A. Lange & Söhne

It's just past 12 a.m. Singapore time on 15 December 2009 so here it is.

 

Highlights of the new Lange 1 Daymatic (what a name):

 

39.5 mm case diameter

Automatic movement with 50 hour power reserve

Day and date indicators

 

I look forward to seeing this at SIHH. 

 

- SJX

 

 

Press release:

 

Finally Automatic as well – the LANGE 1 DAYMATIC

 

With a totally new self-winding movement developed from the ground up, the LANGE 1 DAYMATIC adds a further chapter to the success story of A. Lange & Söhne’s most famous timepiece family. Its discreet distinguishing feature is a mirrored dial layout. A retrograde day-of-week indication forms the perfect counterpoint to the outsize date display.

 

 

 

Since it premiered over 15 years ago, the LANGE 1 has been the unmistakable face of A. Lange & Söhne. With its off-centre dial arrangement and the patented outsize date display, it became the manufactory’s instantly recognisable design icon, ranking among the most commended wristwatches of all times. Simultaneously, it is one of the most successful timepieces of the acclaimed watchmaking company. Its popularity prompted the development of a complete LANGE 1 family composed of six highly distinctive models that share one common asset: a manually wound movement with a twin mainspring barrel for a power reserve of three days visualised by a progressive power-reserve indicator. However, there was never a self-winding LANGE 1. But now, the wait is over. For all the devotees of this exceptional watch, including those who derived personal enjoyment from feeding it with the necessary energy, the manufactory now presents the self-winding LANGE 1 DAYMATIC with a retrograde day-of week display. For the watch family with the prestigious name, it stands for the beginning of a new era.

 

At first sight, it seems familiar, but a closer look shows that it is innovative in every respect. Endowed with a newly developed self-winding movement, it affords a totally novel perspective of the LANGE 1. In comparison with the manually wound LANGE 1, the dial of the LANGE 1 DAYMATIC is reflection-symmetric. Only connoisseurs will note this discreet hallmark of the self-winding LANGE 1. On its face, the main dial with the hour and minute hands is now on the right side. For most watch enthusiasts who wear their timepieces on their left wrists, this layout has the advantage that when they pull back their sleeve, the first thing they will see is the most important information: the time. Conversely, the patented outsize date was moved from its customary position at the top right to the top left. Beneath it, the useful retrograde day-of-week display creates balance, replacing the power-reserve indicator which a self-winding watch does not require. The date and day-of-week displays can be conveniently and separately advanced with two push pieces.

 

 

 

As was the case with the classic LANGE 1, the displays of the LANGE 1 DAYMATIC are harmoniously arranged on the solid-silver dial. For instance, the centre of the outsize date and the arbours of the day-of-week and seconds hands are on the same vertical axis. This is the baseline of an isosceles triangle whose tip lies exactly in the middle of the main dial.

 

The case of the LANGE 1 DAYMATIC in yellow gold, pink gold or platinum has a stately diameter of 39.5 millimetres, almost one millimetre larger than the LANGE 1. It houses the self-winding calibre L021.1 which was developed from the ground up. Efficient winding is assured by a heavy central rotor delicately embossed with the “A. Lange & Söhne” signature. It occupies the entire 31.6-millimetre diameter of the movement. The LANGE 1 DAYMATIC has a three part rotor. The inner part has to spokes and is made of a copper beryllium alloy, the middle segment is made of gold, and the centrifugal mass on the outer rim is platinum.
The platinum centrifugal mass transforms even the most subtle gestures of the wrist into kinetic winding energy. When fully wound, the mainspring has a power reserve of 50 hours.

 

 

 

The movement features many other quality traits that are typical for Lange, including the hand-engraved balance cock, an indexless oscillation system based on a large balance wheel with eccentric poising weights as well as a balance spring developed and manufactured in-house. It beats at a rate of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour. The crowning accents of Lange-style craftsmanship are seven screwed gold chatons secured with thermally blued screws. Precious details like these constitute the genetic fingerprint that clearly identifies the LANGE 1 DAYMATIC as a member of the exquisite LANGE 1 family.

 

 

 

This message has been edited by SJX on 2009-12-17 04:08:30

It all sounds very promising. Having the day instead of the power reserve makes sense on an automatic.
Would like to see pictures of the movement!

On the other hand, it is always dangerous making something that is very close to an icon like the Lange 1.
Time will tell.

Overall, certainly interesting,

br,
Dirk

Any movement pics?  Would love to see how it looks.

 

Thanks for the information.

 

 

Vte

 

But what I would REALLY like to see is pictures of the MOVEMENT.  That may end up being the deciding factor.  Although looking at mine, I still need to get used to the mirror-reversed placement of the main dial...

Love the Day indicator.
Not sure why "Automatic" was added to the L1 line up. I am intrigued to understand the rational behind the movement.
For me, Manual is part of the Lange DNA ( With respect to all fellow enthusiast that own a Langematic ).
will wait to hear what the experts have to say...
Good luck
Rabs

I hate winding watches. I don't particularly enjoy the feeling, and it bothers me that I am placing unnecessary wear on the gaskets. Furthermore, I keep the watches I wear frequently running on winders. Thus, I'm not a candidate for a manually-wound watch.

Out there in the non-WIS world, there are many people like me: they are happy to wear a watch but can't be bothered (or can't remember) to wind it consistently. What those people want is . . . an automatic watch!

Thanks, Lange, for making what sounds like an examplary automatic movement to go along with the iconic design so that those of us who like automatics can enjoy the Lange 1 look.

One cant say it's not a passionate response !
I surely did not know some people felt so strong about winding a watch.
I guess you got your watch then . hope to see some wrist shots soon
all the best
rabs

I didn't know that you had such a strong preference for automatic watches!

This watch has your name all over it!

