The Grand Lange 1

3 minutes read
#wtsihh / Perfect proportions for a Grand Classic.

Press release

With altered dimensions and a new inner life, the GRAND Lange 1 exhibits true grandeur. A new movement developed entirely from scratch makes it possible to transpose the subtly balanced dial layout of the LANGE 1 to its larger sibling and at the same time to slim down the silhouette. 

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Since it premiered in 1994, the LANGE 1 has been the icon of A. Lange & Söhne. With its particular combination of traditional elements that are unique to Saxony's watchmaking heritage – including the three-quarter plate, screwed gold chatons, or the screw balance – as well as groundbreaking innovations such as the off-centre dial design and the ingenious Lange outsize date, it earned global acclaim. The LANGE 1 soon became a multiple award winner in the realm of highend mechanical timepieces and wrote horological history in its own right. Additionally, it stands for the competence of Lange's master watchmakers and symbolises their untiring quest for the perfect watch. Eighteen years after its debut, the LANGE 1 is not only the strong foundation of a successful watch family. It is also a benchmark for many of the manufactory's other developments. 

This applies all the more to a debut within its own family, as is the case with the GRAND LANGE 1. It manifests clearly rebalanced proportions and an inner life meticulously crafted to match them. With a deliberate rearrangement of watch components, the totally new manually wound calibre L095.1 made it possible to transpose the graceful dial architecture of the LANGE 1 to the perceptibly larger model. The hours, minutes, and seconds as well as the outsize date and power-reserve indication are configured on the solid-silver dial without any overlap points. To faithfully preserve the harmonious proportions down to the last detail, the Lange outsize date was also enlarged by the same factor as the dial itself.

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Furthermore, the larger movement diameter made it feasible to arrange more parts on one level. The result is a movement height of merely 4.7 millimetres. The impressive 72-hour power reserve was achieved in a space-saving manner with only one mainspring barrel. This had a positive impact on the dimensions of the yellow-gold, pink-gold, and platinum cases: With a diameter of 40.9 millimetres, they are only 8.8 millimetres high, a very elegant ratio of width to height. 

The sapphire-crystal caseback reveals the splendid manufacture movement, painstakingly decorated by hand and assembled twice. Embellished with Glashütte ribbing, the three-quarter plate made of untreated German silver assures optimised stability. Its gracefully curved cutout exposes the balance that beats with a frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour and is carried by the hand-engraved balance cock. A proprietary Lange-made balance spring assures exceptionally high rate accuracy. Seven screwed gold chatons secure the ruby jewels, accentuating the visual appeal of the movement on the plate side.

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Technical details

Movement:
Lange manufacture calibre L095.1, manually wound, crafted to the most exacting Lange quality standards, decorated and assembled by hand; precision-adjusted in five positions; plates and bridges made of untreated German silver; balance cock engraved by hand

Movement parts 397
Jewels 42
Screwed gold chatons 7
Escapement Lever escapement

Oscillator:
Shock-resistant screw balance; superior-quality balance spring manufactured in-house, frequency 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, precision beat adjustment system with lateral setscrew and whiplash spring

Power reserve 72 hours when fully wound
Functions: Time indicated in hours, minutes, and subsidiary seconds with stop seconds; power-reserve indicator; outsize date

Operating elements:
Crown for winding the watch and setting the time; one push piece for rapid correction of the outsize date

Case dimensions Diameter: 40.9 millimetres; height: 8.8 millimetres
Movement dimensions Diameter: 34.1 millimetres; height: 4.7 millimetres
Crystal and back Sapphire crystal (hardness 9)

Reference 117.021
Case Yellow gold
Dial Solid silver, champagne
Hands Yellow gold
Strap Hand-stiched crocodile strap, medium brown
Buckle Lange prong buckle in yellow gold

Reference 117.032
Case Pink gold
Dial Solid silver, argenté
Hands Pink gold
Strap Hand-stiched crocodile strap, red-brown
Buckle Lange prong buckle in pink gold

Reference 117.025
Case Platinum
Dial Solid silver, rhodié
Hands Rhdiumed gold
Strap Hand-stiched crocodile strap, black
Buckle Lange prong buckle in platinum

Featured brand
Wilhelm SCHMID