The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, then taken apart again, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
- Emphasize craftsmanship over accuracy, with A. Lange & Söhne as a standout brand revived post-1990, producing only about 5 000 watches annually.
- A. Lange & Söhne watches, known for complex movements and high craftsmanship, are priced over R1 million, reflecting their rarity and mechanical integrity.
- While Rolex remains a luxury icon, its Tudor sub-brand offers a more affordable and contemporary range, particularly popular among women for its ergonomic design and durability.
Handmade mechanical wristwatches define luxury.
They transcend functionality, because your smartphone and smartwatch are many times more accurate to the millisecond. It’s the intricacy of a mechanical wristwatch’s movements and its metalworking craft that make them so rare and coveted. Switzerland dominates the world’s luxury watchmaking industry, but the world’s most esteemed watch brand could be German – with a South African connection.
The origin story of A. Lange & Söhne dates to 1845, when the brand started making timepieces in Glashütte, Germany. After being nationalised by Soviet administrators in 1948, A. Lange & Söhne remained dormant until German unification in 1990.
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, then taken apart again, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, then taken apart again, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, taken apart, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
Its revival has been remarkable, and even in a market where excellence is an expectation, the brand is truly exceptional. Like any entity obsessed with horology, A. Lange & Söhne make very few watches in any given year, with the company’s master artisans machining and assembling only about 5 000 pieces annually. For context, they make fewer watches yearly than Ferrari produces cars.
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Official pricing is very much discretionary, with only serious customer inquiries unlocking a retail pricing response. Celebrated for the complexity of its movements, the most revered A. Lange & Söhne models – with tourbillon mechanisms, perpetual calendar complications, and moon phases – are priced comfortably beyond R1 million and often in excess of R2 million.
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, then taken apart again, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, then taken apart again, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, then taken apart again, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
Unlike some Swiss rivals with a broad portfolio of models and styles, A. Lange & Söhne doesn’t offer diving or sports watches. Its design remains true to the brand’s lineage of sophisticated dress watches.
But why are these German-made watches so expensive? It’s because each one is made twice. After machining all the parts to create a watch, A. Lange & Söhne artisans assemble it to confirm all the tolerances and functions. Then, it’s dissembled and rebuilt again to ensure unrivalled mechanical integrity.
The success and standing of the A. Lange & Söhne revival owes much to the Rupert family, who acquired the brand in 2000, integrating it into the Richemont group – which owns several of the world’s most iconic watch brands.
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, taken apart, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, taken apart, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, taken apart, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, taken apart, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, taken apart, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
The intricacies of the A. Lange and Sohne watches. Each watch is assembled, then taken apart again, and rebuilt, ensuring all components work well. (Supplied)
Still Rolex, but more modern
Rolex is perhaps the most recognisable name in luxury watches, but the company’s Tudor sub-brand is attracting accolades from industry analysts. With more affordable price points and fewer inventory issues, Tudor delivers Rolex’s sports and dive watch aesthetic with a more contemporary feel.
Tudor’s women’s watches have a proud legacy of activewear watches, with case sizes for comfortable horse riding and waterproofing for aquatics. For decades, they have balanced timeless design with durability.
The brand’s Black Bay range is iconic, with women’s specific ergonomics in casing sizes 31, 36, 39, and 41. Ideally proportioned for women without diluting the Black Bay face of bezel aesthetic, these are distinctive timepieces that can be confidently worn next to the polo field and at dinner. Tudor’s Black Bay 31 starts at a selling price of R72 200. It features a rapid adjustment system that offers five positions for 8mm of instant adjustment on the clasp without requiring tools.
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