... its more logic to have the sub-dial of the time on the right side of the dial. When the watch is half hidden under the sleeve, its possible to guess time
I think its a fine tuned version of the Lange 1. Slightly bigger case, but with harmonious proportions.

The week days on the left side of the dial, gives a nice dynamic, going from monday towards the week end is nice to have it translated visually.

The cherry on the cake is the RED "s" of sunday ( even if they mean it in german ...) its becoming the little "fun" touch of Lange. Personally, i love it, maybe because i got used to it with my Timezone. It might seem like nothing, but IMO it adds a lot to the watch, if it was black, it would have been much more boring and banal.

Bottom line i love that watch!

Karim

No message body

following the hands that turn in this direction.

... beside the red "S". its the positioning between the Lange 1 and the grand lange 1. The size of the case is at mid-distance from the 2.... and the sub-dial of the seconds is finally back to its place, not stepping anymore in the sub-dial of the time.
Might seem like nothing, but the real lange DNA represented by the Lange 1 is safe

Karim

"For most watch enthusiasts who wear their timepieces on their left wrists, this layout has the advantage that when they pull back their sleeve, the first thing they will see is the most important information: the time."

I believe that's exactly what FP Journe said when he first came out with his Octa Calendrier... I personally wouldn't repeat this line knowing that it's been used before...

Nonetheless, Lange 1 is still an absolutely beautiful watch.

S.

... but i impressed, thanks for letting me know that . Because its the 1st thing that came to my mind when i saw the sub-dial on the right side of the dial

But of course, Lange did come out with its eccentric dials long before FPJ did...
Anyway, I was just kinda surprised that Lange would use more or less the "same" line in its press release... that's all...

Hope to get some movement photos of this very interesting timepiece!

Again, a bit of a surprise from Lange, but not a bad surprise.

I'm slightly flustered by the fact that the watch's DAY display starts on Saturday. In Europe, my understanding is that the week starts on Monday, in the United States, the week starts on Sunday. I'm a bit perplexed as to why Lange designers had the day start on Saturday... Perhaps they'll do a piece unique for me (just kidding)...

Looking forward to seeing the piece in person and figuring out how to adjust it and make it work! Does it have a screw-down crown?

You just set the date 1st, then using the internally recessed pushpiece to set the day of the week, so like today is Tuesday the 15th. So you just synchronise them.

The day starts on Monday bro, if you see the bottom it's Montag, and then ends on SUnday, which is in red. What were you referring to to say that it starts on saturday?

It won't have a screw-down crown, no current nor past Lange does. Maybe one day in the future, but just not yet.

Cheers

Stephen 

I assumed the day display moved from top to bottom, when it could've easily moved from bottom to top. Which ultimately makes more sense since it's universal that Sunday is in red. I thought it started on Saturday because I was reading it from top to bottom (and assuming the hand moved from top to bottom).

To have the dial start on a Sunday and end on Saturday would probably not require any technical change to the movement.

Thank you for so quickly explaining to me the function of this movement! I had the wrong perception for only a few minutes!

No message body

Patrick,

It does start on Monday (from the bottom), not Saturday.

S.

No message body

.... The red "s" is for sunday, and it starts down on monday
Do u like it more now?

K.

No message body

I like how Lange thinks about the fact that an Automatic watch not needing a power reserve indicator. That is the one true and complete perfect logic, one that I hope all other manufacturers follow.

The centralised and full rotor should be visually interesting, since this is a 1st for Lange.

But for me personally, the size and the presence of a rotor does it for me.

Great piece, but just not for me. Oh well let's see what else they have up their sleeves for SIHH 2010!

Cheers and thanks for sharing this SJX

Stephen

... no wonder all the rest is gonna look almost ridiculous )... 
The fact that they have a brand new movement, created from scratch is something we have to discover still. I am personally hoping for a mini-rotor... Maybe it can do it I  know that an automatic movement is band from ur lexic.

Karim

Lol, yes i have to say a very big sorry that Lange just can't have a good and simple hand wound watch!

But of course, i don't believe that this Daymatic is but the only one released this year!

Hmm, i won't dare to say that this is a new movement, they took 8 years just to created this "shit" ?

Lange lange, sometimes i think i love you too much!

Just my 2 cents, or rather, 2 yen!

Stephen

I confirm that the argument of having the time on the right side of the dial has been used by Journe a few years ago.Anyway,seems like that whereas the tech dept at Lange still manage to develop and improve amazing movements,their design team is scrapping the barrel a bit.

I understand that its difficult in these times to have the guts to discontinue an icon like the L1 and sobstitute it with a possible new milestone,but in this case there is a serious lack of inventivity from Lange.How long are they gonna milk the L1 for?I would hate that the L1 will become like the Royal Oak or the Daytona.Thats why I'm a Lange fan.

Nice touch with the retrograde date(a novelty from Lange if I'm not wrong),but I would have loved to see it on a new model like a calendar or a GMT.

To me their marketing is failing a bit.The Lange 1 has some unchangeble feature like the 3/4 plate ,hand wound,etc etc....

Doing so Lange is watering down a great Icon IMO.

Yours,Mo.

It's been out for so long, it's got so many variations and it's still not yet discontinued since production 15 yrs ago...

I have to respectfully disagree.

I can't say I think it is becoming Royal Oak-ish. I haven't gotten that feeling.

It's not unusual for a brand to offer some different dial and hand combinations for a popular model. Look at Patek's 5146, which is offered in many different models; different metals, different dial combos, strap/bracelet, diamond bezel (5147), etc. Do you think that's Royal Oak-ish?

Maybe Patek should discontinue the Calatrava and Rolex the Submariner?

The L1 is iconic and I hope Lange will never discontinue it. Interesting variations (that are true variations, not just dial changes) keep it fresh.