Shopping Time: Here Are 5 Incredible A. Lange & Söhne Watches to Buy Now
We are always scouring the web for the most amazing watches currently available, and each Friday Shopping Time shares five standout timepieces with you.
Last week we considered the softer prices of F. P. Journe watches. Unlike other high end watches, such as the Rolex GMT Master, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, (pre-TAG) Heuer chronographs. steel Rolex Daytona and the Cartier Tank, Journe proved an interesting investigation into the world of timepieces from independent watchmakers on the secondary market.
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This week we look at A. Lange & Söhne—or just Lange, as the brand is more commonly known. It’s pronounced lon-GAH, so if you can get that out without choking, then you may signal your deep watch knowledge to whomever would be impressed. Lange is a brand that is technically “independent,” in that it isn’t owned by a holding company or group, but it isn’t a brand, like Journe, one thinks of when considering “indies” who craft watches in tiny numbers. And yet, Lange remains one of the most coveted watch brands among high-end collectors, simply because the watches are absolutely amazing. No one argues this point.
In 2022, a Lange flyback chronograph sold at the 16th edition of the Geneva Watch Auction hosted by Phillips for $1.6 million. Back in 2018, a unique piece in stainless steel dedicated to Lange’s founder in the coveted 1815 series sold in Geneva via Phillips for over $850,000. In a private sale in 2023, a platinum Tourbograph sold for a whopping $903,886. So, let’s just say Lange inhabits the rarest air of horology.
However, because Lange isn’t “independent” in the sense of making only small batches of watches, you can find amazing models for what really do seem like reasonable prices when you consider the quality on offer. We’re talking down in the $30,000 range for (now rare) early time-only watches, or in the $60,000 range for highly complex models. In the world of the highest horology, Lange has always represented good value, and with pre-owned prices softening, this is a great time to add one to your collection.
Below are five of the tastiest Langes on the market now.
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A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Jumping Seconds | £52,000 (~$68,000)
If there is such a thing as a sleeper watch from A. Lange & Söhne, it may just be the Richard Lange Jumping Seconds. This watch was released in 2016, and upholds the Richard Lange collection’s commitment to precision standards. Based on a regulator style layout, this watch breaks the seconds, minutes, and hours into three separate sub-dials in a design based on a pocket watch from the 18th century. The manually wound caliber L094.1 within utilizes a one-second remontoire which sends a consistent force to the escapement, and expresses itself in the deadbeat seconds hand, which advances in one second increments. Nestled between sub-dials is a triangular aperture which fills with red when the power reserve is below 10 hours.
This beautiful expression of an instrument watch from A. Lange & Söhne received a 100 piece production run with a platinum case, and this example is on offer from A Collected Man. This watch was produced in 2021 and comes as a full set, with a two year warranty from the seller. We love this particular example of the Richard Lange collection for its rich character, and for the fact that it embodies its own unique design language and inspiration without compromising on mechanical artistry. This watch doesn’t make a statement at a glance, but handsomely rewards a closer look.
A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia First Series | $36,000
The Saxonia collection has seen a steady evolution over its lifespan, having been a vital part of the rebirth of the brand in 1994. The original design of the Saxonia is simple, but carries distinctive hallmarks that would go on to help define the A. Lange & Söhne we know and love today. The Saxonia collection houses some of the brand’s powerhouse movements, from the Datograph to the Triple Split, but it also carries the most distilled and simple representation of the brand’s ethos in the Saxonia Thin. The first Series Saxonia could be seen as something of an oddball these days, with the branding slit along the horizontal axis of the dial, balanced vertically by the outsized date window and subsidiary seconds hand. It’s an unusual execution that reveals the boldness of the design deductions made in their early collections.
