The Lange 1 Daymatic in Honeygold pays tribute to the Lange 1 on a day that holds meaning to the Saxon brand.
A. Lange & Söhne has never been a brand to release watches without purpose. Every reference, every material choice, every complication tends to carry a thread of continuity back through Saxon watchmaking history. So when the brand decides on December 7th to unveil a new piece, it’s worthwhile paying attention to. This date marks not one but two foundational moments in the brand’s story: the establishment of Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s original workshop in 1845, and the relaunch of A. Lange & Söhne by his great-grandson Walter in 1990 — a move that revived German haute horlogerie after decades of silence.
Since the re-birth of A. Lange & Söhne, the brand has gone from strength to strength, keeping the traditional ways of German watchmaking intact, but designed for the modern collector in mind. Now, 35 years after that rebirth, the brand uses the same date to introduce a new chapter in its most recognisable collection: the Lange 1 Daymatic, presented for the first time in 750 Honeygold®, limited to just 250 pieces.
Honeygold is a metal Lange reserves for special occasions, and rightly so. Its hue sits somewhere between yellow and rose gold, with a warmth that feels unmistakably Lange — refined and luxurious without being too overt. This example of the Daymatic comes in a 39.5mm case with a height of just 10.4 millimetres, making this almost the sweet spot for watch sizing. This is, however, all depending on your wrist size and personal tastes, but I can attest that these watches wear beautifully on my 17.5cm wrist.
Paired with a deep brown dial, the Daymatic takes on a richness that feels both contemporary and classical. Introduced in 2010, the Daymatic mirrors the layout of the original Lange 1, but as a mirror image: hours and minutes on the right, and the small seconds and the brand’s signature outsize date to the left. Instead of the power reserve indicator, the Daymatic features a retrograde date on the left-hand periphery of the dial.
A Beautiful Heartbeat
The subtitle is slightly poetic, but I felt it warranted here. I’ve said on many occasions, A. Lange & Söhne has some of the best finishing in the industry, and I don’t think I am alone in this thought, with many other watch media commenting on the same fact. This is something you appreciate more when you have a Lange of any kind in your hands.
RELATED READING: Hands-On Review With The A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk
The movement powering the Daymatic, the calibre L021.1, is very much a continuation of what collectors love about the Lange 1: traditional architecture executed with uncompromising precision. The movement uses four separate plates in Germain Silver, which visually recreate the brand’s iconic three-quarter plate structure — a nod to Glashütte’s historic approach to stability and serviceability.
However, the automatic winding system is where the personality truly shines. The rotor spans the full diameter of the movement, crafted from 875 (21-carat) gold and weighted with a 950-platinum mass to ensure it winds correctly. The contrasting hues — warm gold, cool platinum, and the grain of heat-blued screws — create a visual composition that feels almost sculptural, like most Lange pieces do. Despite its mass, the rotor is supported by slender spokes that act as shock absorbers, ensuring reliability and longevity.
As always, the finishing is where the poetry lives: the hand-engraved balance cock, the gold chatons, Glashütte ribbing, precise anglage, and, crucially, the fact that every calibre is assembled not once, but twice, to ensure absolute perfection. It’s an approach that borders on obsessive, but that’s precisely why Lange owners love it, as do I. Once fully wound, the movement delivers a practical 50-hour power reserve. It isn’t groundbreaking, but for the average wearer on a daily basis, it should suffice.
Initial Thoughts
Where do I start? Every time A. Lange & Söhne bring out a watch, I’m always left wanting it, especially from the Lange 1 and Zeitwerk collections. Ok, and maybe the Saxonia Datograph and Odysseus too. I’m not fussy! The combination of the workmanship, the construction, the adherence to traditional watchmaking and the amazing finishing makes Lange watches very desirable for a watch geek like me. The Daymatic is no different, and it ticks my box of being an automatic, which I personally prefer over a manual wind.
This piece isn’t a reinvention of the collection, nor is it trying to be. It is a statement piece that honours the brand’s past while subtly evolving its most modern Lange 1 variant. The 750 Honeygold® case, paired with the brown dial, looks subtly stunning – The kind of combination you wonder why we haven’t seen more often. I did love this combination on the Odysseus launched at Watches & Wonders 2025, but I feel this combination works better thanks to the brown alligator strap that complements the dial and offsets the Honeygold® case.
And in the words of Anthony de Haas, Lange’s Director of Product Development, the watch’s “distinctive design, sophisticated manufacture movement and artisanal finissage” give it a personality that stands out even within the Lange 1 family. I agree.
Reference: 320.050
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 39.5mm x 10.4mm thick
- Case Material: Brushed and polished 750 Honeygold®
- Case back: Brushed and polished Honeygold® with sapphire crystal display
- Dial: Brown galvanised Sterling Silver with asymmetrical dial featuring hours, minutes, outsized date, retrograde days and small seconds
- Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment
- Water resistance: 30m / 3bar
- Movement: Lange manufacture calibre L021.1 automatic movement beating at 3Hz / 21,600 VpH and pivoting on 67 jewels
- Power reserve: 50 Hours
- Strap: Brown sustainably sourced alligator leather strap with a prong buckle in 750 HONEYGOLD®