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A. Lange & Sohne Grand Lange 1 Luminous 115.029 Luxury Watch Review

2,397 views · Published 6 April 2015 · 9:42 · Indexed 28 October 2026

Channel: The 1916 Company · 2015 · Howto & Style

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The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 *is* Lange. More than the flagship and icon of the reborn ALS manufacture, the Lange 1 is the big-date face of German watchmaking in the modern era. 

But there must be a contingent in the Glashutte manufacture that likes to live large and party into the night; that’s why ALS created this 42mm Grand Lange 1 Luminous in 18-karat white gold. It’s larger than both the original 38.5mm Lange 1 and the downsized 2012-present 41mm “Grand” Lange 1. 

And the largest Lange 1 like to stay up late, so a fully-lumed main dial and power reserve keep this substantial Saxon blazing long after the sun calls it quits. Bear in mind that very few formal watches – the standard Lange 1 and Grand Lange 1 included – feature no dial lume and cannot be read in the dark. But the Grand Lange 1 Luminous glows like a sports watch.

Lange knew that its post-communist comeback meant it was starting from scratch, so the road to credibility was paved with the skepticism of watch collectors weaned on boasts of "unbroken heritage" from denizens of Switzerland's "watch valley."

The watchmakers of A. Lange & Söhne's Glashutte factory labored from the fall of communism in 1990 to the 1994 relaunch of the company in order to make the Lange 1 perfect. Its 42mm 18-karat white gold case and hauntingly beautiful dial were worth the wait. The addition of light-green luminova to the dial enlivens the otherwise two-tone visage and creates an upbeat, playful detail. Who says German watchmakers don’t have fun? This is the nation that invented gummy bears, after all.

A. Lange & Söhne's Lange 1 and its caliber L901 exceeded all expectations and launched a Saxon dynasty that continues to this day. The dial benefits from calculated asymmetry and two immensely useful complications: a double-digit "big date" and a power reserve indicator.

While the big date is informed by a patent donated by sister firm Jaeger-LeCoultre, the device has become a trend setter within the industry and a signature element of Saxon watchmaking, in particular. Ask any real connoisseur of high horology to name the first house that comes to mind at the mention of "big date," and "Lange" will be his response.

The power reserve indicator keeps track of the in-house caliber L901's 72-hour power reserve. This movement is a gem in every sense, more than its generous autonomy between winds, the dual-barrel L901 is a case study in haut-de-gamme finishing standards.

A. Lange & Söhne employs "German Silver" to construct its movement plates and bridges. The nickel-copper alloy glows in a rich honey tone that's miles (hundreds, actually) removed from the frigid silver flash of Geneva's rhodium-plated brass. 

Lange's warm movement finish is enhanced by other timeless hallmarks go German watchmaking including screw-fixed jewel chatons, a hand-engraved balance cock, black-polished swan's neck regulator, and three-quarter bridge architecture. Many of these ancestral Saxon watch elements have been revived and restored to the public eye by Lange itself.

From 1994 to 2015, A. Lange & Söhne has grown to challenge every Swiss watchmaker in the high horology sector. No stranger to extreme complications or haute joaillerie, Lange nevertheless continues to refine the Lange 1 as its icon and standard-bearer.

See this A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1 Luminous 18-karat white gold in high-resolution images on:
https://www.the1916company.com/watches/a-lange-sohne/

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 Video and content by Tim Mosso.

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