A. Lange & Sohne was one of the first watchmakers to set up shop in the now-iconic town of Glashutte in Germany. It was founded by Adolf Lange in 1845. Before establishing his namesake brand, Lange worked as an apprentice under experienced watchmaker J.C. Friedrich Gutkaes. They primarily made timepieces on commission for elite clients. It was here that Lange not only refined his watchmaking techniques but also developed a detail-oriented and customer-focused work ethic.
During the Second World War, A. Lange and Sohne produced oversized wristwatches for the German Air Force. However, immediately following the war, the company faced severe repercussions. In the final months of the war, their workshops were caught in a bombing raid and completely destroyed. By 1948, the Lange family was expropriated, and the Soviet administration nationalized the company’s remaining property. For the next 45 years, the A. Lange and Sohne named disappeared.
In 1989, everything changed for the remaining Lange family. The Iron Curtain collapsed and Walter Lange, Adolf Lange’s great-grandson, was finally able to return to Germany and continue his family’s tradition in the field of watchmaking. By 1990, he had re-registered the A. Lange and Sohne trademark, and just four years later, in 1994, they presented their first watches in nearly half a century.
Lange 1 is one of the first watch models introduced after A. Lange & Söhne trademark was re-established in the 19990s. It is a family of watches that boasts a unique decentralized and asymmetrical dial design, as well as the outsize date display. Specifically, the “Lange 1” model features an asymmetric layout with no overlap among its key indicators: a dial displaying the hours and minutes, a smaller subsidiary dial displaying seconds, an oversized double window date display, and a power reserve indicator. The Lange 1 family is often regarded as one of the most iconic watch designs and has won 45 prizes since 1995.
In 1998 was the introduction of the Little Lange 1, with its smaller case size 36.1 mm. Trough the sapphire case back you can see the high finishing of the movement. Only the best materials are used, as the German silver. It requires extra care and attention from the watchmaker. One wrong move carries the risk of tainting and tarnishing the material. So to give the movement a service we send it to the Maison himself. Unbelievable how they do it!
We are glad to present to you an 18k rosegold Little Lange 1, with box, papers and service papers 2019. If you are a watch lover, a fan of craftsmanship, come and see. Its enchanting appearance will blow you away!