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The heritage of the Saxon manufactory is intimately intertwined with the early days of time measurement at the Mathematics and Physics Salon, so it is only natural for A. Lange & Söhne to pay tribute to its historic roots by supporting the museum.

Without the Mathematics and Physics Salon in Dresden, the A. Lange & Söhne watch brand might never have conceived. In the late 18th century, with its observatory and timekeeping service, the Salon became the "Greenwich of Saxony" and the crucible for precision watchmaking in Dresden. Here, the young Ferdinand A. Lange took inspiration from the ingenious devices invented by Saxon astronomers and clockmakers to realise his entrepreneurial dream of crafting the world's finest watches in Saxony. When he es-tablished his manufactory in 1845, his vision came true; he started a tradition that is still nurtured and evolved at A. Lange & Söhne to this very day.

A. Lange & Söhne has been a sponsor of the Dresden State Art Collections since 2006. Understandably, a key focus in this alliance is on the Mathematics and Physics Salon. Its reopening after a six-year renovation period is particularly important for Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid: “We are delighted that the historic rapport between the Mathematics and Physics Salon and A. Lange & Söhne comes to the fore even more prominently with the new exhibition concept. In addition, it is rewarding to see how the new concept, with its workshop tutorials, animations, and guided tours, acquaints youngsters with the his-tory of science in exciting ways, thus transforming the museum into a vibrant venue of learning.”

When the thoroughly renovated Math-ematics and Physics Salon with its emi-nent collection of scientific and time-measuring instruments opens its doors again on 14 April 2013, an entire de-partment will be dedicated to exhibit-ing automata, clocks, and watches that date back to the Renaissance period. Under the heading "From Dresden to Glashütte", one of the highlights of this section is the history of horology in Saxony from its origins in the Mathe-matics and Physics Salon to the estab-lishment of the Saxon precision watchmaking industry in the Ore Mountains by Ferdinand A. Lange. Early A. Lange & Söhne pocket watch-es in the museum's collection are prime witnesses of these close historic ties. The new permanent exhibition of the Mathematics and Physics Salon will also showcase the famous A. Lange & Söhne “42500” pocket watch crafted in 1902. A few years ago, it was meticu-lously restored in Lange's ateliers for historic timepieces.


About A. Lange & Söhne
When Ferdinand A. Lange, a Dresden watchmaker, established his watch manufactory in 1845, he laid the cornerstone of Saxony’s precision watchmaking. His precious pocket watches remain highly coveted among collectors all over the world. The company was expropriated after World War II, and the name A. Lange & Söhne nearly fell into oblivion. In 1990, Ferdinand A. Lange’s great-grandson Walter Lange had the courage to relaunch the brand. Today, Lange crafts only a few thousand wristwatches in gold or platinum per year. They are endowed exclusively with proprietary move-ments that are lavishly decorated and assembled by hand. In a period of little more than 20 years, A. Lange & Söhne developed over 40 manufacture calibres and secured a top-tier position among the world’s finest watch brands. Its greatest successes include innovative time-keeping instruments such as the LANGE 1 with the first outsize date in a series produced wristwatch as well as the LANGE ZEITWERK with its supremely legible, precisely jumping numerals. Meanwhile, both models have become icons of a brand rich in tradition.



Original Language: English