Vacheron Constantin is a company steeped in tradition, even in Geneva, where long-time watchmakers are a part of the local culture. Vacheron Constantin is the oldest watch company in Geneva, as the company was founded in 1755, over 250 years ago! In the years since then, the company has become famous for not only making the most expensive watch in history (the Kallista, worth over $10 million), but also a long history of quality timepieces with both technical and artistic merits to spare.

The company was founded by Jean-Mark Vacheron, a 24-year old watchmaker who wanted to make elegant timepieces that stood out for their quality. He ran the company until thirty years later, when his son Abraham took over. Abraham was able to navigate the company through economic crises caused by such volatile periods as the French Revolution, which is no small feat.

By the time the third generation of Vacheron men had taken over (in the form of Jacques Barthelemy Vacheron), it was realized that a partner was needed for the financial future of the company. In 1819, Francois Constantin became a partner, and the company adopted the name that has stood for over 190 years since.

Francois Constantin took a role as a traveling marketer and salesman of the company’s watches, and cherished his position and the flamboyant lifestyle he led as a result. Constantin was able to spread the company’s work overseas to North America and many other areas, and was known to say, “Do better when possible…and it is always possible!”

The Vacheron family and Constantin were not the only people responsible for the company’s early success. Georges-Auguste Leschot was the genius behind using machines to produce certain watch components, which at first earned him the ridicule of fellow watchmakers. However, his measures led to savings that Vacheron and Constantin passed on to consumers, which allowed the company to sell their watches for less than the competition without sacrificing quality. At the same time, Leschot insisted that the parts all still be worked on by hand, and watchmakers were able to focus their attention on the important tasks, which fabrication of component parts were done by machine.

In the time since then, the company has shown that it is never afraid to do things differently. For instance, when Charles Vacheron died at age 25, Laure Vacheron-Pernessin (Charles’ widow) and Catherine-Etienne Vacheron (widow of Jacques Barthelemy Vacheron) took over to guide the company successfully into the 20^th century.

During this time, the company bounced back from declining sales in the late 19^th century, as they capitalized on the increasing public demand of wristwatches. Of course, they still also produced pocket watches, which were of high enough quality as to be presented to royalty such as Egypt’s King Fouad I. Even through the Great Depression and World War II, the company persevered, with Georges Ketterer assuming majority ownership and supervising the company to a renaissance of sorts. The Chronometre Royale and other great watches were made under Ketterer’s supervision.

Now, Vacheron Constantin produces almost 20,000 watches per year, including popular models such as Overseas, and Les Historiques, which are modeled after classic designs found in the mid-20^th century. The company also creates Tourbillon watches and other technical watches, which show Vacheron Constantin’s continued pursuit of excellence in the craft of watchmaking.

Patek Philippe watches have been said by many to be the “Rolls Royce of watches”, because of the brand’s devotion to craftsmanship, exclusivity and utter perfection. For over 170 years now, Patek Philippe has represented the gold standard of watchmaking, which is a fact recognized by collectors, dealers and enthusiasts alike.

The company came from an unassuming beginning, as Antoine Norbert de Patek and Francois Czapek decided to go into business together in 1839, with the name of Patek, Czapek & Co. Patek had briefly considered becoming an artist, but had instead become taken with overseeing the making of high-quality movements. Meanwhile, Czapek was a watchmaker of Czech and Polish ancestry.

The first five years of the company went fairly well, but things changed when Patek met Jean Adrien Philippe, a French immigrant who had already constructed a flat pocket watch that could be wound and set by the crown without need for a key. Patek had all but dissolved his partnership with Czapek already, and formed Patek & Co. in 1845. Six years later, Patek reorganized the firm as Patek Philippe & Co., as a way of recognizing the success the company found thanks to Philippe’s brilliant innovations.

This partnership went on until Patek’s death in 1877 (Philippe died 17 years later). Their partnership was a success because Patek was willing to travel all over the world to promote the young company, even though doing so was a very dangerous proposition in those days. Philippe would stay in Geneva, focusing on the technical innovations that Patek was introducing to those that he met.

When the two founders had passed away, three long-time employees became partners to ensure the company’s continued success. In 1910, Patek Philippe watches started to feature ebauches built in-house, and continued to put forth efforts similar to Patek’s by putting forth a proud face to the company, by building a lavish showroom and entertaining visits from the powerful and wealthy.

