A lange & Sohne related to Glashutte Original?

[lapince]

This might sound stupid but on A Lange & Sohne watches there is always written "Glashutte", so I was wondering if there is a relation what so ever with the brand Glashutte Original?

Since Glashutte Original are cheaper than ALS is it a sub division of the ALS company or is it a completely independent company?

Thanks for your replies to make me smarter watch wise

[powerfunk]

Glashutte is a town in Germany.

[Presa canary]

ALS, richemont. GO, swatch. Just made in the same region

[lapince]

Well I understood that it is a town, but there is a brand Glashutte Original, so if I understand they have nothing to do with A Lange & Sohne?

[powerfunk]

Ah. Yeah, totally separate. Like Presa said, ALS is part of Richemont and GO is part of Swatch.

[lapince]

Originally Posted by powerfunk

Ah. Yeah, totally separate. Like Presa said, ALS is part of Richemont and GO is part of Swatch.

Thanks

[asadtiger]

well, to help everyone, I am willing to spend some time on this, but not much as I have way too much to occupy me. This is histriy and I have a bad memory, so please pardon any errors, but it goes roughly like this:

the german watch making owes its origins and major growth to the enterprise of A. Lange, somewhere in the middle of 19th Century who started the industry in the mining town of Glahutte, with Mr. Assman, a significant contributor too, joining soon among many other skilled watchmakers...but due to the WWI, the industry collapsed and survived mostly in name and military orders with all forces in the town joining together to scrape through, claiming the tradition originated in Glashutte by collectively using Glashutte Original to denote their original existence in Glashutte as opposed to other claimers may be within Germany to the German watchmaking tradition...but post WWII East German formation meant a unified industrial approach by the government meaning putting together the entire watchmaking industry of Glashutte into one conglomerate GUB...from then till 1989, it can be said it was just one company GUB making watches in Glashutte..after German unification, Mr. Walter Lange rightfully being the Grandson of the founder Alfred Lange and a wonderfully traditional gentleman, purchased the rights to the name of his family company (in 1991 and introducing his first new models in 1994) while Swatch in 1994 purchased not just the rights but also a major part of designs and movement designs and machines of the now defunct GUB, claiming not just in its wake the old Glashutte Original name but most historic designs from the Glashutte watchmaking history...later, some or may be major shares in A. Lange were bought by Richemont (there having been some other major group involved too but I dont remember their name)...so this is how A. Lange is now part of Richemont Group and GO is now part of Swatch Group.

Hence, as you can see, they were practically one company for more than one century and a half, and have only been separated in last twenty years...in fact, among history and origins pictures in GO page, a picture of Alfred Lange is shown as one of the founders. This is why they share SO damn much :)

[dysondiver]

interesting read asad ,, many thanks

[Jocke]

Asad sums it up well.

If I remember correctly so have 75% of the parts be manufactured in Glashütte in order to use the word Glashütte on the dial.
Today GO made everything except for their watches sapphire crystal, synthetic jewels and bracelets/straps. ALS only makes
watches in precious metals and GO is probably heading there slowly but surely. GO have gone out with that they will end up
with sports watches and produce only dress watches.

[aardvarkbark]

Originally Posted by Jocke

Asad sums it up well.

If I remember correctly so have 75% of the parts be manufactured in Glashütte in order to use the word Glashütte on the dial.....

Both have 'Glashutte i/SA' on their dials. I'm not certain, but I believe the minimum % of production required applies to the i/SA which means 'in Saxony', Saxony being the state in which Glashutte is located. Just as for 'Swiss Made' there is also some minimum % production required for both to bear the 'Made in Germany' moniker.

