One Of A Kind

A. Lange & Söhne’s product development director, Anthony de Haas, reminisces about the Lange 1 on the occasion of the collection’s 25th anniversary

- Alvin Wong

As we write this, the countdown to the finale of the Lange 1’s 25th-anniversary celebration is well underway. It is August, and eight out of 10 commemorative Lange 1 editions had been launched in an elaborate lead-up to the collection’s birthday on 24 October. Incidentally, it is also the day that the modern incarnation of A. Lange & Söhne was relaunched (though founded in 1845, Lange’s operations were wiped out in the wake of World War II. The brand was later re-established by the founder’s great-grandson Walter Lange and entrepreneur Günter Blümlein).

The journey of the Lange 1 is inextricably linked to that of A. Lange & Söhne’s. On the day of the brand’s relaunch in 1994, A. Lange & Söhne showcased four collections, including the Lange 1. There were 123 watches in total, all of which were promptly sold out. Today, the Lange 1 collection, distinguished by its outsized date display with off-centered sub-dials, a layout based on the golden ratio, is one of the most recognizable dress watches of modern times and is justifiably an A. Lange & Söhne icon.

“I don’t think the guys started with the idea of making an iconic watch, that’s not how things work,” says Anthony de Haas, A. Lange & Söhne’s product development director. “When Walter Lange and Günter Blümlein relaunched the brand, they felt that it needed a ‘face’, a watch that makes people take notice. The Lange 1 is a classic dress watch for sure, but it is still very contemporary, even after 25 years.”