A. Lange & Söhne is a German luxury watch maker with a rich heritage of 150 years and whose origin can be traced back to 1830 when Ferdinand Adolph Lange ,the founder of the company started his career as apprentice in a clock making factory.Currently owned by Richemont AG, Geneva (Switzerland,the company produces Exclusive mechanical wristwatches with manufacture calibres and useful technical innovations.A. Lange & Söhne luxury watches are marketed via 143 dealers with 207 points of sale world-wide; Lange boutiques are located in Dresden and Shanghai .The company also owns an In-house watchmaking school with 3-year courses since 1997 .
The History of A. Lange & Söhne(Time line)
1815- Ferdinand Adolph Lange is born inDresden on 18 February.
1830- Lange begins his apprenticeship with Gutkaes who is later appointed Royal Court Clockmaker.
1837- Lange embarks on his journeyman’s years, which take him to Paris, England and Switzerland. During this period he begins his journeyand workbook.
1841- Gutkaes builds the world-famous “digital” Five-Minute clock in Dresden’s newly built Semper Opera.
1842-Lange acquires master’s rights,becomes a partner in Gutkaes’ watchmaking business, and marries his former apprentice master’s daughter, Antonia.
1843-Lange proposes to the government of Saxony that industrial watchmaking be
established in the impoverished region of the Ore Mountains.
1845- Lange founds the Glashütte manufactory “Lange & Cie.” on 7 December, laying the foundation for precision watchmaking in Saxony. Only a few days later, his first son Richard is born.
1846- Lange introduces the metric system into watchmaking, thereby enabling the exact calculation and manufacture of movement components.
1848- Lange offers his services to the town of Glashütte as mayor and holds this appointment for the next 18 years.
1864- To improve the stability of movements, Lange introduces the three quarter plate.
1867- Lange is granted the freedom of Glashütte.
1868- Richard Lange becomes co proprietor of his father’s company, which from now on operates under the name “A. Lange & Söhne”. A few years later, his younger brother Emil also joins the company.
1873- The Lange headquarters is built,comprising both the family’s residence and the company’s workshops. It features a precision clock with a nine-meter long compensated
pendulum.
1875- Ferdinand Adolph Lange dies on 3 December. His sons continue the family business.
1895- In honour of the company’s 50th anniversary, the town of Glashütte erects a monument to Lange.
1898- On a state visit to Constantinople, Kaiser William II presents his host with a lavish pocket watch created by A. Lange & Söhne.
1902- Emil Lange receives the Knight’s Cross from the French Legion of Honour in recognition of his contribution to watchmaking.
1906- With Emil’s son Otto Lange, the family company enters its third generation. Otto’s brothers Rudolf and Gerhard later also join the company management.
1924- On 29 July, Walter Lange is born. After completing his training, he works as a master watchmaker in the Lange family business.
1930- Richard Lange discovers that admixing beryllium to the alloys commonly used for balance springs improves the spring’s quality, and he applies for a patent.
1945- On 8 May, Lange’s main production building is almost completely destroyed in an aerial bombing raid.
1948- The company is seized and expropriated by the communist regime. Walter Lange is forced to flee to the West.
1990- On 7 December, Walter Lange founds Lange Uhren GmbH and registers the “A. Lange & Söhne” trademark worldwide.
1994 -Lange debuts the LANGE 1,SAXONIA, ARKADE and TOURBILLON“Pour le Mérite”, the
watches featured in its first collection of the new era.
1997 -The patented ZERO-RESET mechanism of the LANGEMATIK reaffirms the company’s innovative spirit.
1999- The DATOGRAPH sets new standards in the construction of high-end chronographs.
2001- Following several years of restoration, the Lange headquarters reopens. Today it is the seat of Lange’s own watchmaking school.
2003- The balance spring developed inhouse by Lange is manufactured in the new
Technology and Development Centre.
2007- A. Lange & Söhne presents the LANGE 31, the first wristwatch featuring a 31-day power reserve and uniform power output.
2007- A. Lange & Söhne opens their first monobrand-shop on Dresden.
Novelties 2010:
A Lange & Sohne New 1815 Chronograph
A Lange & Sohne Saxonia Annual Calendar
A Lange & Sohne Richard Lange Referenzur
A Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Daymatic
A Lange & Sohne The 165 Years Homage to F A Lange Anniversary Collection
A Lange & Sohne Grand Complication No 42500
Product Updates:
Cabaret Tourbillon
Cabaret Moon Phase (2004)
Datograph (1999)
Datograph (2005)
Datograph Perpetual
Grand Lange 1
Lange 1 (1994)
Lange 1 Tourbillon (2000)
Lange 1 Time Zone
Lange 1 Time Zone in Pink Gold
Lange 1 Night Owls
Lange 31(2007)
Lange Double split (2004)
Langematik Perpetual
Lange Zeitwerk (2009)
New Saxonia
New 1815 (2009)
Richard Lange (2009)
Richard Lange Pour-Le-Merite(2005)
Tourbograph-Pour-Le-Merite (2005)
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