Brandon1 shares his insightful experience from a factory tour of A. Lange & Söhne, offering a rare glimpse into the meticulous craftsmanship and efficient production that define the brand. His account highlights the exceptional professionalism of Lange's watchmakers and the consistent quality across their entire collection, from entry-level pieces to grand complications. This report provides valuable context for understanding the unique 'terroir' of German watchmaking.
Good afternoon friends,
I thought I might (belatedly) share a few thoughts and photos from my tour of the Lange factory back in September. Unfortunately, this post will be a bit light on photos since, as per their new policy, no photos are allowed inside. However, it was a gorgeous day in Glashutte and I got a few good pictures before the tour commenced.
Starting off with my thoughts. Overall I was extremely impressed by the facilities and the organization of the different functional areas. Furthermore, I was very impressed by the ease and confidence with which the watchmakers were able to explain what they were working on and why they were doing their work in a particular way.
One example that stands out in my memory: We stayed for a while with a watchmaker who was assembling a chronograph, watching as she effortlessly assembled and disassembled the train and three-quarter plate repeatedly, checking the end shake on each wheel successively. During this process, she said she felt like one jewel had been pressed too far into the plate and we watched her remove the plate, and use a small tool to adjust the setting on the jewel. A moment later, she'd reassembled the relevant components and was satisfied with the end shake. In a period of maybe 5 minutes, she had completed multiple assemblies/disassemblies, diagnosed a condition, resolved it, and was moving on to the next phase. Needless to say, the level of professionalism among the watchmakers leaves nothing to be desired!
We also witnessed the assembly of the new Dato Perpetual Tourbillon, and, again, I was really impressed by what I saw. The watchmaker responsible placed the movement under a microscope for our inspection, and proceeded to press the pushers so we could watch the engagement and disengagement of the chronograph up close. Evidently, the movement is very robust, as evidenced by the watchmaker's confident handling of the pushers and crown. Let's just say, he was much more aggressive with his handling of it than I would ever dare to be! This should give any would-be buyers a lot of confidence.
We were also given the opportunity to inspect freshly black-polished click springs, and observe artisans performing black polish.
The tour concluded with a presentation of the current collection. While I am familiar with most of the collection, it was my first time seeing the Double Split and the RL Tourbillon PLM. These are both absolute masterpieces. The winding action on the PLM was the best I've ever felt on any watch, rivaled only by the Ferdinand Berthoud FB1. Incidentally, these are both fusee and chain watches, which probably explains the unique winding feel. Seeing the entire collection at once, from the Saxonia Automatic to the Double Split, really underscores Lange's consistent quality throughout their entire portfolio. In this regard, I'm not convinced they have any rival.
To summarize, my tour gave me an even deeper respect for Lange than I had before. The impression I got from my tour was that Lange has found an amazing balance between artisan craft and efficient production. While the factory operates in a near-cleanroom state (lab coats, shoe covers, negative air pressure, sticky floors at each threshold), the culture seemed anything but stale. Inside each assembly or finishing room, you feel like you're in an independent workshop, and every employee seemed empowered and equipped to do their job at the highest level. Bravo Lange!
A final note: Glashutte is a TINY village, and Glashutte Original and Moritz Grossman are within a few minutes walking distance of Lange. Looking at this now-thriving community, where evidently 1,100 of the 1,700 residents are employed directly or indirectly by the watchmaking firms, it really makes one appreciate the bold steps that Walter Lange and Gunter Blumlein took in 1990-1994 to establish this brand and reinvigorate this little town. A real success story that goes beyond great watches.
Now for some photos!
View of the new (2015) manufacture building on the right.
The original manufacture building and the sky bridge
Quite literally a badge of honor!
A huge model of the Dato movement!
Lengthy and thorough presentation of the current collection, including the double split and RL Tourbillon PLM. Sadly, no Handwerkskunst pieces on hand.
Hope you enjoyed this summary!
Cheers,
Brandon
