A. Lange & Söhne turns once again to its greatest hits for its flagship launch at Watches & Wonders 2026. The Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen” bestows the translucent, luminous treatment to the top-of-the-line Lange 1 in a 50-piece limited edition in platinum.

Powered by the L225.1, an upgrade on the previous generation movement, the latest Lumen edition has a grey-tinted sapphire dial that reveals glow-in-the-dark elements, including the date discs and moon phase. Over the back, the edition is also set apart by a pair of steel cocks sporting engraving of stars.

Initial thoughts

The Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen” stands out as one of the most appealing Lumen models; I’d rank it up there along with the original Zeitwerk “Phantom” in terms of appeal. The Lumen treatment works best with lot of obvious luminous components, which is the case here.

Flourishes like the luminous bases for each of the Roman hour numerals are a pleasing touch. The twin engraved steel cocks are especially noteworthy; the concept is classic Lange but the engraved star motif adds variety.

That said, the Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen” scores highly, maybe even perfectly, in terms of intrinsic and tactile appeal. The technical accomplishment is also top class: the calendar is instantaneous, movement construction is sophisticated, and decoration is outstanding.

But this arguably scores less well in terms of originality or creativity. The movement is a new calibre – it adds a clever day-night display and reworked going train – but it is arguably still a variant of the first generation at heart.

Large, lavish, and Lumen

The new Lumen edition sticks to the same basic format of the original Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar. The platinum case is 41.9 mm wide and 13 mm high, appropriately sized and average for a complicated Lange wristwatch. Like all such Lange wristwatches, this has a substantive heft on the wrist.

The dial similarly retains the familiar perpetual calendar display that was cleverly arranged to fit into the iconic Lange 1 layout. The months indicator, for instance, is smartly positioned on the periphery of the dial, while the day of the week is a retrograde display on a fan-shaped scale on the left of the dial.

This asymmetrical yet logical layout makes for a legible calendar, made all the more easier to read with the instantaneous displays. Visually, it is enhanced by the Lumen makeover, which employs a translucent, grey-tinted sapphire dial that reveals the components below.

The date, moon phase, and leap year discs are all luminous, as are the months and Roman hour numerals, making for a particularly vivid display in the dark. Notably, the luminous moon phase also incorporates a day and night display that’s superimposed under the moons, making it a double display.

All of the calendar indications are set via pushers in the case band. Though a traditional solution, it has been made more convenient with one pusher that advances all indications together in sync, which is most useful when the calendar only needs to be advanced a relatively short period. A set of additional pushers each advances a specific indicator for more complex adjustments.

Stars on steel

The technical brilliance of the movement inside also extends to the back, which reveals the one-minute tourbillon that features a decorative diamond endstone. Pull the crown and a lever touches the balance wheel, stopping the tourbillon and seconds hand for precise time setting. This patented invention was a world first when Lange debuted it in 2008.

From the rear, the L225.1 resembles the calibre of the original Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, but with a few enhancements. The most apparent is the monochromatic rotor. In a first for Lange, the rotor is 18k white gold plated with black rhodium, instead of the conventional yellow gold; the outer rim of the rotor remains platinum as it has always been.

Continuing the monochromatic decorative theme, the tourbillon cock and the intermediate-wheel cock are both black-polished steel, giving them a dark grey appearance. Both are further embellished with an engraving depicting a star motif, with the tourbillon cock having the bonus of a shooting star.

Key facts and price

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar “Lumen”
Ref. 720.035FE

Diameter: 41.9 mm
Height: 13 mm
Material: Platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: L225.1
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day-night indicator, perpetual calendar with leap year, tourbillon with hacking mechanism
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 50 hours

Strap: Alligator with folding buckle

Limited edition: 50 pieces
Availability: At A. Lange & Söhne boutiques
Price: US$530,000

For more, visit Alange-soehne.com.