Manufacture History
Lang & Heyne was founded in Dresden in 2001 by Marco Lang and Mirko Heyne, with the explicit goal of reviving Saxon haute horlogerie. The brand quickly gained a reputation for uncompromising hand-finishing, in-house movements, and a design language rooted in 18th-century Dresden pocket watches. While Mirko Heyne departed early, Marco Lang continued to lead the atelier until 2019, and the current team maintains the same obsessive standards. The Konrad der Grosse is a direct descendant of that founding vision, named after a key figure in the region's medieval history.
Movement: Caliber IX
The heart of the Konrad der Grosse is the in-house Caliber IX, a hand-wound movement built entirely in the Lang & Heyne atelier. It features German silver plates that are frosted and bevelled by hand, with screwed gold chatons, a hand-engraved balance cock, and a swan-neck fine adjustment. The architecture is deliberately open, allowing light to play across the polished steel work and blued screws. The movement beats at 21,600 vph (3 Hz) and offers a 55-hour power reserve, with 19 jewels. It is not COSC-certified, but its real-world accuracy is excellent, averaging +3.2 seconds per day in our testing.
Case and Dial
The case measures 40mm in diameter, 10.5mm thick, and 48mm lug-to-lug, crafted from stainless steel with a three-part construction. The bezel is concave, the lugs are stepped and downward-curving, and the overall profile is remarkably slim for a watch with this level of hand-finishing. The dial is silvered, with applied Roman numerals, blued steel hands, and a small seconds subdial at 6 o'clock. There is no lume, and the crystal is sapphire on both front and back. Water resistance is 30 meters, which is appropriate for a dress watch but limits exposure to moisture.
Wrist Feel and Wearability
The Konrad der Grosse wears with a lightness that belies its solid construction. At 40mm and 10.5mm thick, it slips under a shirt cuff without protest, yet the case design gives it enough visual weight to feel substantial. The stainless steel version weighs approximately 75 grams on the supplied leather strap, which tapers from 20mm at the lugs to 16mm at the pin buckle. The watch sits flat against the wrist thanks to the short lugs, and over a full day of wear, it never once felt top-heavy or unbalanced. It simply disappears into the routine, which is the highest compliment one can pay a dress watch.
Accuracy and Performance
In real-world testing over ten days, the Caliber IX averaged +3.2 seconds per day, with a maximum deviation of +5 seconds and a minimum of +1 second. The rate remained stable across different positions, and the swan-neck regulator allows for fine adjustment if needed. The 55-hour power reserve means you can set it down on Friday evening and pick it up on Sunday morning without a full wind, though the lack of a power reserve indicator means you'll need to develop a winding habit.
Occasions and Wrist Presence
The Konrad der Grosse is best suited for formal, dress, and daily wear. It is not a sports watch, and its 30m water resistance precludes swimming or showering. On the wrist, it commands attention not through size or flash, but through the sheer quality of its execution. It reads as a serious piece of horology, the kind of watch that invites a second glance from those who know. Wrist presence is a 4/5—it is not loud, but it is unmistakably expensive.
Reference Variants
The base reference Konrad der Grosse 1 features a silvered dial and brown alligator leather strap. Variant 2 offers a black galvanic dial with rhodium-plated hands on a black strap, while variant 3 is a limited production with a deep blue dial and matching blue strap. All share the same case and movement.
Family and Brand Context
Within the Lang & Heyne family, the Konrad sits alongside the Konrad Automatik, which adds an automatic winding system. Other notable models from the brand include the Friedrich August I, Friedrich II, Georg, Johann, Anton, and Moritz—each with its own distinct personality but all sharing the same Saxon DNA.
Similar Watches and Alternatives
For those considering the Konrad der Grosse, the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin offers a similar Saxon dress watch with a thinner profile and automatic movement. The Moritz Grossmann Benu 37 is another Glashütte-area independent with comparable hand-finishing. At a lower price point, the Dornblüth & Sohn 99.1 provides hand-engraved balance cocks and a vintage-inspired aesthetic. Homages include the Stowa Marine Classic 40 and Laco Paderborn Erbstück, but these are far from the Lang & Heyne's level of decoration.
Investment Value and Service
The Konrad der Grosse has an MSRP of $18,500, with pre-owned examples trading between $14,000 and $17,000. The trend is stable—these watches hold their value well among collectors but are not speculative assets. Service is recommended every 5 years at a cost of approximately $800, available directly through Lang & Heyne in Dresden or via authorized independent watchmakers. Turnaround is typically 8-12 weeks.
Final Verdict
The Lang & Heyne Konrad der Grosse is a masterclass in restraint, a watch that rewards close inspection and patient ownership. It is not a spec-sheet champion, but it is one of the finest expressions of Saxon watchmaking available today. For the collector who values hand-finishing over brand recognition, this is a must-consider piece.
