October 24 marks a very special occasion of beloved German brand A. Lange & Sohne. It was 30 years ago on this day that the brand, previously absorbed into a socialist conglomerate behind the Berlin Wall following World War II, was brought back to life in a relaunch by Walter Lange that was nothing short of a momentous move. The year was 1994, and the announcement, along with the unveiling of incredible German-made timepieces following the reunification of the country, took the watch world by storm.

The story is a remarkable one  — an endearing and persevering journey by Walter Lange and his business partner Günter Blümlein  – that has become a legend in time. A story we talk about below.

But today, to mark this special 30th anniversary, A. Lange & Söhne is celebrating the enduring legacy of the Lange 1 with the release of four new limited-edition timepieces. These watches capture the brand’s spirit of innovation and elegance that marked the debut of the  Lange 1 series, with its  unique off-center dial and signature outsize date, in 1994.

The anniversary collection includes two models of the Lange 1, each limited to 300 pieces: one in 950 platinum featuring a striking black onyx dial, a first for the collection, and the other in 750 pink gold with a blue 925 silver dial. Additionally, the Little Lange1 is offered in the same precious metal and dial combinations, with both versions limited to 150 pieces.

At the heart of these timepieces is the L121.1 manufacture caliber, a finely crafted in-house movement that ensures precise timekeeping, with features like the instantaneous date change and a power reserve of 72 hours. Visible through the sapphire-crystal caseback, the movement showcases the brand’s artisanal expertise, highlighted by a hand-engraved balance cock, Glashütte ribbing, and screwed gold chatons.

This commemorative release, defined by a timeless design rooted in the golden ratio, pays tribute to three decades of groundbreaking horology at the re-birthed A. Lange & Söhne.

In fact, the 30-year story is filled with success –maybe more than the founders could have expected. It is also a story I have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand. But before we can explain just how significant the relaunch of the brand, against so many odds, really is, we have to go back to the mid 19^th century.

The A. Lange  & Sohne history dates back even before it original founding in 1845. Born in Dresden, Ferdinand Adolph Lange was a journeyman who  and traveled throughout Switzerland and France learning all he could about watchmaking before establishing his own company, A. Lange & Cie, in 1845 in the Saxony region. Elected as mayor of Glashütte, where he had an 18-year tenure in addition to running his watch company, Lange is credited – along with a couple of other leading watch industry figures — with bringing the art of watchmaking to the region.

Over the ensuring decades, he patented a host of creations, including the three-quarter plate that is still a signature of the watches today. His son joined him, and further patents ensued. But an air raid almost destroyed the factory on the last day of World War II, and three years later, in 1948, the company was expropriated. Walter Lange was forced to flee to West Germany.

In 1990, though, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and Germany’s reunification, Walter Lange (great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph), founded Lange Uhren GmbH and registered the trademark A. Lange & Sohne worldwide.

His passion for relaunching his family’s legacy was unstoppable. With the help of others dedicated and determined to bring fine German watchmaking back to the fore front, Walter Lange presented his first collection In 1994. It included the Lange 1, Saxonia, Arkade and Tourbillon “Pour le Merite.”

My Memories of the A. Lange & Sohne Re-launch

I remember the re-launch of the brand well. Because he had secured help from the visionary and resolute Günter Blümlein (who was already leaving his mark on brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre and IWC), Walter Lange secured the best of two worlds. He had his own determination and dream, being brought to life alongside the creative yet incredibly detail-oriented Blumlein.

That first collection unveiled in 1994 showcased the brand’s commitment to haute horlogerie. Later, the brand debuted at Baselworld – showing in a small room within the confines of Schaffhausen-based IWC. It was not a question of secrecy. It was just a question of having space at the all-important show.  But still, discretion was all important.

Just a handful of the tried and true journalists were invited in the back to see the collection one on one. I was astounded with the elegance and the beauty of the watches, with the clean German design and the meticulous hand craftsmanship – all still anchors of the brand today.

But white the product was crisp, clean and different, I was more impressed with the story behind the brand. I had had the privilege of working indirectly for Blumlein for a few years and of having had many conversations about his visions for the watch world. I could see his hand on this project – a hand of determination and support. The rebirth of A. Lange & Sohne was one he wholeheartedly championed. And one that could not have happened without his help and the help of IWC Schaffhausen, which Blumlein had also overseen. IWC essentially helped with the technology for production and more, as the new A. Lange & Sohne brand sprouted its wings and started up again in Germany.

It was even easier to understand why the effort meant so much to Blumlein when I met Walter Lange. Already 70 years old,  Walter Lange was gracious, even humble. He seemed a Renaissance man – one who could bring together many aspects of the watch world into what he knew would become a  legacy  brand. He took a visionary approach and insisted on starting the company anew – but remaining faithful to its roots.

In 2001, the brand purchased the former manufactory building and set about creating its own movements, its own parts and its own future. Over the ensuing years, A. Lange & Sohne unveiled some of the most alluring and complicated watches – always in extremely limited production numbers and always remaining true to German design.

When Walter Lange died in 2017 at the age of 92, he left his indelible signature on the company, which now bears his motto as its guiding principle:  “Never stand still.”

Today, the brand offers a host of important families that collectors globally clamor for –from the Lange 1 to the Saxonia, Zeitwerk, 1815, Richard Lange, Odysseus and the Handwerkskunst. Each line seems to embody the essentials of what Walter Lange and Blumlein resurrected 30 years ago: a brand whose German roots remain vibrant and whose future seems secure for several more centuries at least.