Over Twenty Years and Forty Movements Later…
written by A.Morgan - 14th Jul 2011
I’d like to talk about art, but I don’t want to get pretentious. So many of us get the freedom to enjoy art without prejudice, and yet much of it was born from a rebellion against oppression and intolerance. Right – I said I wasn’t going to be pretentious, and think I’m standing at the top of a very slippery slope, so I’ll get to the point.
At the tail end of 1989, after the Berlin Wall had been knocked down and East Germany merged once again with West Germany, a man in his mid-sixties decided to do something that wasn’t related to golf, ocean cruises or string vests – he reignited a one hundred and forty-five year old business producing some of the finest timepieces that have ever existed. His great-grandfather’s watch company had been destroyed during WWII, and the German Democratic Republic made sure to keep it lying in ruins.
Walter, now well into his eighties, is still steering the great ship Lange, and has gathered together a mighty fleet to sail with him. Since its rise from the rubble, the company has produced forty exquisite movements, each a miniature marvel worthy of any art gallery. So step into the Galerie de TWM and have a look at these forty amazing movements up close and personal by hovering over the image above. It’s well worth a look.
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|__|| Kate ||__|
The L001.1 is gorgeous! x
Lukee
Utterly, utterly stunning. What a collection. I’d visit a gallery with those in!
Bone
Everything a movement should be when considering the price frame they operate within. Tell Matt to look at the train jewels on most of the movements. Instead of being a pressure fit into the plate, the jewels are set into a ‘chaton’ and held with 3 screws, beautiful. My only gripe is that I suspect that the screws are chemically blued, as opposed to heat blued in brass powder