As part of their silver jubilee celebrations, German haute horology brand A. Lange & Söhne have introduced a series of anniversary editions this year. From the emblematic Lange 1 and Little Lange 1 to the sublime Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase, the Lange 1 Time Zone, and the phenomenal Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar.

The Grand Lange 1 is 2.5 mm larger than the Lange 1

And after the Lange 1 Moon Phase 25th Anniversary Edition more recently it is now time to meet the Grand Lange 1 25th Anniversary Edition. The Grand Lange 1, as the name suggests, is bigger than the classic Lange. By all of 3 mm. Truth be told, it is very hard to tell them apart. The fact that the dial proportions are enlarged in comparison with the original is not visible, except when the two models are viewed side by side.

The new Grand Lange 1 has a 41.5 mm white gold case as opposed to the 38.5 mm that Lange 1 measures. The Grand Lange 1 has a case thickness of 8.8 mm, the Lange 1 had a case profile that measures 9.8 mm (this is the regular version, not the cuvette-case 25th anniversary edition. This is down to the fact the handcranked Calibre L095.1 is 34.1 mm wide and allows a more compact arrangement with only one spring barrel. Thus, in comparison with the Lange 1, the case is thinner but the power reserve is still 72 hours.

The silver dial and blued steel hands are common to the anniversary editions

It has the same silver dial and blue steel accents seen on all the silver jubilee editions. On the asymmetrical dial, the proportionally enlarged displays for the time, the outsize date and the power-reserve indicator are arranged so that they do not overlap. The argenté-coloured, recessed dial of the special model is graced with thermally blued steel hands and blue inscriptions. What at first seemed trivial had far-reaching consequences: Because the hand arbors had to be slightly shifted toward the periphery, it was necessary to develop a bespoke movement for this model.

Visible through the sapphire-crystal caseback, the movement consists of 397 parts lavishly finished by hand. Seven of the 42 bearing jewels are seated in gold chatons secured with blued screws. The oscillator, composed of a classic screw balance and a Lange balance spring, is suspended beneath a hand-engraved balance cock. The discreet signature of the “25th Anniversary” collection is integrated in its blue-filled motif: a framed 25 that echoes the Lange outsize date.

The movement is made up of 397 lavishly finished parts

The watch is paired with a blue alligator leather strap with a white-gold prong buckle and is limited to just 25 pieces.