A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1

What you’re looking at is an example of the most important wristwatches of the last 30 years. The Lange 1 is without question the manufacturer’s flagship model, and the big date function is its hallmark. Though found in watches like the Zeitwerk or the Langematik Sax-O-Mat, it’s in the Lange 1 that it’s shown to the greatest effect. Alongside other details such as asymmetrical sub-dials depicting the hours and sub-seconds, and the A. Lange & Söhne signature with its famous ampersand, it shows a clarity of vision that is wholly Lange. And while the Lange 1 has seen many versions, from a tourbillon to the Timezone, it’s the original that has become the symbol of the maison — and perhaps even the symbol of modern watchmaking itself.  This particular example from the early 2000s, housed in a 41mm 18K rose gold case with a sapphire crystal and sapphire case back, features a smooth polished bezel, a gorgeous glossy black base dial with grey subsidiary hours and seconds displays, a power