On July 12th, 1990 in Dippoldiswalde, A. Lange & Söhne re-established their foothold as the cornerstone of German watchmaking, exactly 145 years after their great-grandfather Ferdinand Adolph Lange registered his trademark as A. Lange & Cie. The success of A. Lange & Söhne was primarily attributed to the contributions of individuals such as Walter Lange, Günter Blümlein, Hartmut Knothe on the management side, and Reinhard Meis, Helmut Geyer, Renaud & Papi, and many others on the technical front. Within 10 years, the company achieved remarkable success. This achievement was absolutely worthy of celebration. The result of that? A 500-piece limited edition A. Lange & Söhne Langematik Anniversary Jubilee Ref. 302.025 in platinum, which is also the watch we are very pleased to offer on the site today.
In my books, the Langematik Anniversary Ref. 302.025 is the kind of watch that exudes an unparalleled sense of class right from the very beginning. Everything about this watch just makes sense. Starting with its conservatively sized platinum case measuring at 37mm, its construction features three individual sections with alternating finishing on each respective layer – you have a satin brushed mid-case, and a mirror-polished bezel and caseback. This highlights the slim 8.6mm case profile of the Langematik Anniversary Jubilee and in turn, provides a nice visual contrast between each layer. Despite being very thin, the case of the watch is constructed with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that it maintains all the distinctive features that are typical of an A. Lange & Söhne case.
Moving on to the front, its gorgeous grand feu enamel dial is what I think is the real tour de force here. The dial underwent an intricate process involving up to 20+ firings of vitreous/glass-based paint. The outcome is a shiny and lustrous surface, which is visible in this captivating enamel dial. Apart from its enamel construction, it also features a beautiful set of Roman numerals as hour indications, a set of thermal-blued alpha-style hands, a chemin-de-fer style chapter ring at its periphery, and a red “XII” to mark the 12 o ‘clock position.
In addition to its remarkable and crisp dial, powering this work of mechanical art lies A. Lange & Söhne's self-winding, 36-jeweled, in-house Cal. L921.7 movement, which is fundamentally an early version of the Sax-0-mat caliber (we’ll get to this in a bit). It boasts a power reserve of 46 hours, and utilizes an exceptional blend of historic movement aesthetics and modern technicalities. I have said this many times and I will say it again: one of the best things about owning an A. Lange & Söhne is the opportunity to just turn the watch on its back and admire its movement. What else can I say? The Cal. L921.7 is absolutely sensational from top to bottom - from the movement architecture, harmonious visual blend of colors, and the intricate details such as the iconic engraved balance cock as well as the engraved 24-carat gold rotor which bears a platinum mass beneath it. Now, the main reason why this Cal. L921.7 is deemed an early version of the Sax-0-mat was due to its patented zero-reset hacking mechanism. When the crown is engaged, this function will stop the balance and enable the seconds hand to automatically reset to zero, making it a more precise way of time-setting. Ultimately, the Cal. L921.7 is a fitting tribute to the incredible watch it powers.
When it comes to special editions from A. Lange & Söhne, I’d go as far as to say that this Langematik Anniversary Jubilee Ref. 302.025 sits near the top of the list. It is also relatively rare and I haven’t seen too many of these in the wild. Apart from it being a commemorative edition to celebrate the brand’s 10-year anniversary in the year 2000, it is at its very core, an exceptional work of German horological art and undoubtedly an impressive watch that eloquently illustrates A. Lange & Söhne’s no-compromise approach to watch design and construction.
