A. Lange & Söhne is a brand that’s hard to pronounce but easy to respect. Following decades of dormancy, the Glashütte-based watchmaker relaunched to critical acclaim in 1994. The brand produces decidedly high-end timepieces that reinterpret, not copy, a classical approach to watchmaking. Every Lange that emerges from the manufacture feels like a Lange thanks to a carefully crafted brand identity and nearly unparalleled movement finishing. Exactly where they stand among the best of the best is up for debate, but the brand has been making quite a strong argument for three decades and counting.
So let’s take a look at which references are among the best-selling A. Lange & Söhne watches on Chrono24 – we have limited ourselves to one reference per model line.
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 234.032
This 1815 Up/Down features signature Lange elements like their custom typeface and dual subdials that sit closer to 4 and 8 o’clock than they do to 3 and 9. Crafted in a 39mm pink gold case with prominent lugs, the wearer can admire the running seconds and power reserve indicator on the front of the dial and the exquisitely decorated Caliber L051.2 on the back. This is a watch that’s not trying to do too much, and what it does, it does beautifully.
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 101.032
What is the #1 Lange 1, you ask? According to our sales data, this discontinued pink gold and silver dial example reigns supreme. Here, you have the delightfully idiosyncratic dial layout of the Lange 1 with its perfectly calibrated proportions and respect for negative space presented in the warmth of pink gold. The Lange 1 has been a canvas for reinvention over the last few decades featuring moonphases, perpetual calendars, tourbillons, and more. But sometimes, the simplest statements are the most impactful.
A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Moon Phase 384.026
Balance, subtlety, and a little romance. That’s a fitting way to describe the Saxonia Moon Phase 384.026 in white gold. The hands and hour markers play the supporting roles for the two stars of the show, the grand date and the moonphase. Lange has proven that they can do complicated watches and proven that they can master simplicity, and this watch shows they can hit that sweet spot in between. Each element is in conversation with the rest, and the final product just sings.
A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk 140.029
Ok now Lange is just showing off. This Zeitwerk is an engineering marvel that requires impressive amounts of torque and precision to execute the digital time display. Indeed, entire articles could be written about the wonders, intricacies, and fail-safes of the Caliber L043.1. The design takes the same attitude of the large date and extends it even further into a statement piece. It’s a confident watch that pays respect to haute horlogerie but plays with convention all the same.
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus 363.068
It’s a sports watch done the way that only Lange can do. This high/low combination of a white gold case on a black rubber strap brings a decidedly modern touch to the Lange catalogue. It’s a way for Lange to enter the luxury sports watch conversation without losing sight of their identity. If the Odysseus introduces Lange to a wider audience, then so be it because they deserve the attention.
