Watchlords

A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Saxonia Thin 37 at SIHH 2016 as the entry-level model in its collection. But “entry level” is relative at Lange, a brand that famously applies the same rigorous standards of production and finishing to all its watches, from the Saxonia Thin to the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar that retails for more than US$300,000.

For the purpose of this review, I will put this reputation to the test by examining each element of the watch in detail, and share my impressions of the ownership experience.





A. Lange & Söhne introduced the Saxonia Thin 37 at SIHH 2016 as the entry-level model in its collection. But “entry level” is relative at Lange, a brand that famously applies the same rigorous standards of production and finishing to all its watches, from the Saxonia Thin to the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar that retails for more than US$300,000.

For the purpose of this review, I will put this reputation to the test by examining each element of the watch in detail, and share my impressions of the ownership experience.

Glashüttenomics

Though owned by Swiss luxury conglomerate Richemont – which owns over two dozen brands including Cartier, IWC, and Panerai – Lange remains a boutique outfit with an annual output of about 4,500 watches, and a maximum production capacity of about 5,500 watches. This is a fraction of competitors like Audemars Piguet at about 45,000 watches per year, and Patek Philippe, where the figure is over 60,000.

While production volume is small, Lange is the largest employer in Glashütte, a small town with a population of about 8,000. Lange employs about 600 people at its Glashütte campus, though some commute in from the surrounding region, including the city of Dresden.

This headcount is primarily devoted to watchmaking, since Lange relocated its marketing department to Berlin in 2017. For comparison, Glashütte Original has a similar number of employees in Glashütte, while producing about 13,000 watches per year, or about three times what Lange does, albeit at a far more affordable price on average.


https://watchesbysjx.com/2021/09/lange- ... eview.html

17k and no loom? Nuts to that!
Seriously, this is my kind of watch. If only I were a little more well heeled and a lot more classy. Love the legibility, simplicity, execution, and that it’s a hand winder. So much harder to grab your attention with simplicity and skillful build than over-the-top outrageousness.

Blasè dial, enamel or lacquer over a matte texture would have been a nice touch in a watch of that price range, although I like the layout - the markers and hands are sharp; and while nicely decorated, pretty blasè specs on the movement.

Have to agree with the author that the ampersand of the ALS bespoke version of the Engravers typeface is indeed spectacular. /s