Of course, the Great Depression affected Patek Philippe like it did many other luxury watchmakers, which led to Jean Pfister being hired as general manager. This followed the sale of the company to Charles and Jean Stern, owners of the company that had supplied dials to Patek Philippe in the past.

The changes were not a bad thing, as Pfister moved towards having Patek Philippe controlling all aspects of the production of their watches. With models such as the Calatrava, the financial side of the company picked up the pace again. Pfister oversaw a period of great innovation until 1958, which Henri Stern took his place. Stern continued to grow the company while not deviating from its founding principles. Through his efforts, the firm was able to withstand the crisis that much of the industry was troubled by in the 1970’s.

Philippe Stern now runs the company, and has overseen the introduction of such designs as the Gondolo series. He also has stated that the company will not sell out to a conglomerate and will remain family-owned, as he is already grooming his own son, Thierry, to take over the reins one day. The Stern family has been successful in continuing the tradition begun by Patek and Philippe, and there are no signs of the company’s commitment to technological innovation and craftsmanship ever wavering.

Jacob & Co. is definitely a relatively new company in the watchmaking business, as it has only been around for just over 20 years. However, the passion and exquisite designs of Jacob Arabo, who founded the company in 1986, have allowed the company to stand alongside watchmakers with as many as 200 years of experience in the watchmaking business.

Jacob Arabo’s story began as a young Russian boy with a love of jewelry who immigrated to the United States as a 16-year old. Arabo immediately took jewelry design courses and then moved on to designing unique pieces in the “Diamond District” of New York for jewelry companies and private clients. This led to the formation of Jacob & Co., which immediately became the biggest up-and-coming brand in jewelry, thanks to the buzz from such high-profile clients as Whitney Houston, Elton John and Bono.

At that time, Jacob & Co. were known for their innovative designs that utilized diamonds and other jewels to make stunning unique pieces, but in 2002, Jacob Arabo decided to use the recognition of his brand to launch his company into the timepiece industry, as well. The Five Time Zone collection consisted of the first offerings from Jacob & Co., which featured bold, primary colors that stood out from other luxury designs. He said that he was inspired to create these first watches by the fast-paced lifestyles of his client, such as David Beckham, Naomi Campbell and Justin Timberlake.

Following the success of the Five Time Zone collection, Jacob & Co. followed with other models, including the Automatic Chronograph line, which symbolized Jacob & Co.’s further progress into more sophisticated movements as well as designs. The Automatic Chronograph line was just as well-received as the Five Time Zone collection, which only expanded the perception of Jacob & Co. as a watchmaking company as well as a custom jewelry maker. Arabo also took the time to diversify his initial line of watches with softer colors and diamond accents.

The first true masterpiece of Jacob & Co.’s timepiece manufacturing exploits was the Five Time Zone “The World Is Yours” watch. The dial formed a world map by using diamonds of different colors and styles to form an accurate globe of continents and oceans. The watch won a 2006 Travel & Leisure design award for its creativity and artful elegance.

Jacob & Co. wanted to show that they could produce more than just beautiful designs, so two non-diamond timepieces were introduced a few years ago, both of which featured astounding technical innovations. The H-24 Five Time Zone Automatic and the World GMT both combine time zone technology with an automatic movement, while covering time in up to 32 additional cities, which is all driven by a single movement. Then, there was 2005’s limited-edition Rainbow Tourbillon collection, which integrated a tourbillion device with Jacob & Co.’s signature multiple time zone features.

Jacob & Co. have been able to gain ground with under ten years of watchmaking under their belts by marrying technological innovations with award-winning styles and elegance. The commitment to excellence already shown by Arabo’s visions makes the world excited to see what will come from the company in the years to come.

In contrast to many luxury watchmakers, Breitling is known just as much, if not more, for technical pieces that have been relied upon by everyone from divers and astronauts to pilots and drivers. For instance, the Emergency watch features an emergency transmission feature, allowing wearers to send out a distress signal that rivals beacons found on aircrafts. This feature is actually credited for saving the lives of 13 people in 1995, for example.

