101.061, Lange 1, 20th Anniversary, Platinum

This is a ref. 101.061, made in just 20 examples for Lange’s 20th Anniversary. A. Lange & Söhne unveiled its first post-reunification collection in Dresden on 24 October 1994, and the Lange 1 quickly became the manufacture's signature. For its 20th, Lange presented five his-and-hers sets at Watches & Wonders Hong Kong in September 2014, each pairing a 38.5mm Lange 1 with a diamond-set Little Lange 1. Each configuration was limited to 20 sets, and neither watch was ever sold alone. This 101.061 is the platinum case, rhodié dial, blue ink configuration, which is being offered here for the first time ever on its own. 

Every anniversary Lange 1 dial was guilloché, nodding to the historic 100-example Lange 1A of 1998 yet updating it meaningfully. The 101.061 gives each level its own pattern: overlapping arcs fan across the dial main, a small rosette fills the hours, and a yet smaller variant sits within the small seconds. Each is framed by its own dimpled chapter ring. Then there is the blue. Of the five sets, only the 101.061 was printed in blue: logo, minute track, power reserve, even the outsize date numerals. Five years later, Lange dressed its entire 25th Anniversary collection in the same livery of deep blue print on a silvery dial with blue date numerals. The 101.061 got there first and was the only one of the sets to do so.

Behind the sapphire caseback is the calibre L901.0, with 365 parts, twin barrels (the Doppelfederhaus on the dial) and 72 hours of reserve. Its hand-engraved balance cock carries a "20", a mark reserved for these sets and read variously as the anniversary and the edition size. These were also among the last Lange 1s built on the original L901.0; the 2015 redesign moved the line to the L121.1 and 191-series references.

The platinum-and-rhodium pairing recalls the original 'Stealth' Lange 1s, the 101.005 and 101.025, recast with guilloché and subtle, Teutonic use of colour. Only 20 were made, and they seldom surface. As some of the final first generation Lange 1s, these are fittingly ornate, high-handcraft celebrations of the L901.0.

This 101.061 presents in excellent overall condition. Its case is extremely well preserved, with only light signs of careful wear, commensurate with its age. Its calibre L901.0 is running perfectly in specification on our timing equipment. It comes with its full set and all original accessories.

This example is modelled on an average-sized 7-inch wrist.