14
A. Lange & Söhne
Ref. 704.025
Lange 1 Tourbillon "Jean Todt"
A very fine and rare platinum tourbillon wristwatch with small seconds, date, power reserve indication, guarantee, box, and proof of origin, numbered 85 of a limited edition of 150 pieces, formerly from the collection of Jean Todt
Full-Cataloguing
• Formerly in the collection of Jean Todt
• Number 85 out of a limited edition of 150 pieces produced
• Offered as a full collectors set and preserved in excellent overall condition
First introduced in 1994, the Lange 1 has become one of A. Lange & Söhne’s most recognizable designs. In 2000, the manufacture expanded the collection with the Lange 1 Tourbillon, combining the distinctive asymmetrical layout of the original with a tourbillon. At the time, the only other tourbillon in the manufacture’s collection was the Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite.”
The Lange 1 Tourbillon was produced in two precious-metal configurations: 250 examples in pink gold and only 150 examples in platinum. Measuring 38.5mm in diameter, the platinum version pairs a silvered dial with white gold hands, while an aperture at 6 o’clock reveals the tourbillon.
The watch is powered by the manually wound caliber L961.1, displaying the traditional construction and hand-finishing associated with A. Lange & Söhne. Notably, the movement features a hand-engraved balance cock, individually decorated by one of the manufacture’s engravers.
The present example, number 85 of the limited edition of 150 pieces in platinum, was formerly part of the collection of Jean Todt, the noted watch collector and prominent figure in international motorsport, who notably led Scuderia Ferrari during one of the most successful periods in its Formula One history. Preserved in excellent overall condition and offered as a complete collector’s set, the present watch offers an appealing combination of rarity, provenance and the technical character of early A. Lange & Söhne.
A. Lange & Söhne
German | 1845Originally 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.