A. Lange & Söhne

Fine Glashütte Watches

Luxury watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne can look back on more than 170 years of history. Ferdinand Adolph Lange founded his pocket watch business in the German town of Glashütte in 1845.

One of A. Lange & Söhne's signature features is the oversized date display, which the company patented in 1992. This form of date display exemplifies the company's commitment to developing functional timepieces. Other features include blued screws, a Glashütte sunburst finish, a swan neck regulator, a three-quarter plate developed by Ferdinand Adolph Lange himself, and a finely engraved balance cock. Few watchmakers decorate their movements as elaborately as A. Lange & Söhne.

The Saxonia, Zeitwerk, and Lange 1 are among the German brand's most popular collection. But you'll also find interesting models in the 1815, Grand Lange 1, Datograph, and Richard Lange collections. Furthermore, A. Lange & Söhne celebrated the 25th anniversary of its re-establishment with the release of its first series-produced stainless steel watch, the Odysseus.

Reasons to Buy an A. Lange & Söhne Watch

• One of the most renowned German luxury watch brands
• More than 50 in-house calibers
• Richly decorated movements with swan neck regulators and engravings
• Limited anniversary models
• Characteristic patented outsized date display

Prices at a Glance: A. Lange & Söhne Watches

How much does an A. Lange & Söhne watch cost?

The Saxonia collection is the entry point into the world of A. Lange & Söhne watches. Unworn Saxonia models like the ref. 216.026 in white gold with a small seconds change hands for roughly 17,900 USD. A top-of-the-line Saxonia with an annual calendar and platinum case will set you back about 52,600 USD.

A yellow gold Lange 1 such as reference 191.021 demands an investment of approximately 34,200 USD in like-new condition. The white gold variant is usually a little more affordable. If the 38.5-mm version of the Lange 1 is too small for you, you should take a closer look at the Grand Lange 1. This timepiece measures 41 mm in diameter. In mint condition, you can purchase a Grand Lange 1 in platinum and with a moon phase display (ref. 139.025) for just under 71,000 USD.

Another interesting option is the Datograph with a flyback chronograph function. First introduced in 1999, this watch is available in platinum or rose gold. The price for an unworn Datograph ref. 403.035 starts at around 81,200 USD. The gold version of the Datograph UP/DOWN, which also has a power reserve indicator, demands an investment of around 11,200 USD. The platinum Datograph Perpetual with a perpetual calendar will set you back about 128,000 USD.

The comparatively young Odysseus collection consists of three-hand models with an outsized date, a day display, and small seconds, as well as a chronograph function. This timepiece comes in stainless steel, white gold, or titanium. The starting price for watches in the collection is approximately 58,200 USD.

A. Lange & Söhne launched the Zeitwerk collection in 2009. The main feature of this series is a digital time display for the hours and minutes. Similar to the date display, the manufacturer uses numbers in display windows to show the time. The small seconds are indicated in the classic way by a hand at 6 o'clock. Mint-condition specimens of models like ref. 140.029 in white gold cost approximately 87,500 USD.

What are A. Lange & Söhne's most expensive watches?

The most expensive watches from A. Lange & Söhne include the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, the Turbograph "Pour le Merite," and the Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, each of which will set you back over 336,000 USD.

What are A. Lange & Söhne's least expensive watches?

Three affordable entry-level models from A. Lange & Söhne are, for example, the three-hand versions of the Saxonia, 1815, or Cabaret, for which you should plan to spend between 12,300 and 20,300 USD, depending on the model and design. Alternatively, vintage pocket or pilot's watches in good condition change hands on Chrono24 for roughly 2,800 USD.

Lange 1 – The Icon

After its introduction in 1994, the Lange 1 quickly became a successful collection. With its oversized date and off-center time display, it's an instantly recognizable timepiece. The power reserve indicator is also a characteristic feature of the Lange 1. The watch measures 38.5 mm in diameter and is available in 18-karat white, yellow, or rose gold, as well as platinum. Watches in the current collection are powered by the manual in-house caliber L121.1 with a 72-hour power reserve.

A.Lange & Söhne offers the Lange 1 in two alternative sizes. With a diameter of 41 mm, the Grand Lange 1 is aimed at people with larger wrists. The Little Lange 1 measures 36.8 mm across, making it a better fit for slender wrists.

Lange 1 With Other Complications

The Lange 1 collection is also home to more complicated timepieces. Complications include moon phase displays, second time zones, and perpetual calendars. The highlight of the Lange 1 collection, however, is the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, which combines a perpetual calendar with a moon phase display and a tourbillon.

Lange 1 Anniversary Edition 2019

A. Lange & Söhne celebrated 25 years since its re-establishment in 2019. The manufacturer marked the occasion with three limited-edition Lange 1 models. Each features a white gold case, silver dial, tempered blue hands, and a blue alligator leather strap.

