Price of Admission: A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin

The true allure of the Saxonia Thin is discovered in the small details, as is typically the case with clean, formal watches such as this. Seen head-on, in an image, it doesn’t seem that there’s much to unpack here, with just a pair of hands tracking the hours and minutes against 12 applied indices. However, the art is revealed in the execution of these elements, as well as when considering the package as a whole. Every component of this watch offers its own small details to discover and enjoy. This may be the most accessible A. Lange & Söhne, but it’s still far from inexpensive, after all. Additionally, the brand has set a high bar for what to expect from its watches, even at the entry point. These are the kinds of details that have allowed the brand a pathway further upward. 

The Saxonia Thin was first introduced in 2011, and has seen a variety of materials and configurations over the years. At the moment, there are three distinct configurations being produced, two of which represent the entry point to the brand as a whole. There is a white-gold example, with an aventurine dial, that is available at boutiques and gets the dreaded “price upon request,” so it won’t be included in what we consider the entry point. For that, we find two different Saxonia Thin references: one in white gold, the other in pink gold. Both utilize an argenté-colored dial crafted from solid silver set within a 38mm case that measures a mere 5.9mm in thickness. That makes these the thinnest watches currently available from the brand. It’s worth pausing for a moment to appreciate the dimensions achieved here, especially coming from a brand that doesn’t typically concern itself with hitting extremes, but rather puts a focus on the overall wearability (a healthy approach, I’d note). 

The overall thickness (or thinness, rather?) is enabled thanks to the manually wound Caliber L093.1 at use within. The movement gets the same level of attention as you’d expect to find on a watch made by A. Lange & Söhne, which is to say, it’s very good. My one niggle with this watch is the somewhat small size of the movement used here, sitting inside a rather large border region around back. It feels like it was designed for a 36mm case, and that would indeed feel perhaps more appropriate for a watch like this. Impressively, the movement still offers a robust 72 hours of power reserve, so no harm, no foul there. 

As charming as the movement is, the real draw comes down to the subtle beauty of the dial and case. There’s a sense of vastness achieved by the sparse nature of the dial, which is, in reality, confined to a small space. The hour indices are cut deeply into the dial, and harbor no smaller indexing between them. The long, dauphine-style hands are beautifully shaped and finished, tracking against the polished and beveled indexes. All of this is set upon the silver dial which brings a very soft texture into the mix without competing with the time-telling elements. This walks a fine line, and it falls squarely into a strong but delicate territory. 

That strength comes courtesy of the case structure, which is a signature design element of A. Lange & Söhne. The tapered lug cuts inward toward the case, and frames a brushed center section, making for a unique experience that contrasts with the typical, formal genre archetypes. But this is exactly why we love A. Lange & Söhne, which has shown a willingness to find its own route and stick with it. This case structure was a part of the initial introduction of the brand in 1994, and has remained a defining feature, from the loftiest of complicated watches to the simplest of formal-wear ones. 

So what does this watch say about the brand, and how is it bringing in new customers at this entry level price point? Well, this watch carries with it the weight of the brand name which, in 2024, is considerably more prominent than it has been at any time prior. While A. Lange & Söhne falls within the portfolio of the Richemont Group, it is most appropriately viewed on the same plane as some independent watchmakers, and that’s exactly what customers are benchmarking it against. As such, there are no high-volume/low-price options to be found. The same level of detail is expected across all references, even at the entry point. The Saxonia Thin looks to deliver on that promise, making it a compelling watch from a brand known for making exceptionally compelling watches. 

As such, the entry price of $23,500 is still quite high, but you can rest assured that there are no compromises being made in order to bring it to you. For instance, the Caliber L093.1 movement is used only within the Saxonia Thin. It is not the base caliber for more complicated watches, and it is not found within other families of watches. That’s how A. Lange & Söhne operates, and this is the expectation associated with the price point. Additionally, the brand produces approximately 5,000 watches per year. Not 5,000 pieces of the Saxonia, but 5,000 watches total. That places this watch, and indeed the concept of an entry point from the brand, into a suitable context worth appreciating.