[asadtiger]

sorry I did not have the time earlier but I do really want to add something...if you ever google or have seen vintage A.Lange watches or pocket watches, you will notice that you will not see grand complications or anything like what Breguet was doing with pocket watches in the 18th and 19th centuries and what Patek did with wrist watches in the 20th century...from what I know and have read, this is the typical German character..to make very good quality functional and 'simple' well engineered things...Lange and generally watches produced in Glashutte were exactly all of those things...later after WWI ofcourse we see more Lufwaffe and military pieces and then after WWII we see GUB's work which again was no Breguet or Patek...the point I am trying to make is twofold: first of all, we must give great credit to the vision and work of Mr. Walter Lange (and also his partner Mr. Gunter Blumlein)in making this modern A.Lange that we see today...they started the company as part of LMH which was a group of three companies: a.lange, JLC and IWC, and right from the start, it was Mr. Walter Lange's leadership and committment to make such an old name and traditional maker a truly great company...so we must give credit to this enterpreneuer for creating a company that rivals Patek in many ways within the span of just some years, and not with too much marketing or anything, atleast from what I know, but purely by committment to making a truly exceptional and great product..I just wanted to highlight Mr. Walter Lange's work which many people do not know of too well...later LMH was bought by Richemont and thats how all ended up in Richemont...the second point I wanted to make from the historic perspective of Glahsutee watchmaking is that, essentially, Glashutte Original has continued the 'tradition' of Glashutte more 'faithfully' by making steel watches with not many very high end complications, although now they do and do it very well, but the basics of the company, especially with the navigator line and steel watches with just oversized dates, is, from my knowledge, the real way of the German watchmaking...and you can see this in almost all German brands, like Muhle glashutte and Nomos now...again there are two ways of looking at this: the name of Glahsutte Original started near WWI so many Galshutte brands are looking more at the military and troubled times since WWI and hence coming up with the simpler, so to speak, product, something which I think Glshutte Original was doing to o to begin with, but now A. Lange and Glashutte Original are looking at their larger span of history from early 19th century and hence making more higher end products.

Nonethless, what boils down from all this is that the two companies share way more than just the region, are absolutely highest level manufactures making, IMHO, the absolute best watches comparabale in quality to ANYTHING up or below them in their price segment or out of it, and it is this great admiration that I have for them that I have tried to learn so much about Glashutte watch making..and all this praise for the pinnacle of engineering goes for both A.Lange and Glahutte Original IMHO.

[lapince]

Great explanation Asad, thank you for this great historical lesson of watchmaking, it was very interesting.

[adamlea]

Interesting. Mühle-Glashütte GmbH is also in Glashütte, as is Nomos. Lots of watchmaking history there.

[Le Chef]

Glashutte is like the "Modena Triangle" in Italy with Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Zonda. In Glashutte you only have to make a 360 turn and you've seen all the watch makers mentioned above, but also Wempe manufactures there also.

It's a thriving town, and Lange is completing a new manufacturing building that will give them a more logical work flow, and just as importantly give the watchmakers more space to work in. At the moment it's a bit like a crowded language lab from your college days. Not easy to assemble a Striking Zeitwerk in conditions like those!

[Israguard]

Hi Chef.. Glad I read your response.
You mention "Wempe manufactures there also".
I was googling some jewelry stores in Hamburg where I'm headed to in a few weeks and the one main store that shows up is Wempe. I went into their website and there of course I found a lot of Wempe branded watches.
Do you know anything of/about them?. Are they GO quality?. Or simple brand which store has their name on or it's a bonified and solid quality German brand.
I intend on buying one watch (German) when I'm there and some of the Wempe offerings were nice.
Tks

[Le Chef]

Wempe is an excellent watch and jewelry retailer with lots of high end brands like Lange, PP, GO, and Nomos. To that end they don't need to produce a competitor to those brands, but more of an entry level range of watches that offers good quality at affordable prices to bring in new customers.

I believe the movements are not in house and the ebauches are bought in, finished, and then installed at their manufactury in Glashutte.

[Israguard]

Thanks Chef. I was blown away by how many nice brand names they carry.. I'll try and report back from the store once I'm there.. Hope they let me take pix. I also can't wait to see if the price difference (if any) is substantial compared to USA/Canada..

[Israguard]

Thanks Chef. I was blown away by how many nice brand names they carry.. I'll try and report back from the store once I'm there.. Hope they let me take pix. I also can't wait to see if the price difference (if any) is substantial compared to USA/Canada..

[bdex75]

Originally Posted by adamlea

Interesting. Mühle-Glashütte GmbH is also in Glashütte, as is Nomos. Lots of watchmaking history there.

Beat me to the Nomos with Glashütte in that region as well. In my opinion so e of the best horology for the money. Bad picture, but you will get the point. They are not AL&S either.