A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Annual Calendar - Ref. 330.026
The watch
Leading the way in terms of function, clarity and balance since 2010, this is the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Annual Calendar. With seemingly effortless and elegant ease, this watch truly captures what it really means to be beautiful both inside and out.
A model of perfect equilibrium that exists in three colour variations: pink gold, white gold and platinum. The piece presented here, with reference 330.026, is the 18K solid white gold version. It dates from 2010, the year of the model's launch, placing it amongst the very first Saxonia Annual Calendars to have ever been created.
Solid, matt silver serves as the backdrop for a dial that seamlessly incorporates a number of calendar functions, each one honoured with the necessary space it requires to be fully and clearly legible. Perfectly centred just below the 12 and just above the dial signature, Lange's trademark outsize date function is located, which on this model is framed in white gold to coincide with the watch's 18K white gold case. Three completely symmetrical in size and shape subdials are located at the 3, 6 and 9. At the 3 the subdial for the month, at the 6 a combined subdial for seconds and moon-phase, and at the 9 the subdial for the day of the week. This placing of a function at each quarter marker of the dial results in a watch that conveys considerable detail in an entirely coherent and aesthetically absolutely on point manner. Perfect poise is the essence of the Saxonia Annual Calendar.
The blued steel, sword hour and minute hands sail delicately over and above the dotted, applied baton hour markers, which are fashioned from solid white gold. The blued hour and minute hands are echoed on the subdials by miniature versions that keep track of the months and days. The blue of all the hands, and the moon-phase function, creates distinct yet harmonious contrast with the otherwise argent monochrome palette of the watch. Connected minute markers neatly complete, frame and contain the lively yet perfectly ordered dial.
A domed, polished bezel holds the concave sapphire glass that covers the dial in place while strong, straight lugs extend directly from the case. On the case band, four micro-pushers are located for the annual resetting of the watch's calendar functions. They are found at the 4, 8, 9 and 10. The case band is completed with a fluted and signed white gold crown.
Turning to the signed caseback and a circular piece of sapphire glass reveals the watch's inner power, openly displayed in all its finest A. Lange & Söhne glory.
Movement
It is the stunning, 476-part, Calibre L085.1 that powers the Saxonia Annual Calendar. A calibre that is simply exemplary in both form and function.
The movement features A. Lange & Söhne's patented ZERO-RESET function, which simplifies and allows for incredibly precise time setting. When the crown is pulled, the seconds hand automatically jumps to zero and the minute hand can then be aligned with the respective minute marker to accurately restart the watch. An elaborate mechanism within the movement automatically recognises which months have 30 or 31 days and the display needs to be updated just once a year, during the transition from the last day of February to the first day of March. Should the watch never stop running, the moon-phase would need to be corrected by just one day every 122.6 years.
As is requisite for all Saxonia models, the caliber L085.1 is a movement of micromechanical brilliance. Yet the brilliance does not stop with the mechanics, the movement is a pure delight for the aesthetically intrigued eye. Glashütte stripes ripple across the delicately golden-hued bridges, while the luminous gold, embossed micro-rotor swings against a platinum winding mass and over the perlage decorated base plate. Heat-oxidised cobalt blue jewels light up the movement with their sparks of electric colour, the movement containing 43 jewels in total. The Calibre L085.1 is both mechanically and visually captivating.
The movement provides the watch with a power reserve of 48 hours and has a frequency of 21,600 A/h.
How it wears
Measuring 38.5 mm in diameter and 9.8 mm in height, the watch is incredibly slender when considering the mechanical function and power that it holds. The thick bezel and straight, yet handsomely curved lugs give the watch good and secure presence on the wrist. The overall feel is an extension of the dial aesthetic - perfect and beautifully balanced order.
The set & condition
One of the earliest Saxonia Annual Calendars to have been created, yet this watch is in good condition. The watch comes with its papers, original strap & buckle, and A. Lange & Söhne service box.
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 model is one of four launched in 1994, the year that A. Lange & Söhne was officially back in the watchmaking game after an almost fifty-year absence. With their mechanical precision and aesthetic sophistication, Saxonia watches continue to evoke the true, original spirit of A. Lange & Söhne.
If you desire to take a closer look at this precious timepiece, don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment. We are based in Ghent, Belgium
No stock kept on site
* Every watch is delivered in a Mr WATCHLEY Membrane Protection Box for a safe transportation in addition to its original set *
| Reference | 33.026 |
|---|---|
| Movement | Automatic |
| Caliber |
Calibre L085.1
|
| Dial | Matt silver |
| Size (Case) | 38,5 mm |
| Material (Case) | White gold |
| Bracelet |
Mr Watchley Saffiano Navy Blue |
| Glass | Sapphire |
| Condition | very good |
| Year | 2010 |
| Papers | Yes |
| Box | Service box |
| Warranty | 2 years |