A. Lange & Söhne exhibition at Harrods 2023
From now until 24 September, admirers of fine watchmaking will have the opportunity to visit the A. Lange & Söhne exhibition. Resembling the brand’s stand at Watches & Wonders 2023, the boutique and atrium in Harrods provide a fascinating insight into the work of the Manufactory in Glashütte and the extraordinary timepieces it makes.
Harrods, London
Walking along London’s Brompton Road is a memorable experience. Hordes of tourists look upwards in wonderment, while locals look down at their mobile phones, eager to ‘catch up on their socials’. Inevitably minor collisions occur and apologies are made, all to the accompaniment of noisy traffic. In the midst of this chaos, there is a calm oasis and welcome escape from the hubbub of said streetlife; Harrods. Billed as ‘the World’s leading department store’, nothing says luxury quite like this famous emporium.
Constructed in 1905, the building covers five acres of land and has 330 departments spread across eight floors. In total, Harrods has over 1,000,000 square feet of floor space. The sheer vastness of the building has to be seen to be believed.
A. Lange & Söhne boutique
Meandering through the store, momentarily inhaling the sweet smells of the Perfume Hall and passing the tempting calorific delights on display within the Chocolate Hall, you eventually arrive at ‘Fine Watches’. Within this sumptuous setting is the A. Lange & Söhne boutique, a must-visit destination for any self-respecting horophile with a passion for no-compromise watchmaking.
In 1845, Ferdinand Adolph Lange established his eponymous business in Glashütte, Saxony. Today, the small town is widely regarded as the epicentre of German watchmaking and is now home to nine watch brands. The boutique in Harrods serves as a microcosm of the brand’s Manufactory, with various exhibits on display that showcase the company’s fastidious approach to fine watchmaking.
A. Lange & Söhne exhibition at Harrods 2023
Currently, the brand is hosting a fascinating A. Lange & Söhne exhibition within Harrods with numerous rare timepieces on display. Indeed, the probability of seeing all of the assembled watches in one place again in the future is highly unlikely.
Earlier this year, the German marque exhibited at Watches & Wonders, an annual event where the watch industry presents its new models. Consistent with its ethos of quality, not quantity, A. Lange & Söhne released just one watch at this year’s show. However, as one would expect from Lange, this lone ‘novelty’, the Odysseus Chronograph, is truly exceptional.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph
A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph
The Odysseus Chronograph is the latest addition to the Odysseus collection. The model is the brand’s first self-winding chronograph. A ‘sporty-elegant timepiece’, the model is fitted with the in-house L156.1 Datomatic calibre. This fully integrated movement features a column-wheel and a vertical coupling, an arrangement that will inevitably resonate with the cognoscenti. Pressing the pushpiece at 2 o’clock rewards the forefinger with a silken action, while the central chronograph seconds hand leaves the starting blocks without any discernible wobble.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph
Close inspection of this stunning timepiece reveals that in addition to the hour and minute hands there are two further coaxial hands at the centre of the dial. The red hand records elapsed seconds, while the lithe silver-toned hand records the elapsed minutes. It’s an elegant alternative to using counters, but to brand devotees, elegance is an adjective frequently applied to Lange products.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph
A. Lange & Söhne exhibition at Harrods 2023 – a taste of Geneva
While the Odysseus Chronograph looks more contemporary than some of its classical siblings, it still shares the same technical virtues and high quotient of traditional craftsmanship. There are numerous additional refinements which need to be seen to be fully appreciated. This brings me to one of the most conspicuous highlights of the exhibition, a jumbo-sized replica of the watch. Standing 5 metres high, this imposing vision of horological loveliness made its inaugural appearance at Watches & Wonders; hence its temporary installation provides brand devotees with a small taste of the Geneva-based event.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph
In-house movements
Beyond the notable charms of the Odysseus Chronograph, visitors to the boutique will discover numerous additional exhibits to stir the soul. For example, a large display cabinet filled with numerous movements serves to showcase the brand’s in-house watchmaking expertise. The German marque produces a diverse array of hand-wound and self-winding movements of varying degrees of complexity, including ultra-desirable complications such as the perpetual calendar, the rattrapante, remontoire d’egalité, tourbillons and minute repeaters.
