TIMEPIECES
OF I
DESIRE
ntent on creating artistic masterpieces in their state-of-the-art atelier, engravers hover over worktables embellishing the ribbing and graining of horological components. Each stroke is delicate, exact within minute tolerances, and meticulously executed. Their obsession with precision–the timelessness of age-old traditions–is a hallmark at A. Lange & Söhne. Producing a limited number of mechanical, highly-coveted timepieces since 1845, this Glashütte, Germany, brand has risen from the ruins of World War II to become a luminous innovator in the ever-competitive luxury watch world—synonymous with connoisseurship and objects of desire. During a conversation with Christian Etienne, an expert watchmaker and the founder of Swiss-based watch company A La Clinique Horlogère, he said, “The DNA of A. Lange & Söhne is elegant-shaped cases, magnificent dials, and beautiful movements. It is a rare brand that assembles its own movements. I am very impressed by the detailing that goes into a Lange watch: the angled bridges, the gilded, yellow-gold wheels, and the gold plugs. All this richness says passionate, impeccable watchmaking.” Art and lavishly decorated detailing have catapulted A. Lange & Söhne into the pantheon of haute horlogerie. This attention to detail has made the brand highly collectible and given timepieces like the Lange 1, with its outsized date window, and the “flyback” 1815 Chronograph bonafide investment value. 34
| BY EDWARD KIERSH
But even as the company has forced a reappraisal of German watchmaking and become fabled in an exceptionally competitive marketplace, A. Lange & Söhne remains faithful to its “Never Stand Still” operating spirit. It continues to innovate. “We have a clear language, a special craftsmanship that distinguishes each of our watches,” says A. Lange & Söhne CEO Wilhelm Schmid. “We never had a split-seconds chronograph in our family of watches; it’s a very challenging (mechanical) complication, and I am glad we filled this void in our portfolio. But a brand should always look to the future and never be derailed by hurdles. The 1815 Rattrapante (only 200 will be produced in either platinum or honey gold), with a movement that is very difficult to build and spent four years in development, is now in a very wearable size (the case diameter is 41.2 millimeters) and it’s very exciting.” Extolling the fact that “we only squeeze out 5,000 to 5,500 watches a year,” he is equally excited about the newly introduced Grand Lange 1. It is an exquisite descendant of the now legendary Lange 1 with its large date window, screwed gold chatons, and off-center or asymmetrical dial configuration. This second-generation watch again flaunts the brand’s obsession with “technical optimization.” Proudly insisting, “we are teaching our watchmakers a type of art, a hierarchy based on craftsmanship,” Schmid adds, “It was very difficult to improve on the Lange 1, to add to
UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | APRIL 2023
“this family.” The idea was to make the Grand Lange 1 as slim as possible yet still very robust. The design is very powerful, very purposeful.” More than another “family” addition, the updated pink gold or platinum Zeitwerk boasts its own technological improvements. Heralding this timepiece as “the first wristwatch that displays hours and minutes with jumping numerals,” the eminently-legible Zeitwerk combines an ingenious digital display, combining classical elements with trailblazing analog mechanical mastery. “Very contemporary looking but still classical, the Zeitwerk is all about slowly releasing power, how to control the energy,” says Schmid. “We had to overcome many problems, and the engineering is unique (there’s a patented barrel design). Very complicated, this is a real statement watch.” There are mechanical “secrets” in all of Lange’s offerings—innovative engineering triumphs that have endowed the brand with elite investment status. So, what is on the horizon? What horological mastery will be shown next? That is one “secret” Schmid is reluctant to reveal, but whatever timepiece is introduced, it will undoubtedly celebrate the art of passionate watchmaking.
