BY JOVAN KRSTEVSKI
The year 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of one of A. Lange & Söhne’s most famous watches, the Lange 1. To commemorate the occasion the brand decided to release an entire series of watches and today we are looking at the 7th installment from the 10-piece collection, the Grand Lange 1 “25th Anniversary”.
As the name suggests this is the bigger and bolder version of the Lange 1. Crafted from solid white gold the case on this watch measures a modest 41mm in diameter which is slightly larger compared to the 38.5mm case on the original Lange 1. That said, the height of the case on this watch has become a little slimmer coming at just 8.8mm which should make it sit comfortably on a variety of wrists. The case is a mix of brushed and polished surfaces and offers a more modern vibe to the watch. Aside from the regular push-pull crown at 3 the case also features a date changing pusher at 10.
The star of the show on this watch is its dial. Clean and refined like a luxury dress watch should be, the off-centered layout is what has always made a Lange 1 stand out and this anniversary edition is no different. Presented in a nice and elegant argenté color the dial is a nice mix of different finishes. The two circular displays for hours/minutes and running seconds have a nice guilloche pattern to them whereas the rest of the dial has a Matt finish to it. Providing a nice contrast against the grey backdrop and adding a nice pop of color are splashes of blue which can be seen on the thermally blued hands and the printed text. Apart from normal timekeeping the dial also has big date complication along with a cleverly implemented power reserve indicator.
Powering the watch is A. Lange & Söhne’s in-house caliber L095.1. This is a hand-wound movement that operates at a frequency of 3Hz and offers a powers reserve of 72 hours using just a single barrel. The movement is 34mm wide and thereby fills up the case quite well leaving no unnecessary gaps. Further to that it has been beautifully decorated to a high standard and features Geneva striping, blued screws, polished bevels, and a hand-engraved balance cock to name a few. It can be admired through the sapphire crystal exhibition case back.
The Grand Lange 1 “25 Anniversary” is great looking modern and elegant timepiece that celebrates an important milestone in the brand’s history. The watch would come mated to a blue alligator leather strap with grey contrast stitching and would retail for EUR 43,700.
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