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A Week On The Wrist: The A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin 37mm
From design to finishing to market positioning, the new entry-level Lange has a lot going for it. Buckle up, we're going deep on this one.
3,370 articles · 297 videos found · page 19 of 123
The 1994 watch that relaunched A. Lange & Söhne. Golden-ratio dial and outsize date.
The 2009 mechanical jumping-digital wristwatch from A. Lange & Söhne. Hours and minutes on three discs.
The 1999 flyback chronograph from A. Lange & Söhne with the in-house Cal. L951.1 movement.
One of the four founding references of the 1994 A. Lange & Söhne relaunch. Time-only Saxon classic.
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From design to finishing to market positioning, the new entry-level Lange has a lot going for it. Buckle up, we're going deep on this one.
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A deep dive into one of the greats of modern watchmaking.
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Watches & Wonders' heaviest-hitting watches are also some of its most interesting.
SJX Watches
Launched earlier this year as its new flagship perpetual calendar wristwatch (replacing the venerable Langematik Perpetual), the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar (L1 QP) appears to be a simplified version of the same watch with a tourbillon from 2012. But it is actually entirely different. Though the L021.3 inside the L1 QP borrows from the architecture of an existing calibre, it has been extensively reengineered and substantially upgraded, as is the norm for Lange. And despite the new mechanics, the L1 QP retains the assuringly familiar face of the Lange 1. Initial thoughts The L1 QP was long awaited for the simple reason that is makes a good idea – a calendar cleverly displayed in the distinctive layout of the Lange 1 dial – far more affordable than it was. When it was first launched, it was combined with a tourbillon, which lifted the price to well over US$300,000. Now the same calendar layout is available in a watch priced at about US$100,000. That’s still a lot of money, but within the ballpark for a perpetual calendar from a high-end brand. Comparable watches like the recent Patek Philippe ref. 5236P cost about the same. So price wise, the L1 QP is acceptable, even reasonable value, because it is an excellent perpetual calendar. The display is unique, but strongly functional. The crucial bits of information, namely date and month, are easily readable. Add to that the trademark, asymmetric layout of the Lange 1, and the result is a display that excels in both clarit...
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Lange also released new variants to the Langematic Perpetual Calendar and the Saxonia Thin as part of their Summer novelty releases. Details with prices.
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Revolution
Lange unveils the seventh Handwerkskunst watch, the Cabaret Tourbillon Handwerkskunst, along with new executions of the Langematik Perpetual & Saxonia Thin
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Watches we love, the second time around.
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All that glitters is gold flux.
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It could be none more split.
Quill & Pad
It’s a bit unusual for GaryG to be writing this soon about a newly acquired piece – this one only arrived a little over a week ago – so he will reserve the right to add pluses and minuses in future articles once this watch has gotten substantial wrist time. Already, though, there are several reasons why he can say that he's smitten with this watch. Read on to discover what he likes and whether he has any quibbles.
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Quill & Pad
The perpetual calendar (along with the split-seconds chronograph) ranks among Martin Green's favorite complications. Here he highlights 5 perpetual calendars that caught his eye during Watches & Wonders 2021.
Revolution
Driven by the theme of “on purpose, totally different” Lange’s introductions at Watches & Wonders 2021 are familiar faces, that are completely different.
SJX Watches
First unveiled in 2009 as a ladies’ watch, the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase is the petite sibling of the full-sized Lange 1 Moon Phase. Previously available with a guilloche dial, as well as the silver-and-blue livery for the brand’s 25th anniversary, the model now gets a sparkly new look with the Little Lange 1 Moon Phase Aventurine. And because it’s historically been a women’s timepiece, the new model includes a variant with 56 brilliant-cut diamonds on the bezel. Initial thoughts Lange seemingly used the entry-level Saxonia to gauge the demand for aventurine glass (back in 2018). Consumers no doubt responded with a resounding yes, because we now see the same material in the Lange 1, the brand’s flagship product line. The new Little Lange 1 is a showstopper with its aventurine glass dial. Lange’s watches are mostly equipped with either a silver or black dial, possessing a sort of German austerity. However, in recent years Lange has been experimenting with dials in atypical colours or materials – like the recent Saxonia that also has an aventurine-glass dial – and the new Little Lange 1 Moon Phase continues that trend. The aventurine dial works even better here than it does on the time-only Saxonia due to the thematic congruence with the moon phase. Meant to evoke a “bright moonlit night” according to Lange, the dial does look stunning in the press photos. And although I’m not usually a fan of bling, the diamond bezel is well integrated into the des...
