A. Lange & Söhne

Ferdinand Adolph Lange founded A. Lange & Cie in Glashütte on 7 December 1845, establishing Saxon fine watchmaking. After training under Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes in Dresden and journeyman years in Paris, England, and Switzerland, Lange sought to create a German watchmaking center to rival Switzerland. Starting with 15 apprentices, he built not just a company but an entire industry cluster, encouraging trained workers to start supplier firms. In 1868, when his sons Richard and Emil joined, the company became A. Lange & Söhne. The brand achieved worldwide fame, with notable patrons including German Emperor Wilhelm II, Sultan Abdul Hamid II, and Tsar Alexander II. After surviving World War I and the Weimar hyperinflation, the company was nationalized in 1948 following Soviet occupation. On 7 December 1990—exactly 145 years after the original founding—Walter Lange, Ferdinand's great-grandson, re-established the company as Lange Uhren GmbH with Günter Blümlein and assistance from IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre. The first new collection debuted in 1994, and Richemont acquired the brand in 2000.