The company itself was founded by Léon Breitling in 1884, who set the foundation for the company’s continued success by a focus on technical perfection until his death in 1914. Fortunately for admirer’s of his work, his son, Gaston picked up where he left off, even creating the world’s first wrist watch chronograph in 1915. This was when pilots first started really taking interest in Breitling pieces, as they found that the watches made navigation and flying in general much easier.

Gaston decided to turn the company over to his own son (Willy) just nine years after Léon’s death. Like his father before him, Willy did the Breitling name proud by convincing the British Air Force to use Breitling to supply watches to all of their pilots, which really helped to spread the Breitling name. Before long, pilots from Europe to the United States were taking advantage of these high-quality watches. Also, in 1934, a forerunner to the modern chronograph was incorporated into Breitling watches, as the second return-to-zero function was included in Breitling offerings.

The Navitimer chronograph, designed for use by aviators, was unveiled in the 1950’s, and allowed pilots to measure speed as well as fuel consumption. This timepiece was only further proof of the Breitling pursuit of excellence as the years passed.

In 1962, another milestone in the Breitling family history occurred, as the Cosmonaught wrist watch was worn by Scott Carpenter into space, who found the piece to be outstandingly accurate throughout the flight, which only increased awareness even further of the excellent timepieces bearing the Breitling name.

Unfortunately, some of the same financial difficulties endured by other Swiss watchmakers in the 1970’s endangered the Breitling brand’s future. Willy Breitling, who had been in control of the company for fifty years, allowed Ernest Schneider to take control of the company, with the knowledge that the Schneider family understood the Breitling vision and would continue to preserve it while looking towards innovation in the future.

The family has done so, which is proven by the success of not only the Emergency watches, but also the Chronomat, which is one of the most successful and popular wristwatches found these days. Then there are other astounding pieces of technology, such as the Avenger Seawolf watch, which is water resistant to a staggering 10,000 feet.

For over 125 years, Breitling watches have symbolized technical innovation and functional elegance, all while persevering through the challenges and changes that have emerged. It is certain that Breitling watches will continue to help set the standard of modern watchmaking for years to come.

The legendary luxury watches bearing the Breguet name have long captivated collectors and laypersons alike. Along with being a vital part of European culture, Breguet timepieces have been hugely popular internationally for years and years, as well. How far does Breguet’s legacy of quality and amazing elegance go? How about over two hundred years, dating back to 1775?

That was the year when Abraham-Louis Breguet founded what would become one of the most well-known luxury watch manufacturers in the world. After Breguet’s wedding to a daughter of a well-off French family, Breguet was able to open his own workshop using the dowry that he received. Of course, Breguet was not simply a man with ambitions and some money in his pocket. He had completed an apprenticeship as a watchmaker and spent time studying mathematics, as well. Among his early successes included none other than Louis XVI buying several of his pieces, as he was taken aback by the self-winding design Breguet had innovated.

The tendency of Breguet’s works to charm the rich and powerful gave his company a great start, and his own technical genius ensured that the admiration would continue. The self-winding movement that Perrelet created was perfected by Breguet, and the young man also invented shock resistance that allowed his pocket watches to resist damage from falling to the ground. He also used his ingenuity to create a pocket watch that chimed at certain intervals, so that people could tell time when they couldn’t read their watches, such as in the dark.

All of this paled in comparison to the tourbillion, which even today can only be replicated by the most skilled watchmakers in the world. Breguet had realized that since pocket watches were carried vertically, the force of gravity could lead to deviations in the timekeeping itself, and wanted to ensure that his pocket watches would be precisely accurate, no matter how they were positioned or carried.

Brequet’s solution was to develop what amounted to a clock within the clock, as the balance and escapement turned on one axle within the movement, which was successful in eliminating inaccuracies cause by changing the position of the pocket watch, and instantly gave accuracy similar to a chronometer. As a result, Breguet continued to succeed and was a personal favorite of Napoleon himself, who loved Breguet’s watches.

Of course, Breguet’s innovations, which also included a perpetual calendar and moon phase indicator, led to not only imitators, but also counterfeiters, which was extremely rare at the time for even the most successful watchmakers. As a result, a “secret signature” was created on the dial to ensure that someone looking through a loupe could tell whether the watch was genuine or not. Serial numbers given to each watch produced and sold also provided a method of verifying authenticity.

Of course, Breguet’s legacy lives on even now, more than two hundred years after he started the company. In 1970, the company was bought by Jacques and Pierre Chaumet, two brothers who were jewelers that wanted to restore the kind of prestige once associated with Breguet’s pieces.

