The reunification of Germany 25 years ago was one of the prerequisites for the revival of A. Lange & Söhne.
This anniversary is a good opportunity to take a look around.
“The train of days is a train that unrolls its tracks before you as it comes. The river of time is a river that takes its banks with it.” These two quotes from Robert Musil’s novel “The Man Without Qualities” give a good description of the situation in Germany in the fall of 1990. The year of reunification brought a collective awakening fraught with uncertainty; the challenge was to make the right decision at the right time.
This also applies to Walter Lange’s desire to relaunch A. Lange & Söhne after the fall of the Berlin Wall. There were no plans or how-to guides to achieve this ambitious goal. New approaches and ideas were needed. On December 7, 1990, imagination, courage and determination led to the creation of the new Manufacture Lange and four years later to the magnificent launch of the first new collection. After this successful launch, the company has evolved steadily and systematically. But in particular, it has been able to preserve the pioneering spirit of the early days and build its future on that momentum.
Elevated to iconic status, the LANGE 1 has contributed most to the rise of the Saxon manufacturer. And the simultaneous launch of the Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite” with its unique fusee-chain transmission, has definitively positioned A. Lange & Söhne as a serious contender in the field of Fine Watchmaking.
In 2003, when Lange began producing its own spirals, the brand impressed the watchmaking world by demonstrating its persistent intention to expand its expertise.
The balance spring is the beat controller of a watch and determines its accuracy. It is always in motion. This small but crucial component has become the talisman of the manufacture. “Never stand still” is the message she delivers. For Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid, this means that “we are on a constant quest for innovation and improvement in order to expand our leadership position.” A. Lange & Söhne constantly inspires the field of precision watchmaking with complicated and refined design approaches. The first Grande Date in a wristwatch was followed by other milestones: a reset mechanism, a double split-seconds chronograph, a one-month caliber with a patented constant-force escapement, the first stop-second device for the tourbillon, a jumping digits display, an orbital moon-phase display, and most recently the first combination of a jumping digits display with a decimal minute repeater.
A.Lange & Söhne presents itself as a brand that has no intention of resting on its traditions and achievements, but sees precision watchmaking as a perpetual challenge. It is based on values like a compass that keeps us on course for success.
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
