This is the story of how Glashütte came to be, once again, the epicenter of German watchmaking. This week, Erik & Max do their best to debrief the 1994-2000 rise of A. Lange & Söhne, and particularly to tell the story of the ambitious, hard-working folks involved. This episode targets key moments in the manufacture's rise to success, central tenets to the brand’s identity, many quotes, and several fun facts you might have missed along the way. 

Links Mentioned:

Blümlein Retrospective, with Büsser’s Quote:

https://monochrome-watches.com/20-years-later-remembering-gunter-blumlein-his-impact-on-watchmaking-industry-iwc-jaeger-lecoultre-lange-sohne-in-depth/

Kurt Klaus Quote on Günter’s Belief in his QP:

https://quillandpad.com/2017/01/31/life-times-lange-sohne-re-founder-walter-lange/

A Bit on the Relationship with IWC:

https://quillandpad.com/2021/10/01/history-of-watchmaking-gunter-blumlein-a-lange-sohne-jaeger-lecoultre-iwc-and-the-lmh-supergroup/

Retrospective on Walter Langer:

https://quillandpad.com/2017/01/31/life-times-lange-sohne-re-founder-walter-lange/

Reinhard Meis Interview:

https://deployant.com/reinhart-meis-the-almost-forgotten-hero-in-the-creation-of-the-lange-design-dna/

Das Tourbillon:

https://www.amazon.com/Das-Tourbillon-Faszination-Uhrentechnik/dp/3766710591

Interview that Talks a Bit About LMH Company (Not LVMH!):

https://people.timezone.com/msandler/TZInterviews/Blumlein/Blumlein.html

Some photographs from the the 1994 Launch:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/twenty-years-ago-today-a-lange-shne-was-re-born

Lange 1 Background:

https://langepedia.com/a-lange-sohne-lange1/

https://www.acollectedman.com/blogs/journal/lange-1-modern-icon

Lange 1 Golden Ratio Short:

https://www.facebook.com/PISA1940/videos/lange-1-golden-ratio/2149627791986710/

(Erik said Genevan Striping, not meant Glashütte-ean striping, sorry)

Our Favorite Early Lange 1s:

Darth:

https://hairspring.com/products/101-035-darth-lange-1-platinum

101.026:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/a-lange-sohne/NY080119/62

112.021:

https://langepedia.com/a-lange-sohne-lange1/lange-1a-112-021/

(Open Caseback, Misspoke)

101.002:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/a-lange-sohne/CH080122/277

Arkade:

https://langepedia.com/a-lange-sohne-arkade/

Saxonia:

https://langepedia.com/a-lange-sohne-saxonia-langematik/

Pour le Mérite:

https://langepedia.com/a-lange-sohne-1815/lange-tourbillon-pour-le-merite/

Anthony De Haas Quote:

https://www.phillips.com/article/87714395/a-lange-sohne-three-great-stories-behind-three-great-watches

An Example of an Integrated Wellendorff:

https://hairspring.com/products/151-025-stealth-lange-1-platinum

An Example on a Non-Integrated Wellendorff:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/101-325-lange-1-stealth-pt-on-wellendorff-bracelet

1999 Datograph Release:

https://www.acollectedman.com/blogs/journal/datograph-collectors-guide

https://langepedia.com/a-lange-sohne-datograph-guide/

https://www.watchprosite.com/editors-picks/lange-s-tourbo-team/10.628746.3939091/

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/dufourgraph-403-031-a-lange-sohne-datograph

Only Wrist:

Erik:

https://watchesbysjx.com/2023/07/petermann-bedat-reference-2941-split-seconds-chronograph-review.html

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/a-lange-sohne-1815-rattrapante-perpetual-calendar-handwerkskunst-introducing

https://www.phillips.com/detail/patek-philippe/CH080123/139

Max:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/patek-philippe/CH080123/139

https://www.phillips.com/detail/a-lange-sohne/209769

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/2022-concorso-d-eleganza-villa-d-este-414-049-a-lange-sohne-1815-chronograph