Introduced in 1999, the Datograph* is considered by many to be one of the most compelling chronographs ever made. Admired by independent watchmaker Philippe Dufour, who owns one himself, its movement took several years to develop, before taking the watchmaking industry by surprise. This platinum example captures much of what makes the early pieces so appealing.
The REBIRTH OF A. LANGE & SÖHNE
The name Lange has been tied to watchmaking and the Saxony area of Germany for centuries. In the 1800s, Ferdinand Aldoph Lange – which is where the “A” in A. Lange & Söhne comes from – began his watchmaking journey under the tutelage of master watchmaker, Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes. Passed from father to son, the Lange name flourished, before encountering considerable obstacles during the 20th century.
In 1990, the brand was resuscitated by Walter, the great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, and watch industry veteran Günter Blümlein. A Nuremberg native, Blümlein grew up in post-war Germany, and had previously overseen the resurgence of IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre. This started the four-year journey that Lange and Blümlein would go on with their small team to bring the company back from the ashes, with the release of their first four models on 25th October 1994.