While the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph redefined expectations for in-house movement construction and fine finishing, no A. Lange & Söhne watch has shaped contemporary dial design quite like the Lange 1.
There are few things quite as beautiful as the painstakingly crafted intricacies of A. Lange & Söhne’s Lange 1 Daymatic Honeygold.
One of the four original models launched at the brand’s revival on October 24th, 1994 (alongside the Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite”, Arkade and Saxonia) the Lange 1 would later be revealed as a quiet exercise in mathematical harmony.
Its dial proportions follow the principles of the Golden Ratio: from the height and width of the outsized date, to the placement of the off-centre time display relative to the full dial. The off-centre hours-and-minutes subdial, date aperture and small-seconds register are also linked by an imaginary isosceles triangle, giving the watch its deceptively intuitive balance.
Its immediate success sparked a family of 10 Lange 1 variations. Among them is the Lange 1 Daymatic, whose dial is a mirror image of the original Lange 1 dial, except that it replaces the iconic ab/auf power-reserve indicator with a retrograde day-of-week display.
A Honeygold Homage
Exactly 180 years after the founding of A. Lange & Söhne (December 7th, 1845), the Lange 1 Daymatic returns in a 39.5 mm Honeygold case. Introduced earlier this year in the Odysseus and Saxonia Thin collections, Honeygold is the brand’s proprietary alloy—warmer in hue and notably harder than conventional 18k gold.
Inside, the self-winding calibre L021.1 upholds the uncompromising standards that have defined Lange since its 1994 renaissance. Highlights include a 21k gold rotor with a 950-platinum centrifugal mass, plates and bridges decorated with traditional finishing techniques, and the signature hand-engraved balance cock, whose pattern is unique and traceable to each individual engraver. Each edition number of the 250 examples made is also engraved onto the openworked caseback.
The anniversary edition is paired with a taupe hand-stitched alligator leather strap, secured by a solid Honeygold buckle.
“With its distinctive design, sophisticated manufacture movement and artisanal finissage, the Lange 1 Daymatic Honeygold presents itself as a timepiece with a strong personality for aficionados of self-winding watches,” shares Anthony de Haas, Director of Product Development. “Its exclusive case material and the rare colour combination make it into an elegant classic with a high recognition value.”
