Introducing: The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar "Lumen"

What We Know

If you had to pick the two most iconic models from Germany's leading luxury watch brand, you'd likely land on the Datograph and the Lange 1. Two years after bringing its "Lumen" concept to the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon, the brand is now applying the same treatment to its most complicated Lange 1—the Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar—this time in platinum, and featuring a smoked sapphire dial and bright luminous printing and display

The Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar "Lumen" has all the best features of a Lange model—great case, recognizable display, big date—with a smoked sapphire dial that lets you see through to the movement side normally hidden. Under strong UV light, the luminous material that makes up the display discs, hands, printing, and month disc suddenly pops out even more. Even the stars on the moonphase disc light up in the night sky. The display shows the moon phase, power reserve, leap-year cycle, month, date, and time.

As it's a complicated watch, the case is a bit thicker, but not ridiculously so. The watch measures 41.9mm by 13mm and is delivered on a hand-stitched black alligator leather strap with a deployant quick-lock buckle in 950 platinum.

The watch features an automatic movement with a 50-hour power reserve. But it also features a 3Hz tourbillon and wonderful finishing shown through the display caseback, seen on their German silver bridges. As for how available it is, the answer is "not very." The watch is limited to 50 pieces, and the price is "in the range of €550,000."

What We Think

It almost feels like A. Lange & Söhne is releasing a "Lumen" every year. In reality, the pace is still one model every 2 to 3 years, but between those models and the more frequent use of Honeygold, it seems like the brand is giving collectors exactly what they want, and at a decent clip.

They're also leaning into their more complicated models, with the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold Lumen being the last variant (and most complicated Datograph) and now the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, which is their most complicated Lange 1. And it seems to fit quite well, with an impressive watch now getting the brand's most coveted treatment. Limited to only 50 pieces, there's not much more I could say about this watch, as I assume it'll largely be pre-allocated by the time this story comes out, but it sure is a stunner.

The Basics

Brand: A. Lange & Söhne
Model: Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar "Lumen"
Reference Number: 720.035FE

Diameter: 41.9mm
Thickness: 13mm
Case Material: 950 platinum
Dial Color: Sapphire crystal, coated; all displays luminous
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Throughout
Water Resistance: Not provided
Strap/Bracelet: Hand-stitched black alligator leather; Deployant quick-lock buckle in 950 platinum

The Movement

Caliber: Lange manufacture caliber L225.1
Functions: Time indicated in hours, minutes, and subsidiary seconds; tourbillon with stop seconds; perpetual calendar with
instantaneously switching displays for outsize date, retrograde day of week, month, and leap year; moon-phase display with integrated day/night indication
Diameter: 34.1mm
Thickness: 8.3mm
Power Reserve: 50 hours
Winding: Automatic unidirectional winding, central rotor with centrifugal mass in 950 platinum
Frequency: 21,600 vph
Jewels: 74 (including 1 diamond endstone)
Chronometer Certified: No
Additional Details: Main corrector for jointly advancing all calendar indications and one corrector each for day of week, month, and moon phase