Exquisite classics

A. Lange & Söhne is once again partnering with the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace, which will take place from 1 to 3 September 2023. In the run-up to the event, Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid visited The Prince's Trust, whose work was supported by the auction proceeds of the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH "Hampton Court Edition".

Walter Lange's aspiration to “never stand still” not only defines the way watches are made at A. Lange & Söhne, but it also brings the Saxon manufacture to special places like Hampton Court Palace. "Our partnership with the Concours of Elegance offers the perfect setting for us to present our watches in a prestigious environment," says Lange-CEO Wilhelm Schmid, "because just like the historic automobiles, our timepieces impress with their technical complexity, groundbreaking designs and mechanical elegance." Visitors can see this for themselves at the event. They are invited to look over the shoulder of an engraver and a watchmaker at work on site and in this way gain an insight into their high level of craftsmanship and excellence.

Time for a better future 

The partnership with the automobile competition began five years ago and reached a special climax last year: in November 2022, A. Lange & Söhne had a unique watch, the 1815 CHRONOGRAPH "Hampton Court Edition", auctioned by Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo for the benefit of the Prince's Trust. The unique piece achieved the highest-ever auction result for a Lange wristwatch: the full proceeds of over one million Swiss Francs went directly to the UK youth charity, which supports young people aged 11 to 30 to develop essential life skills, prepare for work and access employment opportunities. Over a million young people have benefitted from the Trust's programmes to date. 

In anticipation of this year's Concours of Elegance, Wilhelm Schmid visited The Prince's Trust South London Centre to get an idea of the important work it does. "The huge demand for the Trust's programmes shows that many young people need the support to start their careers," says Wilhelm Schmid and is delighted that the manufacture has been able to help more young people receive a promising start to their professional lives through this support. The Lange CEO believes that no effort is too much when it comes to helping young people find their own way. A. Lange & Söhne has been preparing young people for a future in watchmaking for more than 25 years. To date, 251 young talents have completed their training at A. Lange & Söhne, 21 will start their first year of training in August.