A few months ago, Lange & Söhne presented a new version of the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar in platinum. It gives me the opportunity to come back to this watch which is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting and accomplished Perpetual Calendars on the market. In fact, even if they do not necessarily come to mind like the chronograph, calendar complications are part of the Saxon manufacturer’s favorite repertoire. I remember very well the impact of the Langematik Perpetual which took advantage of the date display with the large double-window date and the beauty of its Sax-O-Mat caliber with 3/4 rotor. Introduced in 2001, it was for a long time a reference in the perpetual calendar watch of haute horlogerie.
The perpetual calendar complication was introduced in the context of the Lange 1 with the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar in 2012. This automatic watch stood out for the originality of its display, adopting the organization of the Lange 1 Daymatic (a mirror effect compared to the traditional display of the hand-wound Lange One) and offering an indication of the months using a peripheral ring. An extremely attractive piece that concentrated Lange & Söhne’s expertise from both a technical and decorative point of view, it really had only one flaw: that of having a tourbillon, not visible on the dial side, which tended to significantly increase the price tag.
And then, the good news arrived in 2021 with the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar: the perpetual calendar complication becomes available in the context of the Lange 1 and this time, without a tourbillon, and therefore with a more accessible price if we can put it that way (because it happily exceeds one hundred thousand euros). Two versions were unveiled in 2021: in rose gold with a gray dial and in white gold with a rose gold dial. I also had a weakness for the latter, which I found particularly successful, warm and ultimately quite original.
The mood changes with the brand new platinum version. With its black dial in solid silver, the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar adopts a much more sober style. We find the “Darth” approach of the old Lange 1 reference, the 101.035 with a black dial and a large black date as well. The Darth does not make us any younger because it was introduced in 1999 to remain in the catalog for 7 years. Despite its rather short lifespan, collectors have always appreciated this piece which stood out from the other Lange 1. In any case, it makes me very happy to find this black atmosphere in a more complex environment.
The dominant color has one main advantage: it reduces the perceived size of the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar, which is good news since the platinum case has a diameter of 41.9 mm (for a thickness of 12.1 mm). The other interest of the color is to highlight the very pretty blue sky of the moon phase display. Whether the stars are present or not (I remind you that this display includes a clever day/night indicator), the sky attracts our attention and this sub-dial almost becomes the essential element. The organization of the dial remains with the large date at 11 o’clock, the time display in the off-center sub-dial on the right and the famous peripheral ring of the months. As for the days of the week, they are indicated by a hand on the left of the dial and finally, the row of years uses a small window integrated into the triangle that materializes the current month.
The asymmetrical organization of the dial brings a lot of dynamism and breaks the codes of traditional perpetual calendar watches. Above all, it reminds us, thanks to the large date, that the most important point for this type of watch is the clear and readable display of the dates. After all, the other calendar information is primarily used to set the watch. What a perpetual calendar watch must do is display the dates without needing to make a correction when the month changes. Due to the design of the L021.3 caliber, the moon phase display adopts a similar approach since it only requires a correction of one day every 126 years. It should be noted, and this greatly contributes to the feeling of perfection that the watch generates, that the calendar information jumps at the same time and at midnight.
The L021.3 caliber has a similar base to that of the L021.1 caliber of the Lange 1 Daymatic. It was developed from the latter by the addition of the perpetual calendar mechanism. From an aesthetic point of view, it offers a stunning spectacle and can even be considered very (too?) demonstrative. The shape of the oscillating weight, the blued screws, the gold chatons, the perfect continuity of the Glashütte Stripes, Lange & Söhne deploys all its know-how and the result is a real treat for the eyes. However, we must appreciate this baroque approach. I understand it because it stages a very Germanic aesthetic that allows us to appreciate the different style elements of a Saxon manufacture. Performance is not forgotten. Not only is it there (precise and instantaneous jump) but also the adjustment of the calendar data is easy thanks to the pushers integrated into the left caseband. The only small criticism I could make is the duration of the power reserve (50 hours for a frequency of 3 Hz) which I find a little short for a watch with a perpetual calendar.
Finally, the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar in platinum is a great pleasure to wear. First of all, it is a heavy watch (I remind you that the nickel silver movement is heavy) and this feeling of weight is pleasant for me. In addition, wearing the watch gives you the opportunity to look at the details of the dial and their impeccable execution. Finally, the black color makes the watch more discreet, which is not a bad point these days.
I don’t know the exact price of this version, but given the platinum case, I can easily imagine that it will be well above one hundred thousand euros. Personally, I really liked this version, perhaps less charming than the white gold one, but ultimately more subtle and easier to wear. Due to its display, the quality of its execution and its technical content, the Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar in platinum, like the gold versions, is without a doubt a major perpetual calendar watch and constitutes a reference in the fine watchmaking segment, as was, in its time, the Langematik Perpetual.
The pros:
+ the pleasure of finding the “Darth” atmosphere again
+ the quality of the finishes
+ the technical performance of the movement and the ease of adjustment
The cons:
– a slightly short power reserve