Quill & Pad
Sabine Zwettler highlights four sensational watches launched in 2020 that in some way commemorate Glashütte’s 175th Anniversary. These are all limited special editions that she will keep in her heart as personal highlights from the year that turned the world upside down.
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The latest Saxonia Thin is the horological equivalent of sipping champagne at midnight.
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To round up the year, Lange traditionally announces novelty on Dec 7.For this year, 2 new Saxonia Outsize Date and 1 Saxonia Thin.
SJX Watches
Perhaps the most interesting watches of the “Homage to F. A. Lange” 175th Anniversary collection, the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F.A. Lange” is the only watch of the trio that is a distinctly new model. The thinnest split-seconds chronograph made by Lange to date, the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold is the first Lange chronograph in the gold alloy, a point of distinction enhanced by the uncommon black dial. Initial thoughts The 1815 Rattrapante is the first watch to feature the L101.2, a new movement that’s derived from the calibre in the 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar. Surprisingly slim for a highly-complicated Lange, its appeal is boosted by the high-contrast black dial with gold markings – always an attractive combination but one rarely found on a Lange wristwatches. That said, it is highly likely that the 1815 Rattrapante will make its way into the regular catalogue – chief executive Wilhelm Schmid explicitly declined to comment on that – which would not make this a one-off creation. The 175th anniversary trio Streamlined split Undoubtedly the most interesting watch in the line up, the 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold is a brand-new model, though it is essentially a simplified version of the 1815 split-seconds with perpetual calendar. And it is the only watch in the trio that’s exclusive to Lange boutiques. Described by Mr de Haas as a split-seconds chronograph for the client who wants something slimmer and simpler than the flagship Triple Split...
SJX Watches
The base model in the “Homage to F. A. Lange” 175th Anniversary Collection is the 1815 Thin Honeygold, a slim, time-only watch that’s a restrained, formal-dress watch. Though the simplest watch in the 175th anniversary line up, the 1815 Thin also the best variation of Lange’s ultra-thin watch. The standard version of this watch is the Saxonia Thin, a watch that’s a little staid. The anniversary “Thin”, on the other hand, has been reworked with a new, larger case as well as fired enamel dial dial – an extra rarely found on accessibly-priced Lange watches. Initial thoughts The 1815 Thin is notably appealing, not so much for its thinness, but how well it has been executed despite being minimalist. The standard Saxonia Thin is overly plain, but the 1815 Thin manages to be compelling, mainly due the slightly larger case and fired enamel dial. And the 1815 Thin is also affordable as limited edition Lange watches go. The 175th anniversary trio Simple done right Made of two parts, the enamel dial sticks to the pocket-watch inspiration of the 1815. At 38 mm by 6.3 mm, the case is slightly larger and thicker than that of the Saxonia Thin (which is 37 mm by 5.9 mm), in order to accommodate the enamel dial. The movement is the same L093.1 found in the Saxonia Thin, but as with the rest of the anniversary watches, it’s been dressed up for the occasion. It has a frosted finish on the three-quarter plate as well as black-rhodium filling for the engraving on the bala...
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Two watches of a three-piece collection paying homage to F. A. Lange.
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The Lange 1 Time Zone gets an update with a new in-house caliber movement and dial changes 15 years after its introduction. What has changed? What remains?
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SJX Watches
One of the most high-spec travel watches on the market, the Lange 1 Time Zone has just gotten a major revamp. The new Lange 1 Time Zone looks pretty much like the old one, but it’s powered by a brand-new movement that’s been developed from the ground up. Though it retains the same functions as before – plus a basic daylight savings time reminder – the dial has been improved, both in terms of display as well as details. Initial thoughts The original Lange 1 Time Zone was an ambitious travel watch that did a lot – twin time zones with individual day and night indicators, cities disc, oversized date, and power reserve. Functionality was maximised, but the interface and display was complex. The new Lange 1 Time Zone takes it a step further with the addition of a simple daylight savings time reminder that’s discreet enough to be almost invisible. But because the watch still has so many features, the interface inevitably remains complex, with two pushers plus a crown, making it a bit fiddly to use. Add to that the large and heavy case, and the Lange 1 Time Zone isn’t the most practical of travel watches. It really is for someone who appreciates the technical complexity and also enjoys interacting with the watch. Technical accomplishment remains an appeal in the new model. In typical Lange style, the new watch is powered by a movement developed from the ground up. A substantial amount of effort was expended to retain the same look – as was done with the Lange 1 ...
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We pit two very similar Lange watches - the Lange 1 Moon Phase and the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase - against one another. Which one comes out on top?
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A sleek new take on Lange's original chiming watch.
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A surprising switch for the latest Lange.
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I bet you've never seen this before.
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