Image – fusée-and-chain transmission
All Lange movements feature a three-quarter plate, made of German silver, adorned with crisply defined stripes and gleaming bevelled edges. Additional subtle refinements abound. For example, thermally-blued screws promise a lifetime of corrosion-free beauty and uphold centuries of watchmaking tradition. The balance cocks are hand-engraved and enriched with glorious scrolls, skilfully imparted with a burin. Gold chatons and mirror-polishing further enliven the appearance of these multi-faceted ticking sculptures. The brand’s rarefied standards are clear to see.
A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1
In 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, A. Lange & Söhne was reborn. Four years later, the firm unveiled its inaugural collection featuring the Saxonia, Arkade, Tourbillon ‘Pour le Mérite’ and the Lange 1. This latter watch has since become an icon and is often the timepiece horophiles visualise on hearing the name of the Glashütte-based firm.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1
Visitors to the boutique are able to see two examples of the Grand Lange 1, one in 18-carat pink gold and a second example in 18-carat white gold. Furthermore, for those brand aficionados seeking additional complexity, there is also the new Lange 1 Time Zone in platinum and even a Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Grand Lange 1 Time Zone
The boutique staff are employees of A. Lange & Söhne, trained in the complexities of the horology and the timepieces bearing the brand’s illustrious name. Their expertise proves useful when technical details need to be explained.
A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar
The 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar is another recently launched model on display. Housed in an 18-carat white gold case and sporting a sumptuous 18-carat pink gold dial, this model is limited to just 100 pieces. A boutique exclusive, the movement comprises 631 parts and is imbued with many hours of patience.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar
The perpetual calendar is the ultimate calendar complication. Assuming the watch is kept wound, the date will not require manual adjustment until 2100. This is coupled with another ultra-desirable and highly complex mechanism, the rattrapante. Equipped with two column wheels, this watch is not only able to measure elapsed periods of time like a regular chronograph, it can also measure ‘splits’ using an additional centrally-positioned hand.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar
Rare sights on display at the A. Lange & Söhne exhibition
Each iteration of the Odysseus is on display within the boutique. Product scarcity makes this a rare occurrence and one that is unlikely to be repeated in the future.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk
Watch enthusiasts visiting the boutique, still reeling from the sight of the aforementioned watches, will also discover further exquisite delights. Close to the Zeitwerk models, coquettishly winking their digital hour and minute displays, are two models that are equally capable of winning the coldest heart.
The first model, the Richard Lange Minute Repeater, is housed in a 39 mm platinum case and endowed with a three-part enamel dial. Its apparent simplicity belies the complexity housed within. A slide mounted on the left flank of the case initiates a chiming sequence that sounds the hours, quarters and minutes using a combination of two hammers and two gongs. One of the most challenging complications to realise, the minute repeater is coveted by legions of horophiles.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Minute Repeater
The second model that will undoubtedly enchant onlookers is the Tourbograph Perpetual “Pour le Mérite”. This horological tour de force, encased in platinum is a Grand Complication that unites five über desirable complications, namely a fusée-and-chain transmission, tourbillon, rattrapante, chronograph and perpetual calendar.
Image – A. Lange & Söhne Tourbograph Perpetual “Pour le Mérite”
A. Lange & Söhne exhibition at Harrods 2023
Lange is the very antithesis of mass production. Its watches are not made; they are painstakingly crafted. Visit the Manufactory in Glashütte and you will observe watchmakers, some of the finest in their field, lovingly creating ticking pieces of art. Their skills are rare, making it impossible for the firm to pursue exponential sales growth. There is a finite number of watches that can be made at this level, a fact that restricts availability. However, for those individuals willing to sit tight, a lifetime of joy awaits.
The exhibition runs until 24th September 2023.