At A. Lange & Söhne, 7 December has always been a day of new beginnings. On 7 December 1845 Ferdinand Adolph Lange founded his watch manufactory in Glashütte. Then, on the same day 145 years later, his great-grandson Walter Lange embarked on a new venture. In 2016 this date marks a digital first: from now on, A. Lange & Söhne will have its own account on on Instagram (#alangesoehne).
This new channel complements the company’s existing social media accounts on Facebook, You Tube, WeChat and Weibo. The Instagram premiere coincided with the launch on 7 December 2016 of a new product, the Lange 1 Moon Phase. In the days preceding the event, the typical Lange outsize date was used to provide a subtle clue as to what was going to happen.
Instagram is popular with many watch collectors around the world. They use it to share photos of their favourite models and discuss the different versions, functions and ways of wearing them. “This is why we are using Instagram for our digital communications,” explains Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne.
The plan is to use the platform to present both new products and models from the current collection. But the company’s account will also fulfil another important purpose: “ We can use it to provide watch fans with an in-depth look behind the scenes, for example, by posting close-ups of dials or macro shots of parts of a movement,” says Schmid. “Plus, it will allow us to show the highlights of our work in the manufactory in future.”
