A. Lange & Söhne

Part 7: the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase, the unexpected expected watch

 

The Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase is for me an "unexpected expected" watch.

Expected because each of us was pretty sure that after the presentation of the new Grand Lange 1 two years ago, a Moon Phase version would be proposed later.

I remind you very quickly the assets of the Grand Lange 1 "new generation":

- a caliber with a single barrel which has a larger diameter and a thinner height when compared with the Lange 1 one
- despite the use of a single barrel, the power reserve remains the same
- the perfect dial lay-out of the Lange 1 is preserved
- a slender style due to a high diameter/thickness ratio
- the biggest big date display in a Lange watch ever

So, even if the new Grand Lange 1 was smaller than the previous one, its balanced and elegant style made it very attractive.

Obviously, the Lange team could work from these assets to propose the addition of the Moon Phase complication.

And here comes the unexpected side of the watch: if the display would have been located exactly at the same place than the Lange 1, the new watch would have appeared as "only" an enlarged version of the Lange 1 Moon Phase.

Hopefully, an other direction was chosen and the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase  features for the very first time for Lange a larger Moon Phase display located in the time subdial. This change may look  unimportant but it is totally the opposite: it radically changes the lay-out of the dial and its balance. Moreover, the larger moon phase disk allows to Lange to decorate it with more than 300 stars. Do you remember the 1815 PC Rattrapante? It is the spirit of the decoration of its Moon Phase disk we find again here for our deepest pleasure.

The new Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase is available in 3 versions: YG, PG and Platinum. Due to its colours range, my fav watch is the Platinum one: I've always loved watches with Moon Phase display with neutral colours!

Despite the addition of the complication, the movement has kept its proportion with a 4,7mm height. Case diameter remains at 41mm.

Here are the pics I took at the Thursday presentation.

The PG version:

The Platinum version:

The Moon Phase disk colours are in coherence with the colours range of the watch:

The PG version again. Look at the very tiny stars around the Moon:

And the YG one:

On Friday, at the Manufacture, I could shoot the watch again and compare it with other Moon Phase Lange 1.

Here are side by side pictures with the Lange 1 Moon Phase (diameter: 38,5mm).

You will notice at first glance the change of Moon Phase location but the key feature of the complication is preserved! The Moon Phase disk moves continuously. So it is not only a question of accuracy (after all, the accuracy of 122,6 years is rather usual in the world of high end watches) but also of precision in the display by itself. I appreciate a lot this characteristic.

I asked to Anthony de Haas if it was possible to use a similar system than in the Emil Lange watch which remains the most accurate Lange Moon Phase. Sadly, due to the specific disk (with 3 Moons on it) and the mechanism it requires, a watch without a big date display is mandatory since the parts of the big date system don't free enough space.

Look at how the balances of the dial are different. The presence of the Moon Phase indicator of the Grand Lange 1 attracts our eyes toward the left while we are more inclined to look at the right side with the Lange 1:

The luminous hands of the Lange 1 Moonphase are not used on the new watch. I see two main reasons: the first one is to make it even more elegant. The second one is to create a larger aesthetic gap between the two watches.

As you know, the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase is not the first Grand Lange 1 to offer such display. The Luna Mundi set is one of the most famous LE. Based on the former Grand Lange 1, it houses a Moon Phase display in the second subdial but with an unusual orientation.

Two Grand Lange 1 with Moon Phase displays. One is very pure and balanced while the other has a lot of character! It is maybe the best "former" Grand Lange since it fully takes advantage of the unbalanced dial:

The PG Grand Lange 1 Moonphase:

My only point of concern is the zone below the Moon Phase display: I find it a bit too empty. From one hand, it preserves the legibility of time. From the other, due to the size of this zone, I would have been happy to see on it a detail which would break this uniformity.

The watch is powered by the movement L095.3 which is aesthetically similar to the movement housed by the Grand Lange 1 without the complication:

I like this large 3/4 plate which allows to appreciate the typical and flawless decoration style:

Lange 1 and Grand Lange 1 movements side-by-side:

The Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase on the wrist: despite the size increase (41mm vs 38,5mm), the watch remains confortable when the strap is well adjusted. The watch is rather heavy as usual with Lange. You feel the weight of the precious materials and of the movement itself.

The Lange 1 Moon Phase on the wrist:

As you understand it, I was seduced by this new Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase. Lange didn't choose the easiest way to design it which is an excellent point. Its greatest asset is the size of the Moon Phase disk which allows to observe a huge number of small stars around the Moon. I had the feeling to have a full galaxy on the wrist! Taking advantage of the assets of the "simple" Grand Lange 1, it is a watch with a slender and elegant style, perfect to house this new complication. The new collection is starting on an excellent base, let's hope that the watches unveiled at the upcoming SIHH will be at least as charming!

Pros:
+ a great use of the assets of the Grand Lange 1 (slender and elegant style, balanced dial)
+ an unusual location for the Moon Phase display and the size of the disk
+ the decoration of the Moon Phase disk
+ the continuous Moon Phase display

Cons:
- the zone below the display is a bit too empty for my taste.

Pros or Cons?
+/-: the luminous hands of the Lange 1 Moon Phase are replaced by classic hands. What we gain in terms of elegance, we lose it in terms of character.

I would like to thank a lot the whole Lange team for the perfect organization of the event: it was for all the guests a great pleasure to spend these 3 days in Saxony.

Fr.Xavier

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