Words: Russell
The journey of A. Lange & Söhne has been long and fascinating. From creating watches for Sultans to a spell when they disappeared behind the Iron Curtain, the brand has taken many twists and turns while watchmaking. But, this year, their latest move has brought them to Mayfair — and a new boutique on Old Bond Street.
The German watch house originally found its home in London when Ferdinand Adolph Lange travelled from Glashutte in 1845 to sell his pocket watches here. Amazed that they performed so well on the local market, he was inclined to stay.
Now, we’re glad to say that they’re back with a permanent home — in which you can see their large date-windowed marvels close up.
The boutique is filled with traditional German fabrics and materials that link the timepieces with their native land. From oak table tops sourced from the forests that surround the workshops to decorations made from German silver — a metal used heavily in the construction of these watches — the whole store is a tribute to German manufacturing.
The signature cool grey colour of the brand also features heavily throughout the boutique, and succeeds in giving the whole space a calm, clean feel.
But the watches themselves are the main attraction. The designs are peerless in their crisp functionality and faultless aesthetics, and it’s easy to spot an A. Lange & Söhne watch thanks to their distinctive large date windows that are both beautiful and incredibly easy to read.
Downstairs in the new boutique, a dedicated consultation room offers you the chance to learn more about the history of the brand through the various exhibitions and artefacts on display. And, with the boutique being a partnership with the historic jewellers Wempe, who have been selling a selection of A. Lange & Söhne’s watches in their New Bond Street branch since 1997, you can be sure that you’re in safe, knowledgeable hands.
Lucky thing, too. Because, while A. Lange & Söhne’s watches are some of the most beautiful in modern horology, they can also be fiendishly difficult to understand. So having expert staff on hand to teach you about the timepieces is a masterful touch from the Germans.
We, for one, are delighted to welcome A. Lange & Söhne to their new permanent home in London. And, now that they’ve brought their new pieces from SIHH to display, we highly recommend you head down as soon as possible and take a look yourself.
Now check out the art of buying a timeless watch…
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