Manufacturer: A. Lange & Söhne Year: Circa 2008 Reference No: 116.021 Movement No: 52'680 Case No: 160'659 Model Name: Lange 1 Zeitzone Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Manual, cal. L031.1, 54 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold A. Lange & Söhne buckle Dimensions: 42mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
Catalogue Essay
The Lange 1 model embodies the DNA of A. Lange & Söhne. It was one of the four pieces originally released in 1994, when A. Lange & Söhne was re-launched, and it features all the traits which are now eponymous with A. Lange & Söhne, most notably the large double-window date indication and the asymmetrical dial configuration.
Cased in yellow gold and preserved in excellent condition, the present iteration of the Lange 1 offers an incredibly useful complication: a second time zone, displayed by a subsidiary dial. Furthermore, a city ring to the outer rim of the dial is indicated by a small arrow. The watch features day/night indications for both local and home time, avoiding the very common issue of confusing night and day times at the home location. Furthermore, a power reserve indication is visible on the dial.
Originally founded in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in Glashütte, Dresden, Germany, the firm established an entire watchmaking culture and industry in Glashütte. The brand quickly became Germany's finest watchmaker, first creating dependable, easy-to-repair watches before going on to produce some of the world's finest complicated pocket watches, including Grande Sonnerie watches, tourbillon watches and Grande Complications.
On the final day of World War II, their factories were destroyed by Russian bombers, and in 1948 the brand was confiscated by the Soviet Union. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, Ferdinand's great grandson Walter Lange re-established the brand with the objective to once again produce top-quality luxury watches. Now part of the Richemont Group, its original vintage and modern creations are highly coveted by collectors. Key models from the modern era include the Lange 1, Pour Le Mérite Tourbillon and the Zeitwerk.
