Tested for You: A Month on the Wrist with the Lange 1, Part I

Most of you are familiar with the week-on-the-wrist concept. If you’re not, it’s a solid chance to really get a handle on a model in a deeper way beyond a quick hands-on. Still, a week can go by quite quickly.

So, when A. Lange & Söhne gave me the opportunity to spend over a month with its most iconic model, I, without hesitation, said yes, yes, twenty-five times yes (if you know, you know or if you don’t, you will soon – keep reading).

The mission: Wear five different Lange 1 models in five weeks. Big and small, old and new, complicated and time/date only, I got to experience each in all their glory.

Today, in Part I of this two-part exploration, I’ll take a moment to wax poetic about this legendary model and dig into the first two pieces I got to test drive. Buckle up – this is going to be a fun ride.

To fully comprehend the beauty and significance of the Lange 1, you need to take a step back and place yourself in post-World War II Glashütte, Germany.

At the end of the war, the historic watchmaking town was bombed, effectively destroying A. Lange & Söhne’s then 100-year-old facilities. Soon after, all that was left of the Maison’s machinery and archives was seized by Soviet forces occupying the area. A. Lange & Söhne’s history could have easily ended right here.
 

Fast forward to 1989: the Berlin Wall fell, which led Germany to move toward reunification and allowed the remaining members of the Lange family to, quite literally, begin picking up the pieces. The founder’s great-grandson, Walter Lange, was set on an ambitious goal to “build the best watches in the world again.” In five short years, he accomplished his mission. On October 25, 1994, A. Lange & Söhne was reborn, and its debut release was none other than the Lange 1.

Yes, as this sub-header implies, I will henceforth lovingly refer to the Lange 1 circa 1994 – the Lange 1 that started it all – as the original Lange 1. Fittingly, this is the first model to kick off our month-on-the-wrist journey.

The quintessential feature of the Lange 1’s design is the patented oversized date display at 1 o’clock. Powered by a complex two-disc mechanism with program wheels, let’s take a moment for a slight detour and get in the weeds of the mechanics needed to create this signature feature.
 

To achieve the largest possible display of the date in such a limited space, the mechanism relies on two separate display elements. First, there is the ring-shaped “units” disc with numbers 0 to 9 switches forward once per day, but at the transition from the 31st to the 1st, it stands still for a day.

Second, there is the cross-shaped “tens” element (with the numbers 1 to 3) and a white blank space that advances by one increment every ten days. When it displays the 3, the “tens” cross advances to the blank space after just two days. This sophisticated problem has been solved with the complex interaction of cams and detents.
 

The inspiration here comes from the famous five-minute clock inside the Semper Opera House in Dresden. With the date proudly set to the 25th at the Lange 1’s launch, the number 25 has notched a special place in A. Lange & Söhne’s heart, signifying “Lange time.” (And as you may have guessed by now, this is precisely why we’re bringing Part I of this story to you today, on the 25th).

In my humble opinion, A. Lange & Söhne could have easily dropped the original Lange 1 and called it a day. When it comes to dress watches, this model is perfection, no notes. It clocks in at 38.5mm, which was considered large when it came out, but arguably a prescient size that was ahead of its time. Basically, it’s perfect for any wrist, including my petite 5.75-inch wrist.
 

Expressly stated in the original Lange 1’s press release, which the kind people from A. Lange & Söhne’s HQ generously translated for us from its original German, only precious metals were used here – 18-karat gold or platinum. And okay, I confess, the Maison has made some improvements over the years: the original had a closed caseback concealing the original calibre L 901, but today we get an exhibition caseback to enjoy the movement fully.

Sexy as this dress watch may be, the original Lange 1 is a millennial baby through and through (just like yours truly), and she’s not afraid to have a little fun. Effortless and carefree, she’s buttoned up just enough for dinner at the in-laws but playful enough to hold her own for some laughs at the kids’ table.
 

No, the original Lange 1 isn’t your black-tie dress watch, but she’s great at making your coworkers jealous at the office, then hitting a happy hour with your besties.

Next, we transport you to 2002 with the Lange 1 Moon Phase. This was not the first moonphase-equipped piece of the Maison’s rebirth, but it was the first time the complication appeared in the Lange 1 collection.
 

Here, you have the gorgeously asymmetrical Lange 1 you know and love. The oversized date at 1 o’clock and power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock anchor the right side. Meanwhile, the hours and minutes display at 9 o’clock on the left side balance out the dial, creating perfect harmony through the Golden Ratio.

In place of the typical small seconds register at 5 o’clock, there is now a stunning moonphase indication. She’s flawlessly blue and gold as any good moonphase should be, and despite her additional functionality, she still fits in a 38.5mm case.
 

For me, it’s hard to beat the execution of the original Lange 1; it’s somehow so simple and yet draws the eye in and around the dial with intrigue thanks to the one-of-a-kind off-center configuration. That said, if you need a little more flavor, a dash of color, a tinge of romance, the expertly integrated moonphase complication will add that special something without losing the charm of the original.
 

This one is for my astrology girls, whose perfect full moon ritual looks like brunch followed by a tarot reading.

Stay tuned for Part II, where we look deeper into the complex evolution of the Lange 1 with the Time Zone, Perpetual Calendar, and (spoiler alert) my all-time favorite version (after the original, of course): the Little Lange 1.

For more information about the brand’s pieces, check out the A. Lange & Söhne website.