The Rebirth of A. Lange & Söhne
The name Lange has been tied to watchmaking and the Saxony area of Germany for centuries. In the 1800s, Ferdinand Aldoph 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 20th century. The brand got caught up in the turmoil caused by World War One, the financial crash of 1929, World War Two and was finally placed under the rule of the Soviet Union. The company was nationalised for the next 45 years, essentially spelling the end of the A. Lange & Söhne name.
Years later, in 1990, the brand was resuscitated by the great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, Walter, and watch industry veteran, Günter Blümlein. Blümlein, a Nuremberg native who 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 the 24th October 1994. The brand released four innovative models, all possessing their own distinctive visual language: the Arkade, Saxonia, Tourbillon Pour le Mérite and the Lange 1.
The Richard Lange Collection
A. Lange & Söhne first introduced the Richard Lange family of watches in 2006, intended to focus on certain aspects of precision timekeeping. This willingness is apparent in their observation watches, which were specifically made for scientific expeditions and navigation. The overall theme of this collection is that it encompasses some of precision watchmaking’s most classic complications, all of which are designed to improve timekeeping.
This time-only Ref. 232.032 was created as a tribute to A. Lange & Söhne’s history with scientific observation watches, with a particular focus on precision. This watch features a "hacking function", allowing for a more exact method of setting the time, as the crown can be pulled out to stop the second hand.
The Design
This Richard Lange Ref. 232.032 takes a more distinguished route with its design, focusing on a classic, minimalist look. The dial itself is made of argent silver, a tincture of silver that translates into a type of white metal, and the painted Roman numerals are crisp and sharp, hailing back to an older tradition of observation watches. A seconds chapter ring can be found on the outermost part of the dial, whilst the central portion of the is delicately recessed, providing added depth to the simplistic layout.
The hands of the watch are rendered in rose gold to match the case metal, while a single second hand is in blued steel, providing a startling blue accent that draws the eye to its journey around the dial. At 40.5mm, this piece sits comfortably on the wrist, its size allowing it to be read easily and clearly.
The Movement
This Richard Lange Ref. 232.032 is powered by the calibre L041.2, an A. Lange & Söhne original. The aesthetics of the movement are just as impressive as the mechanics. Fitted with a balance spring made in-house (patented in the 1930s by Richard Lange himself) and a three-quarter plate that is typical of the brand, the focus is on providing absolute accuracy.
Additionally, the movement is beautifully chamfered, polished, and finished with Geneva stripes to a very high standard, while the jewels and blued screws provide a visual contrast to the minimalistic dial. The L041.2 movement contains 26 jewels, ticks at 21,600 per hour, and comes with a hacking function.
The Set
This Ref. 232.032 comes with an outer and inner box, a hardcover book regarding the ‘History of Your Watch’ that contains details of the servicing procedure in addition to service and owner logs, an instructional booklet, and a certificate of guarantee from A. Lange & Söhne. A microfibre cleaning cloth for the watch is also provided, in addition to a bespoke anthracite grained strap, brown alligator strap from A. Lange & Söhne and the manufactures corresponding rose gold tang buckle.
