A. Lange & Sohne welcomes the year with stunning novelties
Last year was monumental for A. Lange & Söhne since it marked the 200th birthday of its founder Ferdinand Adolf Lange as well as cemented the company’s new manufactory building at Glashütte. This 2016, the renowned German watch company looks forward to another significant year that kicked off with its astounding array of novelties presented at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH)
An impressive series of remarkable timepieces had been announced during the participation of A. Lange & Söhne at SIHH 2016. With two perpetual calendars, each with a tourbillon, a white gold Lange 1 with luminous hands, a moon phase with luminous large date, two Saxonia updates and a special Richard Lange Jumping Seconds watch with a constant force escapement, the Glashütte watch company is indeed on a great start this year.
“Day & Night” magazine was at the SIHH and had to pleasure to sit with the Ramzi Nael, A. Lange & Söhne Brand Director Middle East & India, who shared the brand’s intentions for the fascinating showcase as well as the plans to expand reach in the Dubai, Levant and the rest of the Middle East.
What makes the Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon the star of the A. Lange & Söhne show at SIHH 2016?
This year we follow the theme “master of mechanics” and the perfect timepiece to welcome that theme is the limited edition Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon. What is fantastic about this watch is that it fits layers of complications yet at the same time its dial is clearly readable. This timepiece is a column-wheel chronograph with flyback function, perpetual calendar and tourbillon, and limited to 100 pieces. It pairs three complications with five supplementary functions – all nicely organised on the dial for easy reading. There are only a few watchmakers in the world that can craft a timepiece with 729 components in a very harmonious manner, and we are proud that A. Lange & Söhne is one among them.
Why add the Jumping Seconds to the Richard Lange collection?
In 1876, our founder Ferdinand Adolf Lange created the pocket watch that featured one second movement so this functionality is not new to A. Lange & Söhne. Now, we decided to re-launch this complication as part of the Richard Lange collection because he is the grandson of the founder who is among the most advanced and dedicated member of the family that commit to the development of adding new facets to the scientific observation of the complication. That’s why this timepiece is a tribute to Richard Lange, and it is featured in platinum case with regulator dial that was inspired by the haute pocket watches. It is also a limited edition.
Can you tell us how different is the new version of the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase Lumen?
In terms of idea and concept, it is basically the same as the first Zeitwerk Lumen and on the second Grand Lange 1 Lumen. In 2013, we introduced the Grand Lange 1 Lumen that featured semi-transparent sapphire-crystal dial with an ingenious luminous large date disc configuration. A year later, we unveiled the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase with a prominent in-dial moon-phase display. This new edition combines the specially made luminosity and the in-dial moon phase display. Different from Lange’s previous moon phase models with solid-gold lunar discs, the Grand Lange 1 Moon Phase Lumen has a disc made of glass. This new model also provides a stunning display of 1,264 stars that is simply a breath-taking sight of the night.
How had your operations improved since the opening of the new manufactory building?
We were very happy that we managed to finally open the manufacture in the month of August 2015 in the presence of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The idea behind this building is to centralise the manufacturing steps that we used to do in five different locations. So today we have all these facilities centralised in one roof and that definitely gives us more efficiency in terms of production.
Does the non-disclosure of the quantity of your timepieces in production have any ripple effect to the brand especially now that there is an economic slowdown in the Middle East?
As a brand, we are fortunate that we get more demand than what we can really produce, and that has nothing to do with the crisis. First of all, we implement an ultra high quality of finishing to all our watches, may it be a Saxonia mechanical watch or grand complication. All of our watches go through the same steps in finishing all the parts – visible or non-visible components. Secondly, regardless of having a big or small factory, our skilled watchmakers that work through our pieces for hours and hours can only produce high quality limited edition pieces. Lastly, we follow the “double assembly” method which is very unique in the industry. This method would entail us to assemble the movements initially before finishing all the parts and test it and makes sure that the functions are all running. Then, after that we dismantle again, assemble again, test it again and deliver it when it passed the quality check. With all these complications that went throughout the “double assembly” production process would certainly limit our number of production. Despite such challenges in production, I believe it works to our advantage. Today, we are in a very comfortable situation, whether with or without the economic slowdown, and we are very confident for the year 2016.
How would you rank the Middle East in terms of your sales?
The Middle East has always been an important market that is why we have built our direct operation in Dubai a few years back. It has been a successful operation for us which is reflective in our boutique at The Dubai Mall. Dubai receives millions of visitors of different nationalities travelling across the world – these visitors are in line with the client profile of Lange so definitely Dubai is one of the most important markets for us. In addition, we find significant potential in other markets like Lebanon where we have decided this year to open our first boutique in the Levant area. We also have more plans to expand in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
