Lange 1 “Onyx”

Lange 1 191.062

There are objects that never look out of place no matter how serene or how wacky they go. Take the Lange 1. Dress it in yellow gold with a champagne dial like in 1994 and it is classic, timeless. Put a mother of pearl dial to it, and it is playful, incredibly charming and young. The latest example came in 2024 for the 30th Anniversary celebrations of the icon, this time with a pitch-black Onyx dial. And my goodness, it made my juices flowing for a Lange 1 once again, after a long while I must admit.

The full black look is no stranger to Lange enthusiasts. We had the Lange 1 Darth about 25 years back with its platinum case, two-tone black dial and black date discs. The Darth'’'s reign did not last too long, and the brand discontinued it, only to reincarnate that soul in the Lange 1 Tourbillon Handwerkskunst with a black enamel dial. The Lange 1 Onyx is the natural heir to that lineage, and arguably the finest expression of it to date.

The star is the Onyx dial. It is one piece, with sections printed on it and indices applied. Look carefully and you'll notice how thinly the lines were printed; so as not to disturb the deep glossy stone; as if they are almost floating over the sea at night. Tilt the watch and you see the depth; tilt it again and they are just there, gazing at you. The applied indices add further dimension. No lume, no distractions. Just hands blending with the black when the light hits right and indices that shine above. This is not about legibility. This is about experience.

As you tilt your wrist, sometimes you'll see the black onyx transforming into blue, the AR coating doing its work. It is a deeper black than the early 101.035 Darth, if it was CRT vs OLED.

The platinum case is what it feels substantial. 38.5 x 10 mm, with the added 0.2 mm coming from the stone dial, just like the old Soirée collection. On the back beats the caliber L121.1, with its golden chatons, blued screws and swan's neck regulator with hand-engraved balance bridge, impeccable as ever. A delightful detail: the cases were made by SUG in Glashütte, not far from Lange HQ.

Recently sold at Langepedia.com with original box and papers.