A. Lange & Sohne Academy Initiates Expert Course for Authorized Retailers

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Posted by admin | Posted in A. Lange & Sohne watches, watch | Posted on 25-02-2010

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A. Lange & Sohne Academy Initiates Expert Course for Authorized Retailers As makers of some of the world’s finest high luxury timepieces, A. Lange & Sohne has a keen understanding that knowledgeable representatives are the best ambassadors of its brand values. Nearly three years ago, A. Lange & Sohne initiated its “Akademie”, with the objective of enabling authorized Lange dealers to get intensive, in-house education on the fine points behind the watches and their creation. To round out this training, and provide a true immersion in the techniques and culture of Saxon haute horlogerie, the manufacture has initiated an Expert Course.

The Lange Expert Course is for trainees who have already completed two introductory courses at the Academy and then gone back to their retail environment to educate their colleagues, in turn. A. Lange & Sohne watchmakers spend extensive “hands on” time with their pupils during the Expert Course, with the goal of getting each person deep into the heart of specialized horological skills. Lange decorative techniques such as the application of Glashutte ribbing patterns, engraving and polishing are all taught. However, students do far more than just watch–after a time in observation, they get to try their own hand at all of the same skills. The course culminates in each student fully assembling a manual wind mechanical movement under the patient guidance of their master watchmaker instructor.

Participants in the Lange Academy who complete the Expert Course and its final comprehensive written exam get to take away more than just a piece of paper. Experts depart proudly with a unique token of their experience–a finely framed certificate complete with the same three-quarter movement plate and balance cock that they spent time decorating during the course. Already, A. Lange & Sohne has graduated “Experts” from retailers in both Italy and Germany, with more courses planned through 2010. The next soon-to-be Lange Experts will come from across the globe to include other regions of Europe, Japan, the United States, and Southeast Asia.

IWC and A. Lange & Sohne Launch iPhone Applications

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Posted by admin | Posted in A. Lange & Sohne watches, IWC watches, watch | Posted on 13-01-2010

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IWC and A. Lange & Sohne Launch iPhone Applications
Prestigious luxury watch manufactures IWC and A. Lange & Sohne, sister companies within the Richemont Group, have both brought to light new applications for the Apple iPhone. The introductions follow a fascinating trend taking place within the watch industry whereby brands synonymous with the finest in traditional mechanical watchmaking do their best to court sophisticated modern consumers via one of the hottest and most technologically advanced communication devices of the 21st century.

In the case of A. Lange & Sohne, the focus for its new iPhone application is the recently introduced Zeitwerk timepiece–a new horological tour de force of Saxon mastery which elegantly combines a jumping hours and jumping minutes complication. Those who download this free application will be able to do several things. They can explore the Zeitwerk watch itself by configuring the model in its gold or platinum guises; even more interesting, a special feature permits partial disassembly of various parts of the complex mechanical movement through the touch-screen interface of the iPhone. However, the application also opens up a broader look into the “world” of the A. Lange & Sohne brand, including the most up to date news, a gallery of watches in the Lange collection, and fascinating glimpses into the craft of the house’s skilled Glashutte-based watchmakers. One can also register on the application to receive updates on A. Lange & Sohne events near home.

IWC’s iPhone application opens up an equally engrossing interactive “play area” for devotees of the great Swiss brand from Schaffhausen. Naturally, the whole IWC timepiece collection is available at the fingertip, and users can even simulate trying on a watch through a special function. An array of digital animations illuminate the ingenious mechanical movements that tick inside some of IWC’s most complicated timepieces–another fascinating experience for the aficionado. The capability to locate nearby IWC boutiques and authorized IWC dealers is another useful aspect sure to be appreciated by IWC  luxury watch fans.

A. Lange & Sohne Welcomes 500th Employee

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Posted by admin | Posted in A. Lange & Sohne watches, watch | Posted on 11-12-2009

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A. Lange & Sohne Welcomes 500th Employee

German watch manufacturer A. Lange & Söhne marks the occasion of hiring its 500th employee, with the addition of young watchmaker Nadine Görgl, 19.  Miss Görgl, who will lend her skills to the final adjustment section, joins a team of eleven gifted new watchmakers, seven of whom received their watchmaking education from Lange’s proprietary watchmaking school.  

A. Lange & Söhne has experienced a truly notable degree of success since the brand was revived in 1990, following the collapse of the Berlin Wall and German reunification.  Walter Lange, great-grandson of founder Ferdinand Adolph Lange envisioned that the brand would eventually be able to employ somewhere around 100 watchmakers, but customer appetite for exceptional A. Lange & Söhne timepieces has been a happy circumstance that has necessitated a far larger staff. 

A. Lange & Söhne CEO Fabian Krone stated, “Because of the growing global demand for the timepieces created by A. Lange & Söhne, we expect the need for highly qualified staff to remain over the coming years. And since the number of complicated watch movements is continuing to increase, there will still only be a few thousand A. Lange & Söhne watches leaving the manufactory each year in the future despite the growing size of the workforce.”  Currently, Lange is planning to expand its production facilities, a project which will begin this year.

