The new boutique is laid out over two storeys, covering a total of 128 square metres, where visitors can learn about the handmade A. Lange & Söhne watches and the history of the manufactory. Authentic materials, clear lines and plenty of detail recall the history and values of the company. On the sales floor, angular interlocking spaces open up new perspectives and spatial experiences.
The philosophy of A. Lange & Söhne is reflected in each and every detail. For example, the glass cabinets are fitted with high-gloss metal pilaster strips angled at 45 degrees, just like the frame parts of the watch movements. The range of materials extends from steel, demonstrating a technically modern construction, through to natural stone, a homage to the home of the manufactory in the Erzgebirge mountains, a region characterised by a centuries-old mining tradition. The brand colour, an elegant shade of grey, has been supplemented with additional facets, including the German silver hue typical of Lange calibres, the colour of which varies between gold and silver. Combined with a timeless aesthetic, this results in an atmosphere where people feel welcome and where the handmade timekeepers can be experienced in all their glory.
"In London, A. Lange & Söhne watches have been available at our New Bond Street branch since 1997," says Kim-Eva Wempe, owner of the Hamburg family business. The United King- dom has also played an important role in the history of the manufactory. When Ferdinand Adolph Lange began making pocket watches in Glashütte in 1845, the demand in his home country was limited at first. So he travelled to London to present his watches at an exhibition there – with huge success. His watches were more precise than the competitors’ models, earn- ing him first prize and a medal as part of the fair. After the exhibition, countries around the world began to show interest in the watches from Saxony. In the first few years, more than 90 per cent of Lange watches were sold in England, Russia, France and overseas.
There are various exhibits in the new boutique that call to mind Ferdinand Adolph Lange – one of which is the reconstruction of the famous Five-Minute Clock on the ground floor. The original above the stage in the Dresden Semper Opera House was built in 1841 by the watchmaker and his teacher, Master Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes. Alongside the clock, there are numerous other exhibitions in the boutique that are just waiting to be discovered. For example, the Ex- perience Library, an oversized type case that tells the story of the manufactory and its crafts- manship using lovingly designed objects. “A boutique in London has been at the top of our list of priorities for some time now,” explains Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid. “We are delighted that, together with our long-standing partner Wempe, we can now offer our customers in the United Kingdom a comprehensive collection of Lange timepieces in the perfect location.”
