A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin 37mm Review

TheWindingStem delivers a comprehensive long-term review of the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin 37mm, offering insights after three months of ownership. This article explores the watch's subtle design brilliance, exceptional finishing, and its value proposition within the high-horology landscape, highlighting why simplicity can be profoundly satisfying.

After almost 3 months since I got my first Lange I believe I’m able to give my full honest review on this timepiece. I usually form a full opinion within the first two weeks but due to the simplicity of this watch, I wanted to see whether I would eventually get bored or grow tired of it.  

The first thing that drew me to this model is its price point. I’m not a person who usually skimps on money when I really want something, but the relatively reasonable pricing on this watch from one of the finest Manufacture really got me interested in taking a closer look. And boy was I surprised! Everything about the Saxonia Thin is perfect, from the case, lugs, dial and the overall finish.  My heart was set and I took the plunge. There is something so satisfying about this watch, you know that your watch was constructed and finished just as meticulously as the most expensive Lange ever made. This speaks volume of what Lange thinks of all its customer regardless of their purchasing power and their commitment to this craft.

At 37mm the Saxonia is on the smaller side by today’s standards. However, the watch certainly does not feel small thanks to how brilliantly the dial is laid out. With very little to work with, the chances of a design flaw showing is very high. Stripping down a watch to the purist form of timekeeping is no easy task. The skills required to get the details right by having the various elements flow together without disrupting the purity of the watch is on another level.  The hands are beautifully polished and are of the perfect length – nothing worse than an hour hand too long or a minute hand too short- while the gold applied markers each have 8 different surfaces that are masterfully polished. The positioning of each of those markers on the mesmerizing silver argente dial and their interaction with the hands is a fine display of harmony.

With a thickness of 5.9mm it is indeed thin. Yet, as with every Lange, there is this beautiful heft to the watch that screams quality and wears very nicely on a wrist- certainly feels balanced as it doesn’t fade away nor is it overbearing. The case is made of 18k pink gold and alternates between polished and brushed. The finishing is nothing short of artful and flows cohesively. I personally find the contrast between the two finishes makes the case much more interesting than some Lange cases that are entirely polished. There is a certain charm in knowing that a watchmaker spent more time carefully applying two different finishing on the case

This beauty is powered by Lange’s thinnest movement, Calibre L093.1. I won’t get into the movement as I lack the technical knowledge to talk about construction and what not. However, I can comment on beauty as the finishing is exceptional- I am yet to see a watch from any of the Big 3 at any price point with the same level of tasteful finishing. Three polished gold chatons are held down by blued screws, the Glashutte ribbing is deep and creamy, while plate edges along with blued screws slots are meticulously chamfered and polished. The swan-neck regulator and the escapment wheel cap are flat polished. While the balance cock- the highlight of every Lange movement- is uniquely engraved with traditional Glashutte floral patterns that give each watch an identity of its own. Also, for those of us who are not entirely sold on a ¾ plate hiding every bit of the movement- the ratchet and crown wheels are both visible and are superbly finished, including the pikes.

To achieve such an expression in purity takes a lot of determination and focus. It’s so easy to fill up a watch with a date window, minute tracks, subdials or even add a seconds hand. True talent is to create something so meaningful and complete with so very little.  This watch achieves that.

After 3 months of wearing this watch, I find myself falling in-love with it even more by the day. The joy I derive from wearing it is difficult to describe. I spent countless hours just admiring those perfectly polished markers and smiling gleefully at how light dances on all those surfaces while the minute hand elegantly passes. It is a grounding and romantic experience. In terms of versatility, I was pleasantly surprised how after the NYC boutique so generously put blue straps on, the watch become more suited to be dressed down to semi-casual. Its certainly not a strictly black-tie watch and is more than happy to be your daily companion.

Apologies if this is long and thank you for reading!

Moe