The Glashütte watch industry, comprising a handful of brands, employs somewhat over 1,000 individuals.  Of this number, approximately half are employees of the A. Lange & Söhne firm.  The company is particularly proud of its contributions to the cultivation of new watchmakers, noting that more than fifty watchmaking students have graduated from the Lange Watchmaking School, with another twenty-five currently undertaking their professional training.

A. Lange & Sohne Watches Win Awards In Mexico And Singapore

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Posted by admin | Posted in A. Lange & Sohne watches | Posted on 29-10-2009

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A. Lange & Sohne Watches Win Awards In Mexico And Singapore

Prestigious accolades continue to roll in for German luxury watch manufacture A. Lange & Sohne.  At the Salon International Alta Relojeria in Mexico City on October 1st, the manufacture’s recently introduced Lange Zeitwerk timepiece claimed a “Watch of the Year” prize from the jury who recognized its “great artistic originality”.  This timepiece, which you can click here to read more about, showcases a brilliant digital jumping indication for both hours and minutes in concert with a power reserve indicator and elapsed seconds display.  These sophisticated functions are combined with delightful symmetry upon solid silver dials, and are animated by an entirely new in-house A. Lange & Sohne manually wound movement.

Just prior to that occasion, in the final week of September, A. Lange & Sohne’s Richard Lange “Pour le Merite” watch took double honors at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie Asia in Singapore–”Watch of the Year” and “Best Men’s Watch”.  A haute horlogerie masterpiece of impeccable elegance and understatement, the Richard Lange PLM presents one of the most challenging and artful complications to be implemented in a wristwatch: a complex fusee and chain system which provides constant operating torque and consequently, optimized precision.

A. Lange & Sohne Carbaret Soiree Jewelry Watches

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Posted by admin | Posted in A. Lange & Sohne watches | Posted on 26-10-2009

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A. Lange & Sohne Carbaret Soiree Jewelry Watches

Just in time for the splendid colors of autumn, esteemed luxury watchmaker A. Lange & Sohne announces two radiant gem-set variations of its rectangular Cabaret timepiece.  An especially feminine interpretation of this sophisticated wristwatch with a hand-wound movement and Lange’s patented outsize date display, the Cabaret Soiree presents 18-karat white gold cases, a bezel fenced with 70 round brilliant diamonds, and exquisite solid silver dials upon which is overlaid a layer of mother of pearl.  

The combination of the shimmering nacre and diamonds truly make the Cabaret Soiree watch stand out from its prestigious peers within this classic A. Lange & Sohne model family.  Choosing between the available pink or white color schemes may prove a pleasantly difficult decision for the woman entranced by the Cabaret watch, but both dial colors are equally adept at revealing the opalescent beauty of the nacre.  The use by A. Lange & Sohne of a silvery white or rose pink background gives additional intensity to the hues displayed by these carefully selected mother of pearl dials.  A. Lange & Sohne’s classic alpha hour and minute hands are crafted from polished and rhodium-plated gold, as are the hour markers, which distinctively alternate Roman numerals with faceted diamond-shaped indexes.  Directly above the small seconds subdial is the stately gold frame of the Lange outsize date indicator.  First debuted on the manufacture’s famous Lange 1 timepiece from 1994, this prestigious mechanism incorporates twin numbered discs; it provides a particularly legible and sophisticated interpretation of what is quite possibly the most useful supplemental function a timepiece can provide its owner.

A transparent flat sapphire crystal window is provided in the screw-secured caseback of the Cabaret Soiree watch.  This portal reveals the exquisite A. Lange & Sohne manufacture L931.4 caliber.  Shaped in a rectangular form to match the case, this mechanism comprises 237 hand-finished parts.  Of the 30 jewels, three are set in polished gold chatons; these visually pleasing elements are affixed to the German silver bridge with elegant triads of blued steel screws.  

Other refinements which pay homage to the great traditions of Saxon classical watchmaking include a hand-engraved balance cock, a polished swan-neck fine adjustment spring, and bridges with the shimmering Glashutte ribbing patterns.  Also adorning the bridges are gold-inlaid engravings which denote the A. Lange & Sohne manufacture, and the technical specifications of the caliber.   The balance with weighted gold screws completes 21,600 vibrations per hour, and power reserve is 42 hours.

Functionality provided by the movement is as impressive as the level of aesthetic refinement.  Adjustments to the date are easily accomplished via a recessed pushpiece above the winding crown, and the small seconds hand features a hacking function.  This means that whenever the owner pulls out the crown to adjust the time, the second hand stops.  In this way, setting the watch precisely is an extremely simple to accomplish.

Both A. Lange & Sohne Cabaret Soiree watches are limited to an edition of 10 pieces.  Fitted to each is a fine, hand-sewn crocodile strap in a subtle shade matching the mother of pearl dial.  Joining the watch securely to its wearer is the massive A. Lange & Sohne ardillon buckle in 18-karat white gold.