In the autumn of 1989, the pounding of Germany’s heart rose to a crescendo – in Leipzig as well as in Dresden and Berlin. The scorching breath of history raced through central Europe. It was palpable. And there was no stopping it, neither with words nor with weapons. During the evening of 9 November, the Berlin Wall, the most absurd structure in recent history, finally collapsed. From then on, the reunification of the two German states was merely a matter of time. It came to pass on 3 October 1990. The historic event reawakened long-lost hopes in the heart of one man: Walter Lange. After the expropriation of his family’s watchmaking company in 1948, he had been forced to flee from his hometown Glashütte and took exile in Pforzheim near Stuttgart.

History had reshuffled the cards and opened a critical time window for the great-grand- son of Ferdinand A. Lange, the founder of Germany’s precision watchmaking industry. Would it be possible, after an imposed hiatus of more than 40 years, to reinstate the venerable marque that had been established in 1845 and for over one hundred years enjoyed the stature of Germany’s most famous watch brand? Could it be resurrected from the archives of collectors and go head to head with the over-whelming competition from Switzerland? Yes. The fascinating idea of transforming the A. Lange & Söhne saga into timepieces again was so compelling that it became reality. The rest is history. It begins with the incorporation of Lange Uhren GmbH on 7 December 1990 by courageous individuals, spurred on especially by Günter Blümlein, Walter Lange’s visionary companion. With a small, dedicated team of ingenious designers and watchmakers, they succeeded in rebuilding the A. Lange & Söhne brand from virtually nothing. It is a story replete with enthusiasm, sacrifice, and success.

On 24 October 1994, after four years of arduous preparatory work, key dealers and specialised journalists witnessed the presentation of the first Lange collection in over four decades during a vibrantly memorable event in the Dresden Palace. Boom or bust? The première quartet – the Lange 1, Saxonia, Arkade, and Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite” debuts – surpassed all expectations: Germany had found its time again. The announcement of the renaissance of the illustrious name spread through the world like wildfire. Representing a synthesis of classic Lange quality features and imaginative horological innovations, the new watches were unique and so irresistibly convincing that Walter Lange, otherwise known for his modesty, ambitiously declared without hesitation: “We want to build the world’s finest watches again.”

After a long suite of acclaimed horological accomplishments with milestones like the Datograph, the Tourbograph “Pour le Mérite” or the Lange Zeitwerk, A. Lange & Söhne has established itself as one of the most exclusive watch brands in meanwhile more than 50 countries. The small team grew to become a workforce of nearly 450 people. And the portfolio of four inaugural watches has expanded into a full-fledged collection of over 70 models. So far, the exceptional product and design quality embodied in Lange watches has garnered more than 140 international awards. Thus, the reunification of Germany 20 years ago laid the foundation for the reinstatement of “Made in Germany” at the pinnacle of precision watchmaking.