Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Daymatic

The Lange 1 is without question the manufacturer’s flagship model, and the big date function is its hallmark. Though foun d 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 ot her 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.” Debuting in 1994 in a hand-wound version, the Lange 1 Daymatic from 2010 introduced automatic winding, answering the call for those who preferred the convenience of a winding rotor.

This particular example from the mid-2010s is housed in a 39.5mm 18K white gold case with a sapphire crystal and sapp hire case back and features a matching 18K polished bezel, a satin silver dial with subsidiary hours and minutes at 3 o'clock, a seconds register at o'clock, a day indicator at o'clock, a framed date window at 11 o'clock, applied white gold indices, and a matching handset. It’s fitted to a black alligator leather strap with an 18K white gold pin buckle and comes with some of its factory goodies.

Powering this masterpiece is the Lange & Söhne Caliber L021.1, an automatic-winding movement th at’s stunning to behold — and which can thankfully easily be viewed via the exhibition case back

There are complicated watches, and then there are works of art. This is the latter.