June 29th, 2009
The discreet charm of the new 1815 watch
Two hundred years ago, the German philosopher Immanuel Kant noted that the hand is the window to the mind. In the course of its creation, a watch like the new 1815 by A. Lange & Söhne passes through many “intelligent” and skilful hands. Each pair of hands adds something to its character.
Herein lies its uniqueness and special charm. A customer purchas¬ing a Lange watch forges a bond with the people who designed and created it. Extraordinary people motivated by the age-old desire to complete any task to the best of their abilities, just for its own sake.
As a product designer, Martin Schetter is responsible for the face of A. Lange & Söhne. His hands create the things people see first and those that shape their lasting impressions of a Lange watch.
Senior calibre designer Helmut Geyer takes up a pencil to sketch his initial ideas for a completely new, innovative watch. Later, he switches to the computer mouse to turn them into perfect, aesthetically compelling constructions.
Flat polish, circular graining, linear or solarisation finish – finisher Dagmar Hahn creates all polishes by hand, using traditional and sometimes custom-made tools. It is the only way to turn each watch into a unique work of art.
With power and sensitivity, Simone Rauchfuss decorates the balance cock with lavish floral ornaments, creating an engraving that is as individual as a person’s handwriting.
Scientists have shown that a person needs about 10,000 hours to become an expert in any given matter.
This certainly holds true for master watchmaker Hans-Jürgen Bielchen. He needs to be sure of every single step while assembling the 188 parts of the 1815 into a movement that will please its owner with consistent precision for many decades.
With their signature, the hands of Walter Lange confirmed the return of the label A. Lange & Söhne in 1990. Based on their action, more than 1,000 other hands are working today to create watches like the new 1815 that is now being delivered to retailers and customers all over the world.
For more information Black Card readers should vist www.alange-soehne.com
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