A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1

Soldspan>
Sold
REF 101.021
Manual
38.5 MM
– Show less
SKU AS07808
Article Number 40990986
ref 101.021
case size 38.5 MM
movement Manual Winding
approximate age 2000s
dial color Silver
material Yellow Gold
style Dress
category Pre-Owned Contemporary
bracelet Leather
lug width 20 MM
Includes Signed brown alligator leather strap with signed yellow gold pin buckle.
overall condition Excellent condition overall. Case is untouched and shows only light wear consistent with gentle wear and handling. Dial is fantastic. Factory leather strap shows light wear.
REF 101.021
Manual
38.5 MM
– Show less
SKU AS07808
Article Number 40990986
ref 101.021
case size 38.5 MM
movement Manual Winding
approximate age 2000s
dial color Silver
material Yellow Gold
style Dress
category Pre-Owned Contemporary
bracelet Leather
lug width 20 MM
Includes Signed brown alligator leather strap with signed yellow gold pin buckle.
overall condition Excellent condition overall. Case is untouched and shows only light wear consistent with gentle wear and handling. Dial is fantastic. Factory leather strap shows light wear.

Why We Love it

What you’re looking at is an example of the most important wristwatches of the last 30 years.

The Lange 1 is without question the manufacture's flagship model, and the big date function is its hallmark. Though found in watches like the Zeitwerk or the Langematik Sax-O-Mat, it’s in the Lange 1 that it’s shown to the greatest effect. Alongside other details such as asymmetrical sub-dials depicting the hours and sub-seconds, and the A. Lange & Söhne signature with its famous ampersand, it shows a clarity of vision that is wholly Lange. And while the Lange 1 has seen many versions, from a tourbillon to the Timezone, it’s the original that has become the symbol of the maison — and perhaps even the symbol of modern watchmaking itself. 

This example is from the early 2000s and comes housed in a 38.5mm 18K yellow gold case with a sapphire crystal, sapphire case back and smooth, polished bezel. It features a satin silver dial with a subsidiary hours and minutes at 9 o’clock; a seconds register at 4 o’clock; a power reserve indicator at 3 o’clock; a framed date window at 2 o’clock; applied yellow gold indices; and a matching ‘lance’ handset. 

Our favorite part about this Lange 1 … notice how the subsidiary registers match the satin dial finish as opposed to more current References which have contrasting sunray finish which puts a bow on its teutonic design language.

The beauty here is that like all the classics á la the Submariner, Tank, etc, the Lange 1's design language largely remains unchanged. However to the trained eye, there are slight nuances that make certain pieces more collectable than others. This 'satin dial' Lange 1 is exactly that. 

Powering this masterpiece is the Lange & Söhne Caliber L901.0, a manual-winding movement that’s stunning to behold — and which can thankfully easily be viewed via the exhibition case back.

There are complicated watches, and then there are collectable works of art. This is the latter!

Brand Story

+
For Germany, Reunification represented a renaissance of sorts for a country that had been rent asunder by the Cold War. And for A. Lange & Söhne, whom fate had situated on the Eastern side of the Iron Curtain, it was indeed a rebirth.

Lange was founded in Glashütte in 1845, and its first century was truly a golden age. The brand imbued its products with a care and an attention to detail that brought worldwide renown. Its pocket watches, in particular, gained high marks in competition and saw use on the railroads of Europe.

But the coming of World War II and the subsequent Soviet occupation saw that golden age come to an end. The Soviet authorities expropriated the company in 1948 — the factory was shuttered, and the once-shining name of A. Lange & Söhne nearly faded into obscurity. That is, until 1990, when Walter Lange — great-grandson of the founder, Ferdinand A. Lange — resurrected his family’s old company and brought it to prominence once more.

Armed with Ferdinand Lange’s journal, Walter Lange sketched a watch that would adapt his great-grandfather’s designs to modern tastes, while still keeping an eye firmly on tradition. In the journal, Walter discovered sketches of a clock that Ferdinand designed with his mentor Johann Gutkaes. Commissioned by the Elector of Saxony for the Semperoper House in Dresden, the “Five Minute Clock” was nothing short of revolutionary.

With legibility as their primary concern, Johann Gutkaes and Ferdinand Lange designed a clock that, with its rectangular construction and two counter-rotating drums — one to show the hours, the other the minutes — was essentially the world’s first digital clock. Over one hundred years later, it was that clock that would inspire the modern manufacture’s first watch post-Reunification.

In 1992, Walter Lange filed a patent for a big date window, similar in style to the clock in the opera house. Two years later, it would appear on the Lange 1. Without question the firm’s flagship model, it features a big date function as its hallmark. Though found in watches like the Zeitwerk or the Langematik Sax-O-Mat, it’s in the Lange 1 that the big date is used to the greatest effect. Alongside other details such as asymmetrical sub-dials depicting the hours and sub-seconds, and the A. Lange & Söhne signature with its famous ampersand, it shows a clarity of vision that is wholly Lange.

Subsequent models — no less innovative — have only further cemented the brand’s footing as one of the most refined and fascinating watchmakers in business today. From the ludicrously complicated Zeitwerk to the elegant Saxonia to the recent Odysseus dive watch, Lange & Söhne is committed to pushing the horological envelope and reestablishing Germany as foremost amongst the world’s centers of watchmaking innovation.

A:S Guarantee

+

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

Shipping & Returns

+

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

Make it yours will fit standard 20mm watches

Byrd Blue Cervo Strap

Byrd Blue Cervo Strap

Regular price
$49
Regular price
Sale price
$49
Black Widow Alligator-Pattern Strap

Black Widow Alligator-Pattern Strap

Regular price
$49
Regular price
Sale price
$49
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1

Soldspan>
Sold
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1

Inquire

Thank you for your interest in the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1. Please fill out the form below and we will get back to you shortly.