With a reduced case diameter of 36mm, this "Little" Lange 1was introduced shortly after the release of the original design, targeted at collectors seeking a more modest case size. Only a small handful of these were ever made, with evidence suggesting that no more than 100 pieces were produced in this configuration.

The Rebirth ofA. Lange & Shne

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 & Shne 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 caughtup in the turmoil caused by World War One, the financial crash of 1929, World War Two and was finally placedunder the rule of the Soviet Union. Thecompany was nationalised for the next 45 years, essentially spelling the end of the A. Lange & Shne name.

Years later, in 1990,the brand was resuscitatedby the great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, Walter, and watch industry veteran, Gnter Blmlein.Blmlein, 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 Blmlein 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 24^thOctober 1994.The brand released four innovative models, all of the with their own distinctive visuallanguage, theArkade,Saxonia,Tourbillon Pour le Mriteand theLange 1.

A "Little" Lange 1

Shortly after theinception of the Lange 1, the brand introduced the "Little" Lange 1, with a reduced case diameter of 36mm, down from the 38.5mm of the original. This was done following requests understood to have originally come from Japanese collectors, who appreciated the pared back asymmetrical design, but were after a more conservative case size. Considering just how influential the Asian market was at the time,A. Lange & Shne decided to entertain this unusual request,adapting theirdesign to thismore conservative size.

Introduced in 1998, it is believed that the "Little" Lange 1 was only produced for a small handful of years. The size was then entirely discontinued, untilA. Lange & Shne brought it back a few years later, though this time with designs clearly aimed at female collectors. This version of the "Little" Lange 1has comes to be known as "The Stealth" amongst collectors, on account of its platinum case and silver dial, which give the watch a discrete,monochromaticappearance. Evidence suggests that no more than 100 pieces were produced in this configuration, making this early version of the Lange 1 as rare as it is unusual.

The Design

The decentralised arrangement of the displays on the dial is characteristic, with the centers of the displays designed to form the corners of an isosceles triangle. The masterful use of empty space, with none of the displays overlapping, creates an overall sense of balance and refinement. In keeping with this classic styling, the watch features a crisp silver dial and faceted hands. Overall, the proportions of the original Lange 1 have beensubtly adapted to the smaller size of the "Little" Lange 1.

The oversized date disc, a signature designfrom the brand,is displayed at the top right corner of the dial, inspired from the at Semper Opera Housein Dresden. At 3 oclock, the power reserve is indicated in German, a reminder of the manufactures origins. The two subsidiary dials, with the indication for the hours, minutes and seconds, have a slightly lighter tone andiridescent finish.The rest of the dial features a mattefinish, providing a subtle contrast with the lightly recessed subdials.

In order to keep the design as slender as possible, the pusher to adjust the date, usually found on the left hand side, has been replaced with a small corrector which sits flush to the case.If you turn the watch over, the movement also occupies more space relative to the larger Lange 1 designs. Whereas collectors can sometimes complain aboutmovements looking too small relative to the size of a case, the balance between thecalibreL901.0 and the 36mm case is excellent.

The Movement

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 ofLangesmaster engravers. In fact, it is said that each individual watchmaker's unique engraving style can be identified as a result. The bridges and plates are made fromGermansilver, an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc, with a warm silver tone that will develop a subtle patina over time. The use of this metal, along with the hand-engraved balance cock is a signature ofA. Lange & Shne.

TheA. Lange & Shne Lange 1houses a manual-winding calibre L901.0, with a 72-hour power reserve. The movement is comprised of 398 components, of which 54 are jewels and five screwed gold chatons the latter of which are a mark ofLanges traditionally Germanmovement. The watch has a lever escapement and the balance beats at 21,600 A/h.

The Set

ThisA. Lange & Shne Lange 1ref. 111.025comes on our grey grained leatherstrap, as well as itsoriginal blackalligator strap and corresponding platinumtangbuckle. It is also accompanied by its original outer box, leather box, instruction manual andGuarantee (confirming sale in 2001, at Pendulum Ltd. in Thailand). It also comes with A. Lange & Shneservicing paperwork from October 2019.

Closer look