Independents

Independents in Basel: Marco Lang

 

Marco Lang is holding up the long tradition of fine watchmaking in Dresden, a tradition that has been overshadowed by that of Glasshütte in the past.  It was watchmakers from Dresden that went to Glasshütte to bring new industry to the region.  Then it was the civil industry that grew there eclipsing the tradition of precision timekeepers made mostly for the aristocratic court in Dresden.

Marco Lang's brand is Lang & Heyne, he founded the brand together with Mirko Heyne in 2001.  Marco Lang is now continuing alone after Mr. Heynes retirement.

Lang & Heyne's first watch, a 3 hand small seconds watch, is available in 2 versions.  The clear faced King Johann, named after the King of Saxony from 1854  and the more baroque model Kurfürst Friedrich August I., Elector in Saxoney in the 18th century. The caliber is based on a Unitas ebauche, however large portions of the watch are the work of Lang & Heyne as is all the decoration.  The movement is made along the lines of German movements as perfected in the 19th century with gold chattons and blued screws, has a swans neck regulator and second stop.

Built on this basis caliber the perpetual calandar with declination indication is the first complication.  The declination display is an original display showing how the tilt of the earth changes during the year.  This watch arries the name Moritzof Saxony.

This was followed by the Albert of Saxony Monopusher central chronograph.  From the display one could think this is a ratrappante without registers, that is, however, far from the mark.  Both the chrono seconds hand and the minute register hand are from the watches center producing a truly wonderful face.

Marco Lang brought his bench with him for the fair, so as to not get bored on slow days I guess.  Here we see him doing the rounding of the shank of an hour hand.