At the same event where A. Lange & Söhne presented the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Handwerkskunst, the German brand released four watches with an updated blue dial. The Lange 1, Lange 1 Daymatic, Saxonia, and Saxonia Automatic come in white gold cases with a new dial in a charming shade of blue. Though this is not the first time Lange has used blue on the dial, it remains a rare dial in Lange’s watches. The last recent blue dial was used for a variation of the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Blue Dial, the reference 101.027. The dials’ colours are obtained through a galvanization process of the silver dials. The result is an almost magic blue, perfectly balanced between the other colours Lange uses.
The collection of four inspired by the blue nights of Tuscany
A. Lange & Söhne compared the beauty of the new dials of the Lange 1, the Lange 1 Daymatic, the Saxonia, and the Saxonia Automatic to the charming sky of Florence. The brand keeps the classical characteristics of the watches with the same excellent finishes and elegant lines. The hand-stitched dark blue alligator strap with white gold buckle accompanies and completes the lovely look. Fortunately, the timepieces are not in a limited series.
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1
Lange 1 is one of the most known watches from the German brand. The typical Lange layout is enriched by the exceptional finishes.
The Lange 1 comes in a 38.5mm white gold case executed in the brand’s purist technique with precise lines and excellent finishing. While the blue dial is not quite a novelty for Lange 1, the new dial comes with all the modern updates encountered at the last generation of this watch. The hands are rhodium treated gold and make a nice contrast with the deep blue silver dial.
Marvelous finishes visible under the sapphire crystal: the engraved balance wheel cock placed near the crown, the untreated German silver plate with screwed gold chatons (with blued screws), Glashütte ribs (or Geneva waves) and polished edges.
The Lange 1 is powered by the 368 components calibre L121.1. The hand wound movement is decorated and assembled by hand. As expected, from previous models, the balance cock features hand engraving and the plates and bridges are handcrafted from untreated German silver. The 3Hz balance wheel with eccentric poising weights and spring manufactured in-house offers 72 hours of power reserve.
Lange & Söhne Lange 1, Reference 191.028 will retail at SGD47,200/EUR31,700 and it will be available in the brand’s boutiques.
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Daymatic
The Lange 1 Daymatic (Lange 1 + Day indication + Automatic movement) was presented at SIHH 2010 as the first central rotor automatic of the brand.
The first automatic watch in the Lange 1 family, the blue 39.5mm diameter Daymatic will be the third variation in its line. The blue dial emphasizes the splendour of the retrograde week-day and of the centre indication. The gold numerals are clearly visible on the dial. The legibility is not being jeopardized, au contraire, the dial’s elements are highlighted.
L021.1 is well decorated. The movement lacks power reserve indicator but comes with a spectacular retrograde day of the week indication.
The Daymatic uses the L021.1 calibre. This movement is more complicated, having a total of 426 components, all lavishly decorated. Lange surely takes the necessary time to deliver the best quality in finishes.
Reference 320.028 will have a price tag of SGD57,200/EUR38,400.
A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia
The most dressist watch from the Lange Blue Series collection is also the cheapest. The classic lines have the same attention to detail as the rest of the brand’s more expensive watches.
The dressiest watch of the Lange collection, Saxonia comes in a proper 18k white gold small case with the diameter of 35mm. By today’s standards, this is a small watch, even for a feminine wrist. Nevertheless, the watch’s appearance is graceful. The blue dial is decorated with slender hour indexes, manufactured in gold, rhodium plated and then hand applied. The minutes’ scale is printed. The entire look is well proportioned. The watch could be an excellent choice for women, as well as for men. Keeping the bezel simple, without the diamond insertion as the other Saxonia models, transforms this timepiece in a truly delicate blue marvel.
Calibre 941.1 was initially released in 1994. The beauty of the movement is unchanged over all this years.
The hand wound Saxonia is using the calibre 941.1. As expected, the Lange quality standard is found in the good execution of decoration and refinement of the watch’s movement. The little 25.6mm marvel has a power reserve of 45 hours. The L941.1 use a 21,600bph balance wheel with Nivarox spring.
The Lange Saxonia wears the reference number 219.028 and will retail for SGD21,300/EUR14,900.
A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Automatic
An elegant timepiece breading dress watch air, the Saxonia is dedicated to a bit more active people. A static hand could not beneficiate from the advantages of the automatic movement.
Having the same dimension of 38.5mm as the Lange 1, the automatic Saxonia has a distinct look. The timepiece is more neutral, the Lange wow factor being kept only for connoisseurs. The blue dial has the same unsophisticated and hypnotising presence as the smaller version. The simplicity of the Saxonia is enriched with an automatic movement.
Calibre 086.1 is Lange’s thinnest automatic calibre but squeeze in the 3.7mm an impressive 72 hours of power reserve. The movement was released in 2008 (hint are the first two numbers from the movement’s name)
72 hours of power reserve are squeezed into the L086.1 calibre, giving you almost no reason to take it of for wind it. Turning the watch to the back side for movement inspection is another thing. We don’t have to mention again how Lange beautifies their movements. Their expertise was proved over the years, Lange watches being recognised as having beautifully decorated movements.
Reference 380.028, the Saxonia Automatic will be available for SGD33,700/EUR22,800.
While the collection does not bring watch novelties, as per se, the new dials bring joy to the blue watches fans. In the last years, a tendency of blue dials to be more present on the market was visible and Lange’s offer was not according to the trend. The A. Lange & Söhne timepieces in blue might win some new collectors with the latest additions.
2 Comments
As I was on the hunt for a 101.027 for a little while, I eventually ended up finding a very interesting lead two days before ALS announced those novelties.
Now undecided, my question would then be: how do you think the references 101.027 and 191.028 compare (technical aspects aside), especially in regards to their blue dial (shade)?
Thank you!
Laurent, the movements are different. The new movement runs on an eccentric weight balance wheel made in Glashutte. And the power reserve changed from 96 hours to 72 hours. The date is also now instantaneously jumping at 12.
We cannot comment on the colour of the dial, as we have not yet have a hands on with the new watches.