704.032 A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Tourbillon

Launched in the year 2000, the Lange 1 Tourbillon was the first complication within the Lange 1 family. The Lange 1 Tourbillon began with 250 examples of this ref. 704.032 in pink gold, followed by 150 examples of ref. 704.025 in platinum. Very much a product of Gunter Blümlein and Reinhard Meis’s direction, this Tourbillon loses none of the inherent Lange 1 balance. This was carefully considered and a challenge to accomplish. The resulting piece has always been a limited, special release (including the continuation models). These initial pieces were in production for just two years, a celebration of the successful first 6 years of the brand, leaning on a 100 year-old pocket watch design of the time while incorporating the brand’s carefully constructed design principles of the Lange 1. 

Photography courtesy of prior sales by Phillips and A Collected Man. 

Calibre L961.1 was engineered entirely at Glashütte with 378 components. The shape of the Tourbillon carriage nods directly to the Jahrhunderttourbillon, made for the Paris exhibition in 1900. The cage itself comprises 72 individual parts, held by two brilliant-diamond pivots in chatons. The tourbillon rotates counter-clockwise, a nod to the pocket watch tourbillon, once per minute. Remarkably, setting the time hacks both the tourbillon and seconds. The floral engraving motif has been opened to both tourbillon and third wheel bridges. Its calibre still contains the keyless works island from early Lange 1 movement design.

The Lange 1 Tourbillon has always been a small-run, celebratory piece. Following the original models (ref. 704.025 and 704.032), 2010 saw 165 examples in Honey Gold. In 2014, a Handswerkskunst iteration with an enamel dial was made in 20 examples. Finally, for the 25th Anniversary of the Lange 1, 25 examples were made in a ‘.027x’ white-blue configuration. The initial models of the Lange 1 Tourbillon (704.025 and 704.032) can be easily observed as separate from most continuation series by the area above the tourbillon. These early examples closed it, so as to not expose the date disc, leading to a curve against which ‘Made in Germany’ is emblazoned. Later examples opened this area and used sapphire discs to expose more of the tourbillon. Never in the main catalogue, any Lange 1 Tourbillon is a rarity. 

Scarce and complicated, the initial 400 productions of the Lange 1 Tourbillon have developed their own collecting category in early Lange. Finished, engraved, and designed thoughtfully, ref. 704.025 is the rare exception where complication has built on design rather than interrupting it. 

This example sports a fantastic case and complete kit. Bevels seem present and proud, the tourbillon itself running happily. It comes as part of Phillips online sale, hammering in 2 days.