A. Lange & Söhne: A Brief History
Ferdinand Adolph Lange established Lange & Söhne in the Saxon town of Glashütte on 7 December 1845, helping to found German fine watchmaking. The company was expropriated by the Soviet occupation authorities in 1948 and disappeared from the watch industry. Walter Lange - Ferdinand's great-grandson - re-registered the trademark on 7 December 1990, exactly 145 years after the original founding.
Modern revival
The first new collection was unveiled on 24 October 1994 in Dresden: the Lange 1, Saxonia, Arkade and Tourbillon 'Pour le Mérite'. The Lange 1 - with its asymmetric dial, outsize date and 72-hour power reserve - became the brand's defining reference.
House style
Three-quarter plate in untreated German silver, hand-engraved balance cock, screwed gold chatons, blued screws, and assembly twice (the movement is built, regulated, disassembled, cleaned and reassembled) are signatures of every Lange calibre.
Key facts
- ▸Founded 1845 in Glashütte by Ferdinand Adolph Lange
- ▸Expropriated 1948; refounded 7 December 1990
- ▸Lange 1 unveiled 24 October 1994