There are watches that become objects of desire even before being worn. The «Lumen» versions by A. Lange & Söhnebelong to this category and, over the years, have built a true identity among enthusiasts. A collection born in 2010 with the ZEITWERK “Luminous”, which has evolved over time through different interpretations, both in platinum and in HoneyGold, all united by strictly limited productions and an immediately recognisable aesthetic language.
Within this journey comes the new LANGE 1 TOURBILLON PERPETUAL CALENDAR «Lumen», presented at Watches & Wonders 2026, probably one of the most complete interpretations ever created. It integrates a tourbillon and perpetual calendarinto the Manufacture’s most iconic design, adding a visual dimension that changes radically between day and night.
LANGE 1 DESIGN, DIAL ARCHITECTURE AND LUMEN PHILOSOPHY
The starting point remains the unmistakable design of the LANGE 1, with its off-centre dial combining balance and recognisability. The indications follow a precise geometric construction, organised according to an isosceles triangle: an imaginary line connects the big date, the retrograde day-of-the-week display, the seconds hand and the moon phases, while the hour and minute centre coincides with the triangle’s apex. Completing this architecture, the months are indicated by a rotating ring positioned along the edge of the dial, while the leap year is visible in a window at 6 o’clock.
All of this is housed in a platinum case measuring 41.9 mm in diameter and 13.0 mm in thickness, proportions that maintain coherence with the model’s identity while accommodating an extremely complex construction. The contrast between the light case and the dark dial, paired with a hand-stitched black alligator leather strap and a platinum 950 folding clasp, enhances the watch’s presence on the wrist.
The design is based on two fundamental principles: contrast and transparency. The semi-transparent dial structure allows light to reach the elements beneath, charging them for night-time visibility. All perpetual calendar indications advance in «precisely jumping» increments, ensuring constant legibility.
This is where the «Lumen» nature is defined. All indications are luminescent, from the outsize date to the rhodiumed gold hands, up to the moon-phase display with integrated day/night indication. The celestial disc rotates over 24 hours, showing a bright sky during the day and a starry firmament at night, while the moon follows its orbit with a minimal deviation of one day every 122.6 years. Light thus becomes an integral part of the experience.
CALIBRE L225.1, TOURBILLON AND PERPETUAL CALENDAR: COMPLEXITY AND CONTROL
At the heart of the watch is the Lange Manufacture calibre L225.1, an automatic movement decorated and assembled by hand, regulated with micrometric precision in five positions. The winding system uses a unidirectional central rotor with a platinum 950 oscillating mass and a central element in black-rhodiumed 18-carat white gold, capable of ensuring a 50-hour power reserve. The movement operates at 21,600 vibrations per hour with a lever escapement, a balance with eccentric weights, a shock-protection system and an in-house manufactured balance spring.
This calibre is designed to coherently integrate all main functions: hours, minutes, small seconds, a tourbillon with seconds stop and a perpetual calendar with outsize date, retrograde day of the week, month and leap year, as well as moon phases with day/night indication. The tourbillon, visible through the sapphire caseback, completes one full rotation every minute, compensating for the effects of gravity. The seconds stop allows the balance to be halted when the crown is pulled out, enabling extremely precise adjustment.
The perpetual calendar is designed to run without interruption and requires only one manual correction in 2100. Adjustments can be made via a main corrector or separate correctors, making interaction with a highly complex system intuitive. Through the semi-transparent dial and the caseback, it is possible to observe the finishing: plates with perlage, bridges with sunray finishing and meticulously decorated components, including the hand-engraved tourbillon bridge and the intermediate wheel bridge in steel.
ONE OF THE MOST DESIRED LUMEN VERSIONS
With the LANGE 1 TOURBILLON PERPETUAL CALENDAR «Lumen», A. Lange & Söhne brings the «Lumen» concept to its highest level, combining tourbillon, perpetual calendar and luminescence within a single coherent architecture. The interplay between transparency, light and technical complexity is not only a demonstration of mastery, but a different way of reading time.
The model is limited to 50 pieces, with price on request, a detail that further reinforces its positioning among the most exclusive and sought-after pieces of Watches & Wonders 2026.
By Jacopo Giudici