Although A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte, may not be a household name, they are a very highly regarded brand within the watch industry. Founded in Glashutte, Germany, in 1845, by Adolf Lange, the company was one of the first watchmakers to set up in the town. In 1848, Lange was offered the opportunity to become mayor of the town. He accepted and is credited with helping make Glashütte a successful centre for watch manufacturing within the country.
During WWII, the company made watches for the German army but the factory was destroyed by bombing and the company essentially ceased to exist shortly after. At the end of the 1980s, Lange's great-grandson decided to revive the family business and registered the company name as a trademark.
In the early 1990s, they presented the first new watches from this new version of the company. Since then, the manufacturer has received over 150 horological prizes and at auction, their models are all highly sought-after. The brand is appreciated for its upholding of traditional watchmaking values and the typical buyer might be more focussed on the movement within the watch, than other watch buyers/collectors.
We could consider the brand’s output to be ‘hype’ watches, as we use the word these days. Hype watches are ultimately those with a buzz around them whose popularity extends beyond the strictly watch-collecting community. Some of these timepieces are sought-after for their monetary potential on the preowned market alone. Over the last few years, a number of smaller, high-end watch brands have seen the value of their watches soar on the secondary market, and the demand for their watches brand new increase significantly.
In the Select Jewellery & Watches auction taking place on 29th March there is an 18ct gold Lange model 1815 estimated at £12,000-15,000.
Lyon & Turnbull’s Watch Auctions department is a dynamic one with significant expertise, hosting diverse watch auctions across the U.K. featuring fine, rare, modern and vintage timepieces. Highlights from recent auctions include a rare Rolex Daytona 6263 that sold for £62,500 in October 2021 and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak that achieved £106,250 (incl premium).
SARAH FERGUSSON | HEAD OF WATCHES
0141 333 1992
sarah.fergusson@lyonandturnbull.com