The original Saxonia design is not found in the modern A. Lange & Söhne catalog, which makes this example all the more special. Further, it’s an important part of the brand’s modern history. Setting that aside, however, you’ll find a supremely charming watch using a yellow gold case that measures just 34 mm in diameter featuring many of the familiar design hallmarks of today. This example is offered by The Keystone, and is beautifully preserved showing only minimal signs of age and wear. The watch comes with its original warranty, and has recently been serviced by A. Lange & Söhne.
A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1 Moonphase Lumen | $138,000
Among the modern lore of A. Lange & Söhne there is perhaps nothing more interesting than the ‘Lumen’ dial. A semi-transparent dial allowed the wearer a very personal view to the inner workings of the watch, as well as the passage of UV rays to charge the luminous materials within. The dial made its debut in 2010 on the then new Zeitwerk models as a way to fully appreciate the underlying ballet of motion between the discs displaying the time. Since then, the dial has appeared sparingly, making a dramatic impression on only the brand’s most expressive watches.
One such expressive watch is the Grand Lange 1 Moonphase, which received a Lumen dial in 2016. These watches are more than just a transparent dial, as Lange have rethought the displays and how they could be ‘charged’ with lume to create a vibrant design as a whole. The date and moonphase disc are both imbued with luminous material, and have been created in a way to accent the dark transparent dial. The result is a stunning example of the Lange 1 design pushed to its limits. This watch is offered by Wind Vintage, and features an unpolished platinum case with its original box and papers. This is a special watch made in very limited quantities, and this represents a rare opportunity.
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus | $55,122
In 2019, A. Lange & Söhne launched an entirely new collection meant to bring the brand’s iconic German craftsmanship to a sporty and elegant frame. The result is the Odysseus, an integrated bracelet sport watch with an unmistakable Lange vibes. Oversized day and date apertures sat at either end of the dial, with a subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock. The dial was distinctive, and unique, but it was the case and bracelet that would prove the most compelling here. Above and below the crown were rocker-style pushers that allowed for quick adjustment of the day and date. The execution was innovative and graceful. When Lange released a chronograph variation in 2023, these pushers were repurposed to actuate the timing functions.
The A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus represents the brand’s first steel sports watch, and while it has been rendered in other materials, steel, as seen with this example, feels like the most significant. The integrated bracelet sits flush with the outer edge of the lug, creating a broad presence on the wrist, while tapering enough to feel graceful at the same time. The original blue dial serves as a perfect base for the unique design, and here it shows no signs of age. This example offered from a private seller via Chrono24 is listed in good overall condition with only small signs of wear, and comes with its original box and papers. You won’t find many of these on the pre-owned market.
A. Lange & Söhne Datograph | $67,500
Finally, when we think of A. Lange & Söhne, there is a single watch that comes to mind, and that is the original Datograph flyback chronograph. This watch, released in 1999, had a monumental effect on the industry as a whole, and redefined what a high-end hand wound chronograph movement could be. The deep movement architecture was groundbreaking, and visually stunning. Developed by Reinhard Meis, Helmut Geyer and Annegret Fleischer, the caliber L951.1 set a new tone for the industry, and its effects are still felt to this day. Aside from the beautiful view of the movement, the design was informed by the unique dial layout that set the sub-dials below the center line, balanced out by the outsized date aperture at 12 o’clock.
The dial design was just as exceptional as the movement, and the early examples are the purest expression of that design. Before it received the power reserve, Up/Down complication, the dial was simple, and focused, something we just recently saw them return to in the new Datograph Handwerkskunst. This example, offered by European Watch Company, is an early so-called ‘Meter’ dial, as the tachymeter at the perimeter of the dial was labeled with a “meter” before being changed to “meters” in subsequent years. This is the best example of one of Lange’s best watches. Condition is listed as ‘like new’ and this will come with its box and certificate.
Please note that we are not affiliated with the sellers of the watches we recommend. We may point out aspects of a listing that we feel are positive, but only you can vet a seller. We can recommend viewing our video “How to Collect It: Vintage Watches” to glean some best practices, however.
