A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Tourbillon

Arguably the most important German watch of all time, the Lange 1 has come to represent the entire region’s watchmaking philosophy and tradition. Introduced in the inaugural collection of A. Lange & Sohne following the brand’s resurrection after the fall of the Berlin wall, the Lange 1 was striking— its asymmetrical dial captivated collectors. Coupled with a brilliantly finished movement and distinctly German design language, this piece stood out from the crowd in a Swiss-dominated industry. Over time, the Lange 1 has become the face of A. Lange & Sohne, the flagship of German watchmaking as an industry.

This Lange 1, Reference 704.032 isn’t your run of the mill piece either. Fashioned from yellow gold with a cream dial, the Lange 1 Tourbillon is one of the most complicated configurations of the Lange 1 on the market. Seamlessly integrated into the Lange 1 design DNA, Lange has tastefully tucked the tourbillon display with a fully black-polished support at 5 o’clock. Since the tourbillon replaced the usual location for the subsidiary seconds, the seconds dial has been moved to within the primary time display at roughly 7:30 on the dial.

In spite of the complication, this reference is housed in Lange’s classic 38.5mm case sizing. Perfectly proportioned in the modern era, this size is extremely comfortable on a variety of wrists.

The iconic Lange 1 dial features the time display on the left side of the dial, counterbalanced by an outsized date at 2 o'clock, power reserve at 3 o'clock, and finally, the tourbillon at 5 o'clock. This watch emphasizes the fact that a watch can maintain visual balance in spite of asymmetry. It’s truly a brilliant work of design.

Flipping the watch over, we are met by an equally striking caseback. Finished with many callbacks to the pocket watch era, Lange movements don’t look like Swiss movements. Golden chatons, Glashutte striping, and freehand engraving all over the tourbillon supports. These pieces all distinguish this piece from more conventional high horology movements.

Beautiful.

If you appreciate the look of classic Lange, and want something a bit more desirable and complicated, opt for the Lange 1 tourbillon. Always collectable and beautiful, references such as the 704.032 will be on collector’s radars for years to come.

Further, this piece comes complete with its box and correct 18K yellow gold deployant clasp, a detail found on Lange’s most exclusive pieces.

Any Lange 1 is a special watch. This specific piece however is perhaps the most under the radar Lange high complication.

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.

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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.

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.