Introducing: The A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Moonphase 25th Anniversary

July 11, 2019

If you haven't noticed already, 2019 is a milestone year in the history of A. Lange & Sohne. Specifically, it marks 25 years since the inaugural, post-relaunch Lange collection was presented to the public by Walter Lange and Gnter Blmlein C the former, a member of the Lange family (who passed away in 2017, at the age of 92) and the latter an architect of the modern luxury watchmaking industry as we know it, who was responsible for the late-20th-century success of not only Lange, but also Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC.? Among the new watches presented at a press conference in 1994, the Lange 1 emerged as, arguably, Lange's icon. It's the watch that first comes to mind when I think of A. Lange & Sohne, and I think that plenty of other watch lovers feel the same way. This year, the Lange 1 is being celebrated on a near-monthly basis, with limited editions that pay tribute to the various executions and versions of Lange's best known watch family. This started with a 25th anniversary version of the Lange 1, which was ?presented at SIHH, and has continued to include the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase, the Little Lange 1, the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, the Lange 1 Time Zone, and now, the Lange 1 Moon Phase. Each of the so-far released anniversary Lange 1 watches has been differentiated from the models in the main collection by their use of a white gold case, a silvered dial, blued steel hands and printed blue numerals, as well as by blue elements on the movement side that reference the 25th anniversary year. Here, we see that decoration on the engraved balance cock. Initial Thoughts When the Lange 1 Moon Phase was relaunched in late 2016, it debuted a new movement and a new way of depicting its namesake complication that incorporated a day/night indicator. I've always thought this was one of the cleverest moon phase displays out there. The moon is above us in the sky, of course, even when the sun is out, though the former is?often outshone by the latter's brightness. Lange's moon phase display shows the moon's position whether day or night, while distinguishing between the night sky and the daytime sky. This is thanks to two superimposed disks C one carries the Moon, and rotates twice per lunar month; the other, behind it, rotates once every twenty for hours, to show either a bright blue day sky, or an indigo evening sky with laser-cut stars. All of this happens within a display that also serves as the Lange 1 Moon Phase's small-seconds subdial. The characteristics off-center design of the Lange 1, which is at once asymmetric and a picture of horological harmony, is still there, of course. In addition to the moon phase indicator and the display for the time, there are a large date display and a power-reserve indicator.? The Basics Brand: A. Lange & SohneModel: Lange 1 Moonphase 25th AnniversaryReference Number: 192.066Diameter: 38.5mmThickness: 10.2mmCase Material: White goldDial Color: Sliver, argente with blued handsIndexes: BlueStrap/Bracelet: Hand-stitched blue alligator strap The Movement Caliber: L121.3Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, large date, day/night indicator, moon phase, power-reserve indicatorDiameter: 30.6mmThickness: 5.7mmPower Reserve: 72 hoursWinding: Manually woundFrequency: 21,600 vphJewels: 47Additional Details: Movement decorated and assembled by hand, adjusted in five positions, twin mainspring barrel, plates and bridges in untreated German silver, engraved balance cock filled in in blue with large date motif on the balance cock. Pricing & Availability Price: 43,300Limited Edition: 25 piecesFor more click here.