Collectors of uncompromisingly elegant timepieces head to A. Lange & Söhne’s new flagship boutique
In late summer, sitting inside the shell of what would become the brand’s new flagship boutique on Old Bond Street, Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, is talking about driving his beautiful Porsche 326 on a recent rainy road trip in Wales. Like many of his clients who joined him at September’s Hampton Court Concours, with which the brand partners, Schmid is an avid classic-car collector.
The Saxony-based watchmaker is very much for watch collectors and connoisseurs of timepieces who have a penchant for a distinctive aesthetic of elegance, featuring pared-down design language with high legibility and slim silhouettes, with cases made primarily in gold or platinum. Inside, complex “German engineering” delivers precision movements, many offering classic complications.
‘A brand at our level is like a box of chocolates,’ says Schmid. ‘It’s a combination of ideas that either appeals to you or not. With our sharp profile, we have to accept that some people may not like our watches. Happily, more people like us than we can produce watches for.’
Schmid, who has been head of the company for 15 years, explains what makes the brand stand out in the top tier of horology. Defining the brand is the heritage of a German watchmaker from 1845, which was forcibly nationalised after World War II. In 1990 Walter Lange re-founded the brand, 145 years after his great grandfather Ferdinand Adolph Lange laid the foundations of German fine watchmaking. So, while the company has tradition, it is still young. Then there’s the craftsmanship.
‘We do not distinguish on quality. The polishing, assembly, everything is done by hand for each piece,’ Schmid explains. This adds to the “German design”, which is about ‘functionality on one side and opulence on the other,’ he continues. ‘Usually our dial design emphasises legibility – strict, clear, uncluttered, and you can read time and date at first glance, as this is what you need quickly. But on the back of the watch, you see the opulence of the movement, all these meticulous decorations done by hand. It’s almost like a little city behind glass.’
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There are six product families within the brand, each with particular personalities, ranging from the achingly understated Saxonia Thin through the 1815 collection, to the more complicated Zeitwerk range, some models presenting a minute repeater. Two new watches were introduced at the Concours, both significant pieces. The Richard Lange Jumping Seconds, a limited edition of 100, has a warm pink-gold dial featuring a large seconds dial, paired with a white-gold case, driven by a manually wound movement with impressive engineering for timing precision. This was matched by the 1815 Tourbillon, featuring stop-seconds and zero-reset function.
The technical sophistication and elaborate finishing of each and every component reflects A. Lange & Söhne’s watchmaking artistry.
‘Like the exquisite cars we saw at the Concours,’ says Schmid, ‘our timepieces reflect a special passion and a quest for perfection that transcends time and borders and connects generations.’ And now, they can be seen at the new boutique, comfortably designed in – of course – understated style, and about to open for business on Old Bond Street.
Opening 12 November.