Along with the standard version of the Lange 1 25th Anniversary, the Lange 1 Moon Phase 25th Anniversary and Lange 1 Daymatic 25th Anniversary are also part of this special collection. The latter features an automatic caliber and mirror-image dial arrangement. The Daymatic – just like the version with a moon phase – was produced in an edition of just 25 pieces. A. Lange & Söhne produced 250 watches in the standard version.

Odysseus – A. Lange & Söhne's Sports Watch

In 2019, A. Lange & Söhne launched a line of classic, sporty watches for a younger audience and gave it an ancient name: the Odysseus collection. It's worth noting that this collection is also the brand's first ever series production of a stainless steel watch. A. Lange & Söhne also offers a three-hand version of the Odysseus in white gold or titanium. The Odysseus Chronograph released in 2023 is only available in stainless steel (so far).

The unifying element of all Odysseus models is the dial design, which features an outsized date at 3 o'clock, small seconds at 6, and an oversized day display at 9. The chronograph also has central hands for the stop seconds and minutes.

A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia – The All-Rounder

The Saxonia collection is A. Lange & Söhne's most versatile watch line. The collection is home to the decidedly simple and ultra-flat Saxonia Thin and the Lange 31, which has an incredible 31-day power reserve. Automatic models like the Langematik Perpetual also have a place in the collection. The Double Split and Triple Split are also part of the Saxonia collection. These timepieces are equipped with split-second and stop-minute functions and – in the case of the Triple Split – even a stop-hour.

However, a large part of the collection is made up of the various Datograph models. All watches in this series share a chronograph function and outsized date display. These timepieces are also available with a power reserve indicator (Datograph UP/DOWN), perpetual calendar (Datograph Perpetual), and tourbillon (Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon).

A. Lange & Söhne 1815 – Classic Design

The watches in the 1815 collection are dedicated to company founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange. They feature a classic design and are among the few watches from the manufacturer that do not have an outsized date display.

The range includes simple two-hand watches, split-seconds chronographs, tourbillon watches, and timepieces with perpetual calendars.

Grand Complication – The Masterpiece

The Grand Complication is A. Lange & Söhne's most complicated wristwatch. A. Lange & Söhne unveiled the timepiece in 2013, and with a price tag of over 2 million USD, it is one of the most expensive watches in the world. It takes an entire year to produce a single watch. Complications include a perpetual calendar, a moon phase display, and a rattrapante chronograph. A special feature is the flashing seconds. This complication causes the second hand to complete one full revolution per second, making it extremely fast. The Grand Complication is also equipped with a grande sonnerie. A. Lange & Söhne produces only six of these watches.

About A. Lange & Söhne

Ferdinand Adolph Lange was apprenticed to the royal court clockmaker Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes in Dresden. As a journeyman, he traveled throughout Europe to learn from the best master watchmakers. In 1841 he returned to Dresden, where he worked with Gutkaes to complete the now famous five-minute clock for the Semper Opera. The clock had a digital display that made it easy to read from all tiers in the opera house.

Lange founded his own pocket watch company in Glashütte, Germany, in 1845. The small town south of Dresden became wealthy in the early 19th century thanks to its silver ore deposits. Once the ore was mined, there was little work left for the people of the region. The Saxon government therefore called on companies to settle in the Ore Mountains. Lange submitted a proposal to the government to establish a watchmaking industry there. His plan was to train 15 former miners and basket weavers as watchmakers. Later, they would become independent and work as suppliers. This principle had already proven successful in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland. The Saxon government chose Glashütte as a suitable location and granted Lange a loan to start his business.

After only a few years, Lange's plan paid off: his apprentices founded supply companies and other watchmakers set up shop in Glashütte. A watchmaking school was also established. The small town flourished and became the center of watchmaking in Germany.

After the Second World War, A. Lange & Söhne disappeared from the market as an independent manufacturer. The reunification of Germany gave A. Lange & Söhne the chance to resurrect the brand. Walter Lange, a great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, founded Lange Uhren GmbH in December 1990. In 1994, the manufacturer presented its first collection, consisting of four wristwatches: the legendary Lange 1, the Saxonia, the Arcade, and the Tourbillon Pour le Mérite.

A. Lange & Söhne has been part of the Richmond Group since 2001.

FAQs

What technical innovations has A. Lange & Söhne introduced to the watch industry?

A. Lange & Söhne's historic innovations include the three-quarter plate and the Lange hairspring. Recent innovations include the precision jumping numerals mechanism, the patented oversized date display, and the double or triple split mechanism, which for the first time allows chronographs to record split times of more than 60 seconds.

What is A. Lange & Söhne's most iconic model, and why is it so popular?

One of A. Lange & Söhne's most popular models is the Lange 1, which was one of the first models launched by the company after its re-establishment in 1990. The timepiece features a decentralized time display, an outsized date, and a power reserve indicator.

What makes A. Lange & Söhne watches such a valuable investment?

A. Lange & Söhne watches are invariably of the highest quality and can easily compete with top Swiss brands. They also have a distinctive design with high recognition value. Small production runs also ensure a certain exclusivity.