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Recently I solicited advice and suggestions on buying a Lange. My question, to which many of you responded was, "If you could only buy one Lange, which would it be" and then went on to describe a list of operating parameters under which the decision would need to be made.
I would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their invaluable insights and erudite reasoning that helped catalyse my decision: Walt O, Peter Chong, Michael Friedberg, Jaeger & William Massena. A quick & rough poll of responses would place the Lange 1 and 1815 as the favourites, with the Saxomat coming in after these 2.
I have provisionally made a decision and put down a 1/3 pre-payment on a Lange 1 in w/gold and blue-face. Here is my thinking and the "logical" reasoning process I went through to make my choice. I must state from the outset that these are MY preferred algorithms and in no way represents the "absolute truth" (whatever that may be). Personal perceptions, subjective tastes and biases always play a great part in these choices.
My brief was for a round watch to be purchased for the sake of collecting (and wearing, vs. keeping in a safe or box), i.e. it had to be a classic representation of the Lange "breed". "Relative value" was an important factor as money would be a problem. My initial choices were centered around the Lange 1, Saxomat, and the Saxonia. Later, with enthusiastic responses for the 1815 and its variant Ab und Auf, I added these into the equation and also considered them seriously. I never considered the Tourbillon because I cannot even dream of affording one, so let's not even think of it.
As a common feature, all of these Langes have a small seconds hand at 6 o'clock, which I prefer as more elegant to a centre sweep seconds hand. Also, all have beautifully engraved balance cocks, first-rate jewels in gold chatons secured with blued screws as signature features. Walt O will say that these are but functionless embellishments that do not add to performance (except for the grade of jewels). The precision whiplash (or swan neck, depending on which you prefer) micrometer screw regulator is beautifully executed and does help with fine adjustments.
I have never, and do not own a manual winding watch; this very fact initially biased me towards the Saxomat. However, putting this aside, the classic Lange of old is a pocket watch with a superb handwind � plate movement (some issues with doubtful ease of servicing such movements vs. the traditional full bridge), so let's consider that first if one is to be serious about the representation of the breed.
Another resurrected A Lange & Sohne signature is the oversized date indicators. These are present in the Lange 1, Saxomat and Saxonia � explaining my initial selection of these pieces. Although the 1815 design is based on that of previous Lange pocket watches, a date indication is an absolute necessity for me � it is an important daily reference for a person who is often temporally dissociated or disorientated (that's why I am lost without a watch).
Taken separately, if there is one useful complication in a hand wind watch, it is the Power Reserve. The PR is immensely useful in indicating the state of wind in these watches, so if at all, I would want to have this feature. The Lange 1 and the Ab/Auf 1815 both have this. The Saxomat, being an automatic would not benefit from having a PR indicator and so its absence in this watch was not counted against it.
At this point, you can see that the line up is thus: If you wanted an absolutely basic Lange with a recognisable face, but with a still beautiful � plate movement, there was the 1815. This is the cheapest and I guess, good value.
If you wanted a simple PR handwind, there was the 1815 Ab/Auf. But it does not have a date, which for me ranks as more important than the PR. Anyway, the Ab/Auf is more expensive than the Saxonia, with its simple date indication. So, for me the most basic Lange that I would consider would be the Saxonia for this reason � that it is "relatively" cheaper, and it has my most basic indication function, which is also a Lange signature characteristic.
The Saxonia has a small 34mm case that suits an Asian wrist well. It looks petite but has simple lines in a minimalist design. It has one of the shortest PRs in the range at 42 hours. (We'll deal with movements a little later.)
Let's take the Saxomat and leave the Lange 1 for last. The Saxomat has a face which deviates from the other designs in its 5 minute indicators � especially at 3 & 9 o'clock (I prefer the others). It has the requisite characteristic date indicator and otherwise does not have any other "complications".
On first appearance the Saxomat is extremely poor value. It is nearly twice the price of an equivalent Patek with (admittedly normal) date indication. As William Massena said, this is likely to be the base of future Lange models. The automatic movement (Cal. 9021.4) is one of the most breathtaking and the microrotor (gold/platinum) assembly is certainly the most beautiful on this planet. The Saxomat has 45 jewels(!) with 4 ball races and several jewel holes to allow the weight an almost frictionless run. PR is 46 hours (unremarkable for a new movement in my opinion, since most can easily reach 50-55 hours with a single barrel) and took 5 years to develop. It has an admittedly innovative seconds reset mechanism, a function that is likely to be copied in the future by other Houses. I just don't like the way the screwed balance is stopped with a thinned lever � potential for wear. Comment by Peter Chong: this system of stopping the balance wheel is typical of all watches which hack. The thin finger which presses against the balance wheel is made to be very thin, almost hair-like, and of relatively soft material. The balance wheel, on the other hand is made of a hard metal. So no worries here.
The Saxomat is about the price of a Lange 1 in Singapore. And because I love automatics, this gave me the biggest dilemma and terrible struggle between going the way of a handwind or automatic.
The Lange 1 is as its name implies, the first of the resurrected watches designed to unseat Patek as King, and to make an impact with its re-entry. Numero Uno. With this brief, if I were Lange, I would need to pull out all the stops for this piece, and so it came to pass.
The Lange 1 has the signature date and the one complication most need in a handwind � the power reserve, all in a beautiful asymmetric off-centre face with no overlapping indicators. Further, it has double barrel springs giving a PR of 72 hours, and 53(!) jewels, 9 of them in chatons. Talk about "jewelled to the teeth", anything that even has a suggestion of friction has got a jewel schlepped to allow the smoothest long term friction-free running. The movement, Cal. L 901.0, like the Saxomat is unique. The 1815 +/- PR and Saxonia share the same basic Cal L 941 in different guises � L 941.1. 942.1 and 941.3 respectively. The Ab/Auf is more modified that the other 2 movements (with 46 additional components for the PR function), which share a closer heritage. The L 901.0 is not seen in any other guise and is be likely to remain unique to the Lange 1.
Lange seems to add functions in steps of 1/3 increments in pricing. So the simple 1815 is the base. The Saxonia with date is about 35% more expensive; the Ab/Auf is about 60% more than the base 1815, and the Lange 1 and Saxomat are about equal at about 110-120%. As Peter Chong says, the Lange 1 Saxomat is really "worth" about 100% of the 1815 rather than the 110-120% in "relative value".
The small Lange 1 has a 36mm vs. the 38.5mm regular case diameter and is designed for the Asian wrist. The regular 1 is really a perceptibly large watch on my wrist. The small Lange 1 is tempting for its rarity value (although it will be produced now as a main line, rather than a limited edition). The difference of 2.5mm really comes from a narrower bezel and steeper shoulder transition angle to the case side. The dial itself has largely the same dimensions. The characteristic Lange look depicted by the carefully proportioned dial-to-bezel ratio (characterised in other models e.g. 1815, Saxonia etc) is distorted in the small Lange 1.
The date change is no longer the Lange square push-button. This feature is removed due to space constraints in favour of the placement of a flush push-pin to conserve space. This also makes date change a little more difficult if the stylus or wooden toothpick is not to hand. The price for the small is actually a smidgen more expensive than the regular (~$300) Lange 1.
My choice was in essence narrowed down to the Saxonia and the Lange 1 regular or small. The Saxonia would represent my base "value" Lange, and the Lange 1 would be my top end. In the end, the regular Lange 1 won out for all the reasons mentioned, although no single one was a dominant factor, except perhaps for the its "uniqueness" of dial design, even amongst the other Langes and its movement design quality. The small Lange would have been nice also, but its proportions were destroyed by the case shrinkage that was not originally catered for.
I am currently pursuing the possibility of a SS Lange 1, probably with little luck. So now I own 1/3 of a Lange 1, I have a long way to go before I get the rest.
Regards
TC
Dr T.C. Khoo, writes under the pen-name of Mycroft in Timezone, and is a respected member of the community. He describes himself as a latent watchnut since young, and have a keen interest in simple round cases with elegant designs, with some complications, but avoids chronographs.
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