Grand Lange of the increased diameter was supplemented with luminescent elements. It was enough to turn off the light to see the other, “dark” side of Lange 1: on a black background there is a mysterious clock dial with hands and an invariable “Big Date”. And this year, at the SIHH Geneva salon, the manufactory presented a new, even more mysterious version - Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase "Lumen", in which the luminous disk of the Moon against the background of a dial of blackened silver and dark translucent sapphire became the main character. The series is limited to 200 copies.
To emphasize the magic of light, this summer A. Lange & Soehne organized a unique expedition to the Arctic, where she shot three "luminous" models - Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase "Lumen", as well as Zeitwerk "Luminous" and Grand Lange 1 "Lumen" - in the bewitching landscapes of Iceland.
NFISHERS L ANGE 1Finally, the Lange 1 tourbillon also received a unique incarnation. On December 24, 2014, in honor of the 20th anniversary of the very first collection, A. Lange & Soehne released the Lange 1 Tourbillon Handwerkskunst anniversary watch in a limited edition of 20 copies. The limited edition model in a platinum case with a diameter of 38.5 mm is distinguished by a combination of an exquisite black enamel dial with the traditional Big Date and a tourbillon in an unusual shaped window. The minute tourbillon is complemented by a patented second hand stop device, which allows you to set the time to the nearest second. As always, special attention should be paid to the skilful decoration of the mechanism. Through the transparent back cover you can see the three-quarter platinum of caliber L961.3 decorated with textured polishing, rich engraving of bridges, diamond patch stones and indispensable two winding drums.
In the same year, the original frivolous version of Little Lange 1 for the fair sex appeared: in a 36 mm case with blue mother-of-pearl dials.In accordance with modern requirements, regular collection models are constantly being improved. In 2015, to mark the beginning of the third decade of Lange 1, the classic model, retaining its recognizable appearance, acquired a new “heart” - an upgraded manual winding mechanism L121.1, which became the fiftieth in the portfolio of manufactory calibers A. Lange & Soehne. Now the balance has become even more accurate thanks to the rim with adjusting clowns and its own spiral with a rigid tip. And the exclusive energy storage allows you to switch large date disks with one jump exactly at midnight.
In the same year, a rather original frivolous version of Little Lange 1 for the fair sex appeared: in a 36 mm case with blue mother-of-pearl dials.
Whereas among the premieres of 2016, in addition to the luminescent phase of the moon, it is simply necessary to note the new version - the most complicated model Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, now presented in a white gold case with a noble anthracite dial. The classic Lange 1 model in 38.5 mm case with a new caliber with manual winding L121.1, a three-day power reserve and an invariable asymmetric dial with a "Big Date" dressed in white gold combined with a silver dial.
Surprisingly, in our fast-paced age A. Lange & Soehne managed to create a real impeccable classic that is completely timeless. And therefore she will always be the first.
