A. Lange & Söhne: Unpacking the Finishing of Watch Hands

TheWindingStem · 2020-05-19T22:58:34Z

Explore why A. Lange & Söhne's hands may appear 'unfinished' and the brand's manufacturing philosophy. Insights from collectors and the manufacture.

TheWindingStem

WPS member · A. Lange & Söhne forum

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The finishing of watch components is a cornerstone of haute horlogerie, and A. Lange & Söhne is renowned for its meticulous attention to detail. In this insightful post, TheWindingStem delves into a specific aspect often debated among collectors: the finishing of Lange's hands. He shares exclusive insights directly from the manufacture, offering a nuanced perspective on why certain hands may appear 'unfinished' and what this reveals about Lange's production philosophy.

In respecting the anonymity of the person who responded to my request pertaining to the “unfinished” hands on some Lange watches, here is what I learned:

Basically, the reasons behind the unfinished hands are quiet straightforward:

A) Lange does not manufacture their own hands (or cases) as this is not possible for a small manufacture that produces around 5000 watches a year- Lange is, first and foremost a movement manufacturer, and they excel at that.

B) The hands can’t be ordered finished- Given their thinness, finishing both sides has resulted in many cracking or breaking due to tight tolerances. The few that manage to pass the compliance run the risk of being a problem down the line, (and no one wants that). Its simply not viable to lose so many hands at such a large scale.

C) Lange does finish every movement component to the highest standard possible, in this instance they have full control over the manufacturing process and can adjust production accordingly - as this doesn't apply to the hands, proper finishing and functioning cannot be guaranteed.

A Lange timepiece is a product of craft and passion- the passion of the many talented and hardworking individuals who chose to pursue this craft. This, at least to me further shows how humane the art of watchmaking is and if anything makes me appreciate Lange even more.

Last but not least, Lange will at some point release an official statement to the issue at hand! (pun intended).

Key Points from the Discussion

A. Lange & Söhne, despite its reputation, does not manufacture all components in-house, specifically hands and cases, due to its focus as a movement manufacturer producing around 5,000 watches annually.
Finishing both sides of the hands is not viable due to their thinness, which often leads to cracking or breaking, making it impractical for large-scale production.
The brand's commitment to finishing applies primarily to movement components, where they have full control over manufacturing and can guarantee quality, a control not extended to outsourced hands.
Some collectors express disappointment when the romantic assumption of A. Lange & Söhne finishing 'all' components, visible or invisible, is challenged by details like unfinished hands, suggesting the brand needs to manage this perception.
The original author, TheWindingStem, initiated the discussion to promote transparency and accepts Lange's explanation as economically sound, noting that many brands leave hands unpolished while offering lesser movement finishing.
A contributor highlights that Lange's official site discussing finishing primarily refers to movements, suggesting the brand is 'technically' truthful but could be more explicit about hands.

The Discussion

VinnieD

May 19, 2020

But the argument that they come from a supplier is not valid in my eyes. Can you imagine Mercedes saying "oh yes, your ABS was faulty? That is coming from Bosch so not really our responsibility!"

WatchEater

May 19, 2020

I'm a huge Lange fanboy and think it's not really a valid excuse given they are owned by Richemont. Yes, Lange might be small but they could surely pool resources and find a solution. If other brands can do it, so can they.

VinnieD

May 20, 2020

I understand the engineering requirements, the headaches, the additional cost that polishing on both sides would require

JTCL

May 20, 2020

Looking forward to their official statement. The right thing to do is to start finishing the hands from now on and retain the "king of finishing" title, I can imagine it is not that detrimental to overall costs. However, with a response like this, I think they will stick to their guns. Let's see..

ZSHSZ

May 20, 2020

I always valued the engineering part of Lange but I feel that they’re a bit overrated. Specially since Richemont took them over I feel that Lange died. Huge cases, shows engineering abilities not watchmaking. When they’re able to do it in a 38-40mm case, they got my attention, just like in the good old days! Finishing is just one side of watchmaking, Lange is like a bodybuilder who never trains his legs. Just my personal feelings...

FabR

May 20, 2020

...but if it's some executive with authority to speak officially on behalf of the brand, then this statement obviously makes the issue much worse. For as long as Lange sells watches that include hands, all under its name, it goes without saying they are responsible for the entire package. That response looks way too naive to me though...so let's wait on the "official statement" ;-) Cheers.

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