They have succeeded by having only watches built by the most talented watchmakers, with little touches such as hand-engraved silver dials, along with more casual pieces, such as the “Marine” watch. The fact that today’s offerings are just as respected and admired as the originals were in their time is a testament to the staying power of Breguet’s vision.

Jaeger-LeCoultre is one of the most famous and prestigious watchmakers in the world, but the company actually tarted out by producing movements for other watch manufacturers, such as Audemars Piguet and IWC. Of course, those brands themselves are very highly regarded, which is a testament to the quality of work done by Jaeger-LeCoultre. Since that time, Jaeger-LeCoultre has gone on to create such amazing timepieces as the Reverso, and it’s clear that the manufacturer has earned its own way to its prestigious place in the world of watchmaking.

In 1833, Antoine LeCoultre opened a modest factory in Le Sentier. The son of a watchmaker, LeCoultre was a gifted watchmaker himself, as well as a brilliant inventor. Just over ten years after the first factory opened, LeCoultre invented the millionometer, which could use measurements accurately to as little as one thousandth of a millimeter. This led to precise components and amazing accuracy in the company’s watches.

This innovation was also indicative of LeCoultre’s motto, “we must base our experience on science.” He used this philosophy to focus on precise movements for his watches, and this is what led some of the premier watch factories in Switzerland to depend on LeCoultre’s movements, parts and tools.

Even the great Patek Philippe was impressed enough with LeCoultre movements to use them until 1910, when they started to build their own from scratch. In the first twenty years of the 20^th century, 40,000 movements were produced, which led to a lot of profit for Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Where did the Jaeger part of Jaeger-LeCoultre come in? That was in 1925, when David LeCoultre (grandson of the company’s founder) merged with Edmond Jaeger’s company, which supplied watch movements to the likes of Cartier. Thus, Jaeger-LeCoultre was born. Luckily, the company did not rest upon its laurels, and instead continued to innovate their pieces, including stainless steel cases and the lightest mechanical movement in the world (less than a gram!).

The Reverso, which is perhaps Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most famous watch, was introduced in 1931, with its distinctive ability to be turned 180 degrees within the case. The public immediately loved the Reverso, even if economic conditions of that era kept it from being as widely profitable as it could have been.

Years later, an Italian watch dealer visited Jaeger-LeCoultre’s factory in the 1960’s and saw some of the Reverso watches, and decided to purchase them. They sold so quickly that the model itself was resurrected, and to this day Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most popular watch is the Reverso.

Other models, such as the Memovox, Atmos Clock, Futurematic and more have helped Jaeger-LeCoultre to thrive over the years, as well. Innovations of the company, such as the world’s thinnest automatic, have been used by peers such as Audemars Piguet.

Of course, the quality of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s pieces also has led to so much of the company’s success. It’s nice to know that Jaeger-LeCoultre still produces all of its own components in-house and by hand, with an emphasis on quality control. Look at the Master Control watches, for instance, which each undergo one thousand hours of assembly and testing! It’s clear that with this kind of craftsmanship and attention to detail, Jaeger-LeCoultre will continue to be one of the biggest names in watchmaking.

IWC is one of the leading watch manufacturers in Switzerland for good reason, as the Schaffhausen-based company has always led the way with dashing and breathtaking chronometry. Famous models such as “Da Vinci”, “Grande Complication”, “Ingenieur” (and other diving watches that can descend safely to 2000 meters) are just a few examples of the outstanding quality provided by IWC. That’s not all, though- IWC is also known for pilots watches and wonderful pocket watches, which are a company tradition going back to IWC’s formation in 1868.

The company’s initials stand for International Watch Co., which was founded in Schaffhausen by an American engineer from Boston, of all people. Florentine Ariosto Jones established the company far from western Switzerland, where many of the top watchmaking companies have historically been located. The founder based some of his decision on the new hydroelectric power station that powered his machines, which he used to build mechanical movements that met perfection and found a captivated international market.

Florentine Ariosto Jones worked with watchmakers that had been in Schaffhausen for years, as archives from the area’s history date watchmaking back to the 16^th century and possibly even earlier. This meant that Schaffhausen may not have been such an unlikely place to start IWC after all, and the company immediately took their creations in bold and daring directions. An example of this is the pocket watch the company made in 1885 (the Pallweber pocket watch), which had a digital display and is an extremely valuable collector’s item to this day.

While pocket watches are what IWC started with on its path to watchmaking greatness, the company was more than willing to branch out and accept new ways of doing things. At the turn of the century, IWC was among the very first to embrace the wristwatch, which was coming into style at the time. IWC had to develop completely original movements for the wristwatch, but it paid off, even as the company continued to incorporate pocket watch movements into them as larger-sized wristwatches became popular in the 1930’s. The Portuguese line of IWC watches is a great example of the oversized watch style that the company helped to pioneer.

Even now, IWC’s factory in Schaffhausen is the only watch factory that is found in eastern Switzerland. This only reignites the company’s passion for watchmaking and the desire to continue its own tradition in that area of the country. IWC has its own training center (established in 1968) which has helped to ensure that only the best watchmakers represent the company.

The company took a new approach during the turbulent period of the 1970’s when many Swiss watchmakers were having trouble, deciding to expand their focus to mechanical watches and innovative men’s designs. The following quote used in IWC’s advertising made their focus obvious: “Since 1868. And for as long as there are men.”

Today, the company’s employees, of which there are less than 400, continue to take IWC into the future with great pride. Anyone that owns a timepiece made by this prestigious manufacturer can attest to the tradition that this company has built.

The watch manufacturer Hublot came from an urge to produce unique watches that would move away from contemporary watch design and set new trends for the world to follow. Carlo Crocco, the creator of Hublot, grew up in a proud family of watchmakers, and the young man designed his first watch in the late 1970’s. Just a few years later, in 1980, Crocco established a company (MDM Genève) in the hopes of creating timepieces that were elegant, yet sporty, and known to those all around the world.

It was out of Crocco’s determination to respect the traditions of watchmaking while innovating the styles and fashions used to create contemporary timepieces that he came upon his own design philosophies. He wanted to create pieces that could be worn in situations formal and informal alike, and that had no superfluous elements in their design. The look that he arrived at met these goals and allowed Hublot to reach a large number of people.

“Hublot” is French for “porthole”, and the look of the watches were modeled after just that: portholes. Finely brushed steel and gold were among the materials used, with titanium screws attaching the bezel and the case, which gave the watch function and sophistication all at once. The case took 160 manual operations to reach the perfection desired by Crocco, and the strap was not made of leather, which was deemed to be exceedingly fragile by the designer. Instead, he used rubber to create a matte black strap that would complement the gold and steel used to construct the pieces.

To find the right rubber for the strap, a lot of research was needed: three years, to be exact. The remarkable strap was finally produced to be very durable and produce a distinctive, yet subtle vanilla scent. There were a lot of advantages to the rubber straps. They were resistant to corrosion and were solidly attached to the watch with double-hinged clasps and steel inserts that reinforced the straps themselves. The rubber strap was a very bold move, but it paid off as the Hublot wristwatches instantly became known as truly original pieces.

Of course, the initial reaction was largely one of skepticism when the first Hublot watches were presented in 1980 (at Basel Fair). However, this initially cautious reaction gave way in time as the watches became a true sensation that were embraced by all kinds of watch lovers and collectors. The distinctiveness of the design gave the Hublot a leg up on the competition, as its easily recognizable look gave the new company an identity all its own. Before long, everyone from royal family members to worldwide celebrities were seen sporting Hublot watches, and it was clear that Crocco’s gamble had paid off.

Even as other watchmakers have adopted some of the elements of design that made Hublot watches instant classics, the Hublot pieces are still recognized as true originators. While other watches may incorporate the distinctive rubber strap of the Hublot, the Hublot’s strap is truly indicative of the brand’s bold philosophy and is a trademark exclusive to Crocco’s own creation.

The Swiss are known to be legendary watchmakers, even to the layperson who does not know a lot about luxury timepieces. This is due in large part to excellent Swiss timepiece manufacturers such as Audemars Piguet, which continue to pace the industry to this very day with their breathtaking designs and amazing quality.

Audemars Piguet timepieces trace their roots back to when Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet in their early 20’s. Both young men had a passion for watchmaking, and it was only natural that this was the case, as they grew in what is known by some as the “cradle of prestige watchmaking”. In 1875, the two began their modestly sized company, as Audemars took care of the technical duties, with Piguet becoming the face of the company in regards to sales and marketing. For Piguet, this meant long hours of travel and hard work to make the connections necessary to thrive in such a competitive area.

