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Kit O. Payumo

The Saxonian

A. Lange & Söhne is the master of subtlety

German-born architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe once said, “God is in the details,” which could mean that ALL details are important. It could also mean that God exists BECAUSE of the details. In the case of Saxon watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne, it would seem both meanings are appropriate. In which case it could mean that while grand designs are good, it is in the faithful execution and careful rendering of those designs wherein God manifests himself. This couldn’t be more true than A. Lange & Söhne’s SAXONIA collection, which manifested a “major” revamp just two years ago. That is if “major” translates to discreet and subtle refinements.

Indeed, in keeping with Walter Lange’s personal motto, the artisans and watchmakers of A. Lange & Söhne “never stand still.” Which is why the German company is one of the few watchmakers in the world that dares mess with perfection and gets away with it. The trick, you see, is in the details. Discreet dial refinements are all it took to bring a watch collection innately characterized by elegance and purity into a wider, more involving spectrum. This starts with the understanding that every element, be it ever so small, has a visual impact on the overall appearance of the subject. The watchmakers at A. Lange & Söhne have an innate understanding of this.

Since it was launched 20 years ago, the SAXONIA has been a permanent part of the manufactory’s repertoire which it has continued to refine over the years. In 2011, A. Lange & Söhne presented the SAXONIA THIN, a model that further emphasized its lineage’s predilection for sleekness and elegance. Indeed, it has been the thinnest model in the entire collection ever since.

For 2016, A. Lange & Söhne is presenting their preeminent two-hander with a subtly reworked dial that reflects the current design language of the SAXONIA collection. And when the German Manufacture says subtle, they mean SUBTLE. To wit: the solid gold baton-style hour markers of the new SAXONIA THIN have been slightly extended and moved closer to the bezel, thus giving the argenté-colored solid-silver dial extra prominence when compared to its predecessor. That’s all! No new elements to the dial, not even changes to the hour indexes or the shape of the lugs, just a subtle adjustment to the overall picture…and that’s more than enough.

Available in pink or white gold (of the two, the white gold looks more Teutonic), and with case diameters in 37 and 40 mm, the new SAXONIA THIN is powered by the manually wound calibre L093.1 movement, which is a scant 2.9 mm thick. Naturally, the movement is finished in all hallmarks of the German watchmaker including the German-silver three-quarter plate decorated with Glashütte ribbing, solarized winding-train wheels, three screwed gold chatons and a hand-engraved balance cock.

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