A. Lange & Söhne
Introducing the Lange 1 Daymatic “25th Anniversary”
A. Lange & Söhne
Introducing the Lange 1 Daymatic “25th Anniversary”
Diving in deeper we see the use of other age-old master crafts, such as the application of gold chatons, which today only serve as ornamentation rather than for the serviceability of the rubies used. The articulate 45-degree chamfering, the circumferential polishing on all vertical surfaces of plates that creates a beautiful contrast against polished edges, and circular graining on the wheels are just some of the more prominent details that speak of Lange’s extraordinary approach to movement decoration and finishing. And who could forget the true signature of Lange, the engraved balance cocks that truly make every Lange timepiece unique unto itself.
When Lange first found itself going down the road towards an automatic timepiece — the Langematik — the way that it was achieved was by placing a three-quarter micro-rotor on the movement, rather than a centrally mounted rotor. This was back in 1997, just three years on from the year that A. Lange & Söhne was re-established. And while the micro-rotor still took up the better part of the three-quarter plate, it left the hand-engraved balance cock unobstructed. That is not to say that Lange’s was any ordinary micro-rotor, because theirs is one that is artfully decorated by hand and counterweighed with a platinum mass.
For the designers at Lange, two concerns were at the top of their minds as they sought to answer their collectors’ call. Number one was how adding a rotor would affect the height of the Lange 1’s movement, and two that while it was okay in those early days to create the Langematik with an automatic winding module incorporated, such an approach would simply be unacceptable for the Lange 1 in 2010.
As such, when you look at the L021.1 calibre, what you should recognise is that this is a movement developed from the inside out with an integrated self-winding mechanism. While it doesn’t have the solitary three-quarter bridge, the bridges of the movement are placed tightly enough that it almost appears to be seamless. As a result, even though the rotor occupies the entire 31.6 mm diameter of the movement, it is nominally skeletonised such that it still allows for a sense of openness and visibility.
Lange were, of course, also able to implement several functional improvements as a result of having developed the L021.1 from the ground up. For instance, with the understanding that an automatic timepiece doesn’t need to be too concerned about the total power reserve it holds, doing away with the twin barrels freed up precious real estate in the movement to incorporate the automatic winding mechanism. The classic Lange 1 is lauded for its 72 hours of power reserve, enabled by the twin-barrel configuration. However, it is important to state that the L021.1 is no slouch, with a power reserve of 50 hours.
On the occasion of the Lange 1’s 25th anniversary, it is therefore appropriate that the Saxon watchmaker should issue a special version of the Lange 1 Daymatic. Rendered in a 39.5 mm white-gold case, the Lange 1 Daymatic “25th Anniversary” features a solid-silver dial in the mirrored dial layout paired with blued hands and colour-matched inscriptions.
Movement
Self-winding Lange manufacture calibre L021.1; central rotor with platinum centrifugal mass; hours, minutes and small running seconds; outsize date; retrograde day indicator; balance cock engraved by hand and filled with blue, engraving of ’25’ in the typeface of the Lange outsize date on the balance cock; 50-hour power reserve
Case
39.5 mm in white gold
Strap
Hand-stitched alligator leather with white-gold prong buckle
Limited edition of 25 pieces[/td_block_text_with_title]