A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia - Yellow gold - 102.001

A. LANGE & SOHNE SAXONIA 102.001
Yellow Gold | Silver dial

Origin

Resilient, precise and elegant German craftsmanship. A. Lange & Söhne came to life in the mid-nineteenth century thanks to the brilliance and meticulous attention to detail of Ferdinand Adolph Lange. In 1837, after having completed his training with distinction at the Technical School in Dresden, whilst simultaneously studying with renowned master watchmaker Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes, Lange’s desire for excellence took him to Paris where he would spend four years in order to fine tune his watch-making skills with the best in the business.

Enriched with exquisite knowledge and a strong desire to return prosperity to his homeland, the flailing German region of Saxony, in 1845 Lange established his watch-making business in the small town of Glashütte. Despite the initial challenges, Lange was not deterred and with his ability, unwavering perseverance and pioneering advances - he was the first watchmaker in Europe to use the metric system - the company flourished. It would continue to do so under the guidance of subsequent generations of the Lange family until 1948, when time would unfortunately stop ticking for the Saxonian brand due to the Soviet occupation of East Germany.

Yet strong, cultivated spirit and tradition are hard to break. With nothing more than a clear vision and sheer determination, in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin wall, Ferdinand’s great grandson Walter Lange, together with successful watch manager Günter Blümlein, set about re-establishing the pinnacle of German watch-making, A. Lange & Söhne.

The Saxonia collection is one of the pillars of the brand’s renaissance. The name of the collection closely linking to the roots of the brand; tradition, precision and sophistication define Saxonia watches. One of the most long-standing collections of the brand to date, Saxonia models have varied in size from 34mms to 40mms and from self-winding to manual movements. The development of the Saxonia collection began with four generations of manually-wound watches, spanning from 1994 to 2015. The model 102.001 originates from 1994 and therefore is a first-generation Saxonia, a true original and symbolic piece of the brand’s renaissance. 

The watch

This particular watch is not only an original but one of the very first to have been assembled in Saxony at the time of the brand’s rebirth. The serial number of this watch, 11004XX (serial numbers began 11XXXXX), places it within the first five hundred pieces produced by the newly refounded A. Lange & Söhne. A significant historical attribute most certainly not to be overlooked.

With a 34 mm yellow-gold case matched with a silver/champagne dial, we are in the realm of timeless elegance and definitive luxury. To add slight sparkle, as with certain Tourbillon Pour Le Mérite pieces, the dial features small diamond shaped markers, which are lightly interspersed with unconnected minute markers. Fine, gold arrow hands glide across the dial, over the big date placed at 12 and the small second at 6. Understated yet solid perfection, completed with sapphire glass and a rare closed caseback. 

This is a rather unique feature of this Saxonia model. Production of closed caseback Saxonias was very short-lived, only pursued throughout 1994 before a swift change to open casebacks. Closed caseback Saxonias would remain in the catalogue for just three years.

The movement

The 102.001 Saxonia model is powered by the Arkade caliber L911.3. A manual wound rectangular movement which is technically remarkable for its size, allowing a big date attachment with 42 hours of power reserve.

eminent for its outstanding functionality and avant-garde precision, beating at a traditional frequency of 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour, allowing a big date attachment with 42 hours of power reserve.

The set & condition

The Saxonia watch is fitted with a Mr Watchley Saffiano Terracottan strap and it is presented with its original pin buckle. The watch is untouched and in great condition. 

If you desire to take a closer look at this precious timepiece, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment.