The name Lange has been tied to watchmaking and the Saxony area of Germany for centuries. In the 1800s, Ferdinand Adolph Lange – which is where the “A” in A. Lange & Söhne comes from – began his watchmaking journey under the tutelage of master watchmaker Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes. Passed from father to son, the Lange name flourished, before encountering considerable obstacles during the 20th century.
In 1990, the brand was revived by the great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, Walter, and watch industry veteran, Günter Blümlein. A Nuremberg native, Blümlein grew up in post-War Germany, had previously overseen the resurgence of IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre. This started the four-year journey that Lange and Blümlein would go on with their small team to bring the company back from the ashes, with the release of their first four models on October 25, 1994. Today, the Lange 1 is one of the most distinctive watches in modern consciousness.
The ref. 151.027 with a display caseback and integrated Wellendorff bracelet was believed to be discontinued in 2000, two years prior to the ref. 101.027, and sets itself apart from its blue dial sibling Lange 1 thanks to its integrated white gold bracelet. The integrated bracelet on this piece marks it as particularly rare, with the design sloping directly into the case, without any lugs present. While there are some particularly unusual bracelet designs out there, the bracelet on this watch has a more traditional Milanese pattern. It is believed that most of Lange's bracelets were made by famous German goldsmith Wellendorff.
The two subsidiary dials, with the indication for the hours, minutes and seconds, have a slightly darker, even finish. The rest of the dial features a vertical, satin-brushed finish, providing a subtle contrast with the lightly recessed subdials in an almost two-tone fashion. The cult status of this early Lange 1 with blue dial is such that, in 2017, A. Lange & Söhne released a collection of watches with blue dials, directly inspired by this piece. Being an earlier piece from the German watchmaker, it is housed in a classically-sized 38.5mm case, similar to the original Lange 1.
Much attention is given to A. Lange & Söhne’s more technically-complicated watches, like the Datograph or Zeitwerk, but looking at this Lange 1, it is evident that their uncomplicated approach to form and design is equally noteworthy. More frequently produced with a white dial, this blue variant of the Lange 1 is an attractively modern example.
The piece is powered by the calibre L901.0, visible through the open caseback. The aesthetics of the movement are just as impressive as the mechanics, with chamfering and interior angles superbly hand-finished. Moreover, it features an artistic flourish, a balance-cock engraved by one of Lange’s master engravers. In fact, each individual watchmaker's unique engraving style can be identified as a result. The bridges and plates are made from German silver, an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc, with a warm silver tone that will develop a subtle patina over time.