In time, the company grew and prospered, even as other watchmakers struggled and fell by the wayside over the years. As the first World War and the Great Depression took their respective tolls on many small businesses and watchmakers around the world, Audemars Piguet continued on with steady growth. A lot of this was thanks to their designs, which were often led by women’s watches and very thin designs. Throughout the history of Audemars Piguet, events that caused other watchmakers to fall behind were avoided by smart and sophisticated designs.

This was also true after the second World War, when Audemars Piguet decided to make more accessible watches to further their success. Then, in the 1970’s, as other watchmakers were struggling mightily, Audemars Piguet made a bold choice to present the Royal Oak, the first truly high-end steel sports watch. Again, these choices and bold design efforts have kept the company high above much of its competition through all kinds of political and economic events.

The Royal Oak boosted awareness of Audemars Piguet, which was always known by serious watch collectors and enthusiasts, but not always by others. With a design that absolutely changed the way that people thought of luxury watches, it was inevitable that Audemars Piguet would become a name known worldwide.

Other firsts throughout Audemars Piguet’s history included the first wristwatches with mechanical winding and tourbillion, as well as creating the smallest self-winding watch with a perpetual calendar. Some of the company’s most popular creations include its Haute Joaillerie watches.

Today, the company has grown in prestige and reputation, if not necessarily in size: only about 500 employees across the world have the right to say that they are affiliated with Audemars Piguet. Much of the work is done in the Le Brassus workshops, and in Le Locle, where one of the subsidiaries of Audemars Piguet is located. Another is in Meyrin, Geneva and is dedicated to creating top of the line watch cases. Audemars Piguet is still known for producing extremely complex and thin styles of watches that are a true sight to behold.

For ladies and gentleman who truly recognize the art of watch making for what it is, there are few manufacturers who can truly count themselves among the best. One of those manufacturers is A. Lange & Söhne, who have always set themselves apart from the rest of the pack with the absolutely superior craftsmanship and functionality of their pieces. Each and every one of the top of the line watches and timepieces created by A. Lange & Söhne meets very strict requirements for quality and elegance, which is a main reason why the German manufacturer is so highly regarded.

If you want to trace A. Lange & Söhne back to the manufacturer’s origin, you have to go back to the 19^th century, though the company’s current production of watches began in 1990. In 1845, A. Lange & Söhne was founded by Ferdinand Adolph Lange, and the company soon became well known in the Saxony region for over a century afterwards. The company went on successfully until 1948, when political events unfortunately forced A. Lange & Söhne to cease business operations. Between bombings during the second World War that left the company’s workshops ruined and the expropriation of A. Lange & Söhne itself, it looked like the great maker of timepieces had seen its end.

Things changed in Germany years later, and fourth-generation head of the company Walter Lange came back with a mission to bring back the family brand that had brought him and others so much pride over the years. In 1989, as the Berlin Wall was falling, plans began to make A. Lange & Söhne a top name in the industry once again. This time, Glashütte would be the home of the once-great company, as the Richemont Group and IWC helped to revive A. Lange & Söhne for once and for all.

Still, there was much work to be done. It was decided that A. Lange & Söhne would not only manufacture watches, but would even create its own movements and parts, so it took nearly five full years for the first of the new A. Lange & Söhne watches to make it to the marketplace. German timepiece enthusiasts who were proud of the country’s tradition celebrated as A. Lange & Söhne was resurrected and quickly reassumed its place near the top of the chain in the world of watchmaking.

A. Lange & Söhne has continued to flourish since arriving back on the scene, unveiling many successful new designs, and even opening a watchmaking school, named after the Lange family, near the turn of the century. All of this was capped off in 2000, as A. Lange & Söhne celebrated the new millennium by acquiring their old headquarters, which was a great symbolic move that indicated how far the company had come.

Even today, every part of the creation and assembly of A. Lange & Söhne timepieces takes place in the company’s workshops in Glashütte, and their watches are highly sought after, as they are made in very limited supply. For those lucky enough to own an A. Lange & Söhne timepiece, it’s clear that they also own a piece of German watchmaking history.