The Lange 1 needs no introduction, and as much as I love the Lange 1, I personally find it too big for my preferences. The 38.5 mm diameter may not suggest as much but the thin bezel and long lugs overpower wrists under 6.5”, in my very humble opinion. But what if the same dial and dial proportions, same movement, and design language was translated to a slightly smaller, 36.1 mm case, made in lesser quantities, and actually showcased the dial and movement even more?

First debuted in 1998 as a complementary line to the Lange 1, the Little Lange 1 was produced in much lower quantities with more limited production runs, primarily intended for the Japanese market, and (generally) retains a slight premium over its larger sibling. Contrary to its name, there’s still nothing “little” about it, as it wears very prominently with an even thinner bezel, making the dial appear larger. The lugs are proportionally reduced to the case size but have the same prominent, long effect, making the watch wear larger than its dimensions suggest, and the use of the same movement in the smaller case diameter more fully fills the caseback, emphasizing the prized view.

I love the Lange 1, and for my money, the Little Lange 1 is that much more special. Rarer and in an excellent size, the rose gold example is extremely clean throughout, appearing to be unpolished, with a dial texture and warmth that just sucks you in to marvel at the details, negative space, and textbook execution of the rule of thirds design.

Reference: Little Lange 1 Reference 111.032

Case: The 36.1 x 43 x 10 mm rose gold case is in excellent condition throughout, exhibiting only minor surface swirls, as photographed. The case appears to be unpolished with crisply defined and faceted lugs and hallmarks.

Dial: The silver dial features the early sans-serif Made In German or MIG signature and is free of any defects.

Movement: The caliber L901.0 movement looks stunning in the Little Lange 1 as it prominently fills the caseback to the point the engraved text around the perimeter almost looks like it’s barely squeezed to fit. The watch is winding, setting, and running smoothly at approximately +8 s/d, averaged across 6 positions.

Strap: The watch is presented on an aftermarket textured leather strap with its original rose gold buckle in equally great condition with very sharp hallmarks.

Includes: The original outer and inner boxes, manual, and guarantee booklet with an October 2002 date of sale.