About A. Lange & Sohne Watches

Ferdinand A. Lange started A. Lange & Sohne near Dresden in 1845. For the next 100 years, the brand emphasized ingenuity and originality, striving for a meticulous perfection that situated A. Lange & Sohne's pieces as some of the most coveted in the world — so coveted in fact that the German emperor Wilhelm II commissioned the company to create a watch made for the Sultan Abdul Hamid II, which he presented during a tour of the Ottoman Empire.

While many associate luxury watches with Switzerland, Germans have been making their watches for longer — since the 15th century. A. Lange & Sohne is synonymous with German watchmaking and symbolic of absolute excellence. While the Swiss have maintained a hold on watches built for sporting, there is little doubt as to the luxurious sophistication present in Lange's German timepieces.

While other manufacturers were making watches with machines, A. Lange & Sohne refused to deviate from their hand-made models. After WWI, when other German watchmakers switched to mass production, the Lange family chose to remain loyal to tradition and focused on producing high-quality timepieces rather than on making many at once. Unfortunately, due to the hyperinflation that followed the war, sales of watches remained low.

In 1924 Walter Lange was born with the determination to follow in the footsteps of his family and continue to make watches in the face of the difficulties that followed the first world war. Unfortunately, despite his intensive training and resolution, World War II struck and a Soviet bombing raid in 1945 destroyed A. Lange & Sohne's workshops.

Following the raid, East Germany expropriated the company. To escape forced labor, Walter Lange fled the country, and the business was put on hold for over forty years. It wasn't until 1990, at the age of 66, that Walter Lange was able to get back to the business he was meant to do: Building watches.

He returned to the site where it started, introducing the world to the Lange 1. Inspired by the clock on the Semperoper opera house in Dresden, the Lange 1 featured an outsize date and stunning proportions. The primary elements of the design were placed on a rectangular grid, making it visually stunning and innovative. Lange also introduced the Saxonia, the Arkade, and the Pour Le Mérite, which are all examples of timeless artistry and precision.

Each watch is made from "German Silver, " which sets each piece apart from its brass counterparts. While it is more challenging to work with, it provides an appearance that cannot be found with any other brand. Its unique sheen is immediately eye-catching. Since the company's rebirth in the 1990s, it has seen various advancements and complex deviations from its original models.

No matter the advancements made, however, A. Lange & Sohne retains pride in tradition and craftsmanship. To this day, they maintain their original emphasis on quality, producing only about five thousand watches every year. Such craftsmanship makes the brand precious and rare, with unparalleled attention to detail present in each piece.