A. Lange & Söhne Remembers Walter Lange On What Would’ve Been His 100th Birthday
Today, Walter Lange would’ve turned 100 years old. It’s a special day for A. Lange & Söhne because Walter Lange, who passed away at the respectable age of 92 in 2017, revived the brand his great-grandfather founded in 1845. In December 1990, a year after the Berlin Wall fell, Lange re-established his great-grandfather’s legacy under the name Lange Uhren GmbH. More than three decades and many remarkable releases later, A. Lange & Söhne is one of the leading names in today’s watch industry. It’s time to take a look at some of the brand’s best releases of the last three decades.
When Walter Lange and the legendary Günter Blümlein devised a plan to make the Lange name prominent in watchmaking again in the early ’90s, they might not have pictured the brand’s impact on the world of high-end watchmaking. Then again, the two men created a smart plan to set the company apart. The new A. Lange & Söhne was to be the proud torchbearer of German horology. Almost four years after Lange revived the brand, A. Lange & Söhne presented its first collection at the Royal Palace in Dresden. The lineup consisted of four different models — the Lange 1, the Arkade, the Saxonia, and the Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite.”
Walter Lange’s mission
With these four models, A. Lange & Söhne immediately showed what Walter Lange and Günter Blümlein had set out to do. The Lange 1 was a testament to the unique design choices that have characterized every Lange release since then. The watch immediately turned heads with its outsize date and brilliantly designed dial. Thirty years later, it is still as special as it was at the time of its introduction, and it is the brand’s biggest icon. The second new watch that immediately made its mark was the Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite.” This one showed the incredible lengths to which Lange would be willing to go to become one of the leading brands in high horology.
Nowadays, it is clear that Lange’s mission was completed. In 2024, alongside a select group of manufacturers, including the Swiss maisons Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin, the name A. Lange & Söhne is synonymous with the pinnacle of watchmaking. In this article, we want to look at some of the brand’s best creations. They could be the best-looking ones, the most horologically impressive, or the most relevant to A. Lange & Söhne’s development. Essentially, these watches show the brilliance Walter Lange’s revived brand has displayed over the last 30 years.
Image: Antiquorum
A. Lange & Söhne Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite” ref. 701.001
Contrary to what you might have expected, we will not start this list with the Lange 1. It would have made sense to begin with the brand’s biggest icon. However, it makes more sense to start the list with the watch that Walter Lange was wearing during the presentation of the inaugural collection back in 1994. Lange wore no. 1 of the A. Lange & Söhne Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite” ref. 701.001.
Image: Antiquorum
Over the years, the brand only created 200 pieces of the watch that put A. Lange & Söhne on the map for its newly found mechanical watchmaking brilliance. It immediately showed what high-end watchmaking in Glashütte was all about.
A pièce unique of the 701.005 with a pink gold dial and platinum case — Image: Sotheby’s
The key to its mechanical success was the combination of a tourbillon regulator and a fusée-and-chain transmission. This was the first watch of its kind in the world, and it immediately put the brand on the watchmaking map. With a case only 38.5mm in diameter and 10mm thick, the watch was modest in size. Inside that case was the L902.0 movement, which was the brainchild of Günter Blumlein and was created with Reinhard Meis and Giulio Papi.
Image: Sotheby’s
When it comes to picking a favorite, the platinum version with the pink gold dial in the two pictures above is likely the most visually stunning. But can you top the gold version that was on Walter Lange’s wrist in 1994? Probably not.
Image: Dr. Crott Auctioneers
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 ref. 101.001
You didn’t think we would leave the first Lange 1 off the list, did you? The inaugural model debuted as the brand’s flagship at that famous presentation in Dresden in 1994. Reference 101.001 featured a 38.5mm yellow gold case with yellow gold hands and a champagne dial. On that dial is where a large part of the magic lies. Its design was created by a team featuring industry legends Reinhard Meis and Kurt Klaus.
Image: Phillips
The goal was to design something unique to represent the “new” A. Lange & Söhne and to show that it wasn’t mimicking its Swiss counterparts. Instead, the team wanted something more technical and German. The result is a dial based on the “rule of thirds” that feels incredibly balanced and characteristic of Lange to this day.
Image: Dr. Crott Auctioneers
Inside the yellow gold case of the first reference, you will find the manual-winding caliber L901.0. At first, the movement was safely hidden behind an all-gold case back, but fairly soon, the brand introduced a display case back so people could witness the watchmaking magic themselves. The caliber operates at 21,600vph, has 53 jewels, and provides a 72-hour power reserve. It also boasts a dual-barrel construction.
Image: Phillips
We find a proud mention of this on the lower half of the dial in the “doppelfederhaus” text. The movement features an outsize date display at 1 o’clock, a power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock, small seconds at 5 o’clock, and an hours-and-minutes dial at 9 o’clock. This distinctive dial layout has made the Lange 1 an instantly recognizable icon that remains the brand’s flagship three decades later.
Image: A Collected Man
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph ref. 403.031
In 1999, A. Lange & Söhne introduced the now-famous Datograph. The brand’s first chronograph has become legendary among watch fans. We could have picked the first reference, the 403.035 in platinum, which was the only Datograph until 2003. But that’s when the brand introduced a pink gold version that became known as “the Dufourgraph,” which is the one we picked.
Image: A Collected Man
The reason is that the legendary watchmaker Philippe Dufour owns a pink gold version and has repeatedly stated that the Datograph is the best chronograph ever made. His endorsement made this specific reference the most famous of them all.
Image: A Collected Man
The three-layered case of the pink gold Datograph measures a nice 39mm in diameter and 12.8mm in thickness. With a mix of finishes, it is a joy to behold. But the true magic can be found on the dial. What might seem like an odd dial layout at first is, in fact, Lange’s design brilliance in all its glory. Drawing a line from the centers of the two sub-dials to the middle of the date display forms a perfect triangle. Additionally, the three Roman-numeral hour markers follow suit, forming another triangle. This design leads to a wonderfully detailed and incredibly well-balanced dial.
Image: A Collected Man
The brilliance continues if you turn the watch around and see the spectacular caliber L951.1 developed by Reinhard Meis. The flyback chronograph consists of 405 parts and offers 36 hours of power reserve. It’s an absolute feast for the eyes and one of the reasons why the Datograph has become such a legendary timepiece.
Image: A. Lange & Söhne
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1A ref. 112.021
A. Lange & Söhne’s first super special dial debuted in 1998. That’s when the brand released the Lange 1A ref. 112.021 as a 100-piece limited edition to celebrate the opening of its new manufacture building (named Lange 1A) that same year. The watch was the brand’s first special edition and introduced a stunning guilloché dial in solid yellow gold.
Image: Langepedia/James @waitlisted on Instagram
Looking closely, you will see that every element is made of yellow gold, from the case to the crown, the pushers, and the stunning dial. Even the outsize date is executed in yellow gold. The result is far from the stylishly understated dials we are used to seeing from the brand, but what a beauty it is!
Image: A. Lange & Söhne
Inside the yellow gold case, you will find the caliber L901.1. The same movement also powers the regular Lange 1. However, for this special gold version, the watchmakers at Lange used gold for the lever and escape wheel and the hand-engraved balance, lever, and escape wheel cocks. It perfectly complements the gold brilliance on the front of the watch.
Image: Sotheby’s
The best way to buy one of these special-edition masterpieces is on the rare gold bracelet. Anyone wearing this will make a statement that people won’t soon forget, just as we haven’t forgotten about the stunning Lange 1A.
Image: European Watch Company
A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Luminous “The Phantom” ref. 140.035
The A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk has become another one of the brand’s icons. The first Zeitwerk ref. 140.029 hit the scene in 2009, and its brilliant digital time display would become famous worldwide. A year later, the brand introduced the first Zeitwerk Lumen, which was also the first Lumen-series model overall. Funnily enough, Lange didn’t use the Lumen name yet, hence, the Luminous designation.
Image: Luxify
It combines a lot of what makes the Zeitwerk concept and the brand so special in just one timepiece. The watch looks almost futuristic, but jumping hours and minutes date back to a patent that Josef Pallweber registered in the 19th century. Combining the jumping hours and minutes with the Lumen execution, though, resulted in something much more modern and impressive.
Image: Luxify
The watch was produced in a limited run of only 100 pieces and was developed to ensure owners could read the time in the dark. However, the downside of the jumping time display is that the numerals are not visible long enough to properly charge any luminous compound. As a solution, the designers at Lange came up with a smoked sapphire dial that lets UV rays through to charge the lumed numerals. It’s a very practical solution that also has a great visual impact.
The stealthy execution of “The Phantom”
Fans of this Zeitwerk love the combination of the platinum case with the stealthy dial and the black PVD time bridge. It gives the lume the stage to light up in the dark without any distractions. The watch still features the same case as the standard version that came out in 2009. It measures 41.9mm wide and 12.6mm thick and features a large crown at 2 o’clock to operate the movement. The caliber that powers the watch is the Lange L043.3. It differs slightly from the L043.1 that powered the first standard Zeitwerk, but it shows the horological brilliance of the watch perfectly.
Image: Ticking Way
A. Lange & Söhne Double Split ref. 404.035
Another masterpiece was the A. Lange & Söhne Double Split, which was unveiled at Baselworld in 2004. This watch was incredibly important because it was the world’s first double-rattrapante chronograph. As such, it gives the option to split the seconds centrally and has a smaller minute counter at 3 o’clock that also features two hands to split the elapsed minutes.
Image: Ticking Way
This impressive display of watchmaking skills was the first notable innovation in the world of chronographs in decades. The Double Split was also the watch that led to the Triple Split in 2018.
Image: Ticking Way
The first Double Split had a platinum case combined with a black dial and white sub-dials. As you can see, the dial’s design is in line with the Datograph’s, with the designers having applied the same visual principles. While they had to rebalance the individual elements because the Double Split’s dial is bigger, the result is another balanced layout that looks amazing.
Image: Ticking Way
If you turn the watch around, you are greeted by the spectacular caliber L001.1. The manual-winding chronograph movement consists of 465 parts. Its three-layered architecture features two column wheels, with one for the chronograph and one for the rattrapante mechanism. Combined with the stunning finish, it is a feast for the eyes. It makes this Double Split one of A. Lange & Söhne’s most impressive creations.
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange”
The next pick is a personal favorite. As I explained in my lengthy review of the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange,” it was my grail watch two years ago. Is that still the case? In all fairness, it’s not a watch that I have thought about a lot in the last 24 months.
Then again, when picking grail watches, budget is never an issue, but it is in real life. That’s why my favorite unlimited-budget watches are not always on my mind. But seeing this one again and reading the story relit the fire and my passion for it. This special version of the 1815 Chronograph tops all the previous models in terms of design, colors, and materials.
The watch is part of the “Homage to Ferdinand Adolf Lange” collection. This special line debuted in 2020 to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the company. It consisted of three different models, each featuring a Honeygold case. Additionally, the finishing of the three movements differs from the regular finishing of Lange’s movements. The granulated finish of the four bridges with their black rhodium inscriptions is specific to the “Homage to F. A. Lange” models and was directly inspired by F. A. Lange’s historic category 1A pocket watches.
Proudly made in Saxonia
The Honeygold case of the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange” measures 41.2mm in diameter and is 12.6mm thick. The unique hue of Lange’s Honeygold complements the black dial perfectly. When it comes to the dial, the designers let go of the regular 1815 layout. That is a direct result of the movement, of course. Generally, I am not a fan of vertical chronograph layouts, but the designers created a super nice balance with the “Glashütte In Sachsen” wording. It ensures the proportions, the colors, and the overall presence are simply wonderful.
If you turn the watch around, you will see the 365-part caliber L.101.2. This manual-winding chronograph movement looks stunning, and its architecture consists of three different layers. The top part is the rattrapante mechanism, the center part is in charge of the chronograph mechanism, and at the bottom, you will find the third part, which is responsible for timekeeping, energy storage, and transmission. It is another work of art that, in combination with the case and the dial, creates a truly special timepiece that is still my grail watch. I do not doubt that it will stay like that for a long time.
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Titanium ref. 363.117
The last watch we picked for this list is the brilliant titanium version of the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus. The brand’s take on a modern sports watch with an integrated bracelet was highly anticipated when it came out in stainless steel in 2019.
The reactions were mixed at that time, most likely due to the idea that A. Lange & Söhne designed a watch in that style. But if you are a fan of the brand, you understand and appreciate the choice to create a modern sports watch that, first and foremost, looks like a Lange.
Truth be told, I had to get used to the large day and date displays, but as you will understand by now, I believe firmly that Lange’s design makes the right decisions by taking a mathematical approach and finding a balance. Once I had a chance to see the Odysseus up close, my assumption was right. Everything about the watch made sense in the Lange universe. But I wasn’t sold on the dial color of the stainless steel model and the overall presence of the white gold model with its black rubber strap. When the brand introduced the titanium limited edition, I immediately fell in love. Not only was the ice-blue dial a thing of beauty, but the incredible presence of the lightweight titanium material also got me.
The first titanium A. Lange & Söhne watch
It was Lange’s first titanium timepiece, so it was interesting to see how well the team in Glashütte was able to work with this metal. In short, the results are stunning. The finishing of all the individual parts is nothing short of impressive, as we expect from the brand. The Odysseus Titanium has a 40.5mm case with an 11.1mm thickness and is characterized by the protruding “crown platform” down its right flank. It’s a quirky element that also holds the two small pushers that allow you to change the day and the day. The ice-blue dial has a greenish tinge and is incredibly detailed. I adore the combination of the dial’s color and the titanium’s hue. It makes for a winning combination.
If you turn the watch around, you will see the the brand’s in-house caliber L155.1 Datomatic. This automatic movement was specially developed for the Odysseus, and it looks brilliant. It consists of 312 components and is finished with a great eye for detail, just like any Lange movement. All 250 pieces of this titanium Odysseus sold out quickly, showing the great acceptance of the brand’s extraordinary step into modern sports watches. Indeed, A. Lange & Söhne is up for any challenge.
Final thoughts on the legacy of Walter Lange
As you will understand, no shortlist will ever do justice to all the different majestic creations that A. Lange & Söhne produced. There are so many different models worth mentioning that I could make three of these lists. What it all comes down to is that if you are a fan of the brand, you will meet every release with great enthusiasm. But that’s not because every design or execution will be your favorite.
Rather, it’s because you understand the great dedication, expertise, and craftsmanship that went into creating all the different timepieces. And if you love A. Lange & Söhne’s design signature, it’s hard not to get excited by all that this Saxon watchmaker has to offer. We have Walter Lange to thank for that wonderful accomplishment.
To see all of the brand’s current offerings, visit the official A. Lange & Söhne website.
