30th Anniversary Editions from A. Lange & Söhne: Lange 1 with Black Onyx Dial in Platinum and Lange 1 with Blue Dial in Pink Gold, both in Two Very Wearable Sizes
October 2024 is the 30 Year Anniversary of the most important watch from Germany: the Lange 1.
A. Lange & Söhne celebrates the birthday of a legendary watch, the watchmaking flagship of our time: the Lange 1 collection featuring outsize date, asymmetrical dial, and an outstandingly finished mechanical movement is now extended with four new limited edition models.
A. Lange & Söhne 30th Anniversary Lange 1s with onyx dial/platinum case and blue dial/pink gold case
On October, 24th, 1994, A. Lange & Söhne relaunched in the Saxony capital city of Dresden, Germany, in the Residenzschloss Royal Palace near the Semper opera and the Dresden Zwinger.
A. Lange & Söhne from Glashütte was re-established after the cold war and the German re-unification by Walter Lange (the great-grandson of Ferdinand-Adolf Lange) together with Günter Blümlein (former IWC and Jaeger LeCoultre) in the small town of Glashütte.
The first A. Lange & Söhne Lange from 1994
In 2024, 30 years later, and again on October 24th, we now see four limited editions in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Lange 1 – a watch that stands the test of time.
For my taste, is one of the most uncommon and important designs of our time. I see it as radical as it gets: you cannot call yourself a watch-collector without having a Lange 1 in your collection.
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Black Onyx Lange 1 in platinum and blue Lange 1 in pink gold
A. Lange & Söhne introduced four new models of the famous Lange 1 collection in October 2024. There are two executions of the classic Lange 1 (case size: 38.5 mm): a platinum Lange 1 with a deep black shiny Onyx dial and a 750 k pink gold execution with a blue dial made of silver.
Two sizes: A. Lange & Söhne 30th Anniversary Lange 1 with onyx dial/platinum case (left and Little Lange 1 with onyx dial/platinum case
The new versions of the anniversary edition of the classic 38.5 mm Lange 1 are limited to 300 watches for each execution. Black dial Lange watches do not come often and are always rare. Can a Lange 1 be more elegant? What an exclusive choice. These executions are an exceptional release.
Two sizes: A. Lange & Söhne 30th Anniversary Lange 1 with blue dial/pink gold case (left and Little Lange 1 with blue dial/pink gold case
Lange also offers two beautiful smaller Little Lange 1 (36.8 mm) models: also a platinum Little Lange 1 with the same deep black Onyx dial plus a 750 k pink gold execution with a blue dial. Each Anniversary Little Lange 1 is limited to 150 watches.
One can easily identify the classic Lange 1 by its case with the strong rectangular pusher for the correction of the outsize date at 10´ o’clock, whereas the smaller Little Lange 1 lacks this strong pusher as the date correction mechanism is integrated flush with the case.
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Over the past 30 years my own tastes change and now I prefer the smaller version, the Little Lange 1, to the large original Lange 1. I find the smaller size to be more elegant.
For watch lovers and collectors who like it larger, there was also a Lange 1 model in ‘extra large’, the ‘Grand Lange 1’ in a 41 mm case, but it is not part of the Anniversary collection.
A. Lange & Söhne 30th Anniversary Lange 1 with onyx dial/platinum case
Some might have expected some spectacular super complications for this anniversary, or a Metier d´Art Lange 1 coming from the „Handwerkskunst“ collection. No. A. Lange & Söhne has decided to release four classic, strict, pure executions of the clean Lange 1.
They feel much more like ‘back to the past, back to where we come from.’
The big date of the A. Lange & Söhne 30th Anniversary Lange 1 with blue dial and pink gold case
Much has already been written about the peculiar and special design of the classic Lange 1. There is no need to repeat it. Perhaps only this much: A comparison with another prestigious classic dress watch from Switzerland shows just how crazy the Lange 1 was.
Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 3919
The Patek Philippe Calatrava reference 3919 is much thinner, smaller, finer and less conspicuous compared to the Teutonic Lange 1. Can you imagine the shock the Lange 1 has caused in 1994.
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The new watches for the 30th anniversary and the executions of these Lange 1 cover two different perspectives.
A. Lange & Söhne 30th Anniversary Lange 1 with onyx dial/platinum case
The platinum versions with the unusual deep black onyx dial and the heavy platinum case material are extremely elegant and distinguished. They look expensive, even royal.
A. Lange & Söhne 30th Anniversary Lange 1 with blue dial and pink gold case (photo courtesy Thomas Brechtel)
The versions in the pink gold case have a more modern, almost fashionable, look thanks to the dark blue dial. However, I am particularly pleased with the selection of case sizes on offer, as A. Lange & Söhne is clearly responding to the desire of many collectors for smaller watches. And the Little Lange 1 versions fulfills this wish.
Apart from that, nothing else has been changed on the Lange 1. After its first major revision in 2016, the Lange 1 remains as we know it, a timeless and iconic watch, with no fashionable changes to its appearance. I like the conservative attitude of the brand.
The Lange 1 is an exceptional watch that stands out over many trends – a great German watch. I may have a very radical or narrow-minded perspective, but: in my opinion, every serious watch collector should have a Lange 1 in their collection.
A. Lange & Söhne 30th Anniversary Lange 1 with blue dial and pink gold case
30 Year Anniversary of the Lange 1
The difference between the four limited editions of the anniversary watches could not be more contrasting – black and platinum or blue and pink gold, either in small or regular size.
For more information, please visit www.alange-soehne.com/us-en/timepieces/lange-1
Quick facts: 30th Anniversary Lange 1s
30 years anniversary Lange 1 in platinum: black onyx dial, 38,5 mm case diameter, reference 191.062, Limitation: 300 watches
Price (2024): 60,000 euros
30 Years Anniversary Little Lange 1 in platinum: black onyx dial, 36,8 mm case diameter, reference 181.062
Limitation: 150 watches
Price (2024): 56,500 euros
30 Years Anniversary Lange 1 in pink gold: blue dial, 38,5 mm case diameter, reference 191.063
Limitation: 300 watches
Price (2024): 50,300 euros
30 Years Anniversary Little Lange 1 pink gold: blue dial, 36,8 mm case diameter, reference 181.063
Limited: 150 watches
Price (2024): 46,400 euros
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