A. Lange & Söhne

When, after four years of intensive research and development, the first Lange watches of the new era were presented in Dresden in 1994, the world of precision watchmaking had suddenly changes dramatically. It was as if someone had pressed the reset button on a running flyback chronograph, to start a new time measurement in the history of chronometry. The four watches presented at the time not only looked different, they also set new standards with their distinctive style, new technical ideas and the highest craftsmanship.

Over the last 20 years, Lange’s first four own calibres have multiplied to 40. They provide a driving force for progress and are evidence of unparalleled design expertise and vertical integration. No part of these in-house developed and manufactured masterpieces is shared with others. This allows maximum autonomy in the development and implementation of exciting new ideas at the highest level. The design arch that spans from the first four models to the latest 2011 collection is impressive. Very early on Lange began to explore the spectrum of horological complications in its own inimitable style, time and again breaking new ground in watchmaking (see “Milestones: the 10 Most Important Innovations by A. Lange & Söhne” on page 3). In addition to the DATOGRAPH flyback chronograph, the LANGEMATIK PERPETUAL with its perpetual calendar and the LANGE 1 ZEITZONE global timekeeper, there were various world premieres, e.g. in 2004 for the DOUBLE SPLIT, the world's first chronograph with double rattrapante mechanism. Used for the first time in this timepiece, the manufactory’s own hairspring now forms the pulsating heart of more than half of all Lange calibres. In the TOURBOGRAPH “Pour le Mérite”, no less than three grand complications are uniquely combined: tourbillon, fusée-and-chain transmission and rattrapante chronograph. A further record was established by the LANGE 31, with a full month’s power reserve and uniform power delivery over the entire period. An extreme technical challenge, which could only be met by means of a constant-force escapement developed in-house. The same principle – although in a completely different form – enabled the realization of the precisely jumping numeral display in the LANGE ZEITWERK. Here, the power transmission is facilitated by the intermediate twin mainspring barrel so that in the LANGE ZEITWERK STRIKING TIME it is even able to drive a “sonnerie en passage” which strikes the quarter hours.

These 40 great timepieces not only represent design and craftsmanship of the highest degree of difficulty, they are also masterpieces of understatement. This is seen in the clean lines of three-hand watches such as SAXONIA, RICHARD LANGE or 1815, as well as in the two-hand SAXONIA THIN, recently premiered in Geneva. These technically  simpler models are manufactured to exactly the same criteria of quality and with exactly the same dedicated craftsmanship. This includes assembling every Lange movement twice as every single watch must fulfil the high expectations which the customer rightly associates with the name of A. Lange & Söhne. In other words, today's Lange watchmakers still work to the same principles that brought world fame to the watch manufactory established by Ferdinand A. Lange in 1845. Without compromise.