Lange One - Blue Blue Baby

There is Lange 1 and then there is Lange 1 - the Blue Lange 1!

The timepiece needs no introduction - one of the icons of the brand that was released back in 1994 when the brand was resurrected. The most iconic off centre dial timepiece in the world, I believe the Lange 1 is instantaneously recognisable. And lusted after by many too...

My discerning friend who bought this Lange 1 chose the white gold blue dial version - an astute decision. Rather rare in the market, you don't find many owners wanting to sell their piece and I can clearly understand why.

The dial is special - at different lighting conditions, the dial shows two tones...

And different shades of blue too...

Not quite 50 shades, but it is close.

This is the off-centre dial so many find it alluring.

And the finishing on the timepiece is as one would expect from the Manufacture - great!

Take a look at the large date window. Well polished window.

And what is a Lange without a movement shot...

A well patina German silver three quarter plate on this example.

And the Glashutte ribbing on the main plate. Talk about character!

And then there is the hand engraved balance cock - it is said no two balance cocks are identical. I was told they blue all the screws at one go to ensure consistency. And it adds so much colour to the movement.

I am green with envy but blue because I don't own this version of the Lange 1.

To many, myself included, the Lange 1 represents the first big foray into the world of luxury timepiece ownership. And a nugget of information for those who may not know - Lange only makes timepieces in precious metal (gold and platinum). Steel Lange timepieces are extremely rare as they were once loaned to owners who brought their gold and platinum watches for service. And the irony of it all, steel Lange timepieces are fetching far higher prices than their gold counterparts in auctions because of their rarity.

Lange & Sohne in Sketches

Manufacture Lange & Sohne makes some very iconic timepieces and following my other post featuring The Antiqua Perpetual Calendar in sketches, I am featuring some timepieces from AL&S.

Perhaps one of the most recognised and iconic is the Lange 1.

And the super-sized Lange 1 Tourbillon.

And who can resist the 1815 Chronograph?

And the first generation 1815 chronograph.

Featured here is the dial of the older 1815 Chronograph.

And now for the drool-worthy movement of the 1815 chronograph. Look at the column wheel on the right. And such an intricate construction.

And I wonder during the pre-photograph days if the pocket watch would look something like this...

And the movement of the Lange Pocket Watch. Check out that post.

More sketches to come.

Lange 1 - 20th Anniversary Lange 1

In 1994, the world was introduced to one of the most iconic timepieces - The Lange One. In 2014, the good people at A. Lange & Söhne unveiled a series commemorating the occasion.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Lange 1, A. Lange & Söhne presented five exclusive watch sets with the name Lange 1 “20th Anniversary”, consisting of the Lange 1 and the ladies’ watch Little Lange 1.

First, the platinum black dial version of the Anniversary piece. Seen here the pair - the lady's version comes with diamond bezel of course.

The dial is made of solid-gold and is guilloché. Well decorated dial worthy of the 20th Anniversary tag.

And of course the lady's version comes with diamond bezel. These are sold as a pair - limited to 20 watches of each type.

This is the platinum case with a gold rhodium guilloché dial. I love the blue markers on the dial.

Another much sought after combination is the rose gold black dial version. Gorgeous!

This is the white gold blue dial version.

And finally the rose gold white dial version.

They are all gorgeous iterations - whichever combination you choose, it is a winner! The Lange 1 comes with the recognisable large date and 72 hours of power reserve. The Lange 1 is 38.5mm while the Little Lange 1 is 36.1mm.

I know this comes almost a year after the launch and all the timepieces are probably sold out by now, but I thought it was important to feature this important iconic sets. So which is your favourite combo?

We Never Go Out of Style!

I was watching the Taylor Swift music video Style and the image of the Lange One came to mind. How appropriate!

Even though the timepiece was first unveiled in 1994, the Lange One is still so stylish. For the longest time, the Lange One was my dream watch (and still is) and it means a lot to me to own one of these beauties.

The iconic timepiece with the off-centre dial and large date is unmistakably the Lange One.

The class and finesse of the dial is so pure.

The off centre dial - the hands and the applied markers are very well finished.

And the large date window...

And Lange is always about looking at the movement side too. The Glashutte ribbing and the three quarter (German silver) plate with all the rubies and blued screws add to the beauty of the movement.

And the close up of the engraved balance cock - another hallmark of Lange.

The Lange One has been updated but the essential DNA stays intact. After all these years, why change something when it is still relevant and attractive. We never go out of style!

20th Anniversary of an Icon - The Lange One

I have always admired Lange as a brand and very much thanks to the Sincere Watch Academy, I learnt a lot more about the brand and the iconic pieces. Lange One was for me the icon of the brand. And more appropriate now when they are just celebrating their 20th Anniversary of the relaunch of the Lange brand and the unveiling of the Lange One amongst others.

The Lange One has always been on my desired list - my Dream watch so to say, and when one was available at the "right" price, I pulled the trigger. For a three handed watch with a large date display, the Lange One is simple but does not come cheap… at least not for me.

In my opinion, this is the most balanced off-centre display of any watch I know. The large date at one o'clock is the signature of Lange. The power reserve indicator between 2 and 4 o'clock is non-linear.

The white dial with rose gold case definitely works for me - classy! The finishing on the Lange is as one would expect - excellent! The gold markers and indicators are well finished.

And now on to the movement side. Made of "german silver", the patina on this example is great. Finished with Glashutte ribbing, the three quarter plate is another signature of Lange and watches made in Glashutte. The balance cock is hand engraved and it is said that no two balance cocks are identical.

The blued screws and pink jewels add to the beauty of the movement. And the engraved balance cock is also another beauty.

For the longest time, the Lange One represented by "must-have" watch. Even my wife likes the Lange One - no brainer right? After all, it is a beauty in every respect. The Lange One has many iterations and I was lucky enough to handle the guilloché Mother-of-Pearl dial version. Another feature coming up soon.

Another look at the Lange One during the get-together organized by Lange. Here is the report…

Congratulations to Lange & Sohne on celebrating their 20th Anniversary.

Special Lange One - Mother of Pearl Dial

I saw the Lange One Mother-of-Pearl dial once at the retailer Sincere and for the longest time, would have loved to buy that for my wife - the Little Lange Version. But then again, its not cheap especially when it comes with a diamond bezel.

I was lucky to acquire the Lange one Mother-of-Pearl (MOP) for a friend of mine and was able to briefly photograph the watch.

Some say the Lange 1 MOP is rather feminine but I think the watch is versatile - good for both sexes. This example comes in a white gold case with white gold hands and markers.

The engraved MOP dial is a work of art - truly!

The way the color reflects off the MOP dial is also beautiful.

And as one would expect, the hands and markers are well finished to the highest standards.

Honestly, I can wear this any time. I don't find this too feminine at all. A well engraved MOP dial can only bring out the best in the Lange One. Check out my post on my first dream watch, the Lange One.