“…One of the reasons collectors find it impossible to resist timepieces by A. Lange & Söhne lies in their unmistakable sense of classic elegance, paired with exceptional mechanical expertise. Whether through manually wound movements or self-winding calibres, each creation is conceived, crafted, and finished in-house with meticulous attention to detail…”
Since its revival in 1990, the Glashütte manufacture has never ceased to advance its technical mastery. This relentless pursuit is reflected in movements that are not only visually refined but also deliver remarkable precision and accuracy—hallmarks of German watchmaking at its finest.
Lange manufacture calibre L922.1 (LANGEMATIK PERPETUAL)
Following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Walter Lange, the great-grandson of founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange, recognised an opportunity to revive his family’s legacy in Glashütte, turning vision into reality in 1990.
Since its official relaunch in 1994, A. Lange & Söhne has developed more than 70 in-house calibres. While manually wound movements remain at the core of the brand’s identity, automatic winding has emerged as a distinct and steadily evolving pillar of its technical development over nearly three decades.
All automatic calibres are designed, manufactured, and finished entirely in-house. Their architecture adheres to the same principles that define every Lange movement, from the untreated German silver three-quarter plate to screwed gold chatons, thermally blued screws, and hand-engraved balance cocks. In this way, the integration of automatic winding remains firmly rooted in the traditions of Saxon watchmaking.
LANGE 1 TOURBILLON PERPETUAL CALENDAR
The first self-winding wristwatch introduced after the brand’s revival was the LANGEMATIK in 1997, powered by the calibre L921.2. It marked the beginning of automatic winding within the modern A. Lange & Söhne collection.
The movement was named SAX-O-MAT: “SAX” referring to Saxony, the historic centre of German watchmaking; “MAT” denoting the automatic mechanism; and “O” representing the zero-reset function. When the crown is pulled, the seconds hand returns instantly to zero, allowing for precise time-setting.
The calibre L921.2 features a central rotor with a 21-carat gold mass for efficient winding. Its construction seamlessly integrates automatic winding into Lange’s traditional movement architecture, demonstrating that self-winding mechanics can coexist with the three-quarter plate without compromising its identity.
LANGE 1 DAYMATIC in Honeygold with Calibre L021.1
Automatic movements at A. Lange & Söhne are developed specifically for each timepiece. In 2010, the manufacture introduced the LANGE 1 DAYMATIC, powered by the calibre L086.1—an entirely new self-winding movement rather than an adaptation of an existing manual one.
To preserve the recognisable design of the LANGE 1, the dial layout was mirrored. The power-reserve indicator was replaced with a retrograde day display, while the off-centre time display and outsize date were repositioned accordingly.
The calibre features a bidirectional central rotor in a skeletonised design, revealing the movement’s refined finishing. Automatic winding has also been incorporated into high complications, such as the calibre L082.1, which combines a tourbillon with a perpetual calendar featuring a peripheral month ring. The inclusion of a stop-seconds mechanism within the tourbillon allows for precise time-setting down to the second.
SAXONIA OUTSIZE DATE
The SAXONIA ANNUAL CALENDAR is powered by the calibre L085.1, measuring just 5.7 millimetres in height. It integrates the annual calendar mechanism within a compact automatic construction, preserving balanced case proportions. Meanwhile, the SAXONIA OUTSIZE DATE houses the calibre L086.8, pairing automatic winding with Lange’s signature outsize date display in a refined, understated design.
In 2019, the brand introduced the ODYSSEUS, a timepiece developed with everyday robustness in mind. It is powered by the calibre L155.1 DATOMATIC—a name that combines “date” and “automatic”. Designed specifically for this model, the movement features large date and day displays, along with a central rotor equipped with a platinum mass for enhanced winding efficiency.
With the ODYSSEUS, automatic winding entered a new chapter within the collection, while remaining true to the brand’s uncompromising standards of construction and finishing.
ODYSSEUS in white gold
Today, automatic movements form a core pillar of A. Lange & Söhne. Each calibre is assembled twice and meticulously adjusted before leaving the manufacture. The same level of decorative refinement and technical precision found in manually wound movements is fully preserved in their self-winding counterparts.
Over nearly three decades, automatic winding has become an integral part of the brand’s technical expertise—developed in Glashütte and executed within the framework of Saxon watchmaking. In doing so, A. Lange & Söhne continues to extend its pursuit of precision and structural beauty into the realm of self-winding mechanics with quiet confidence and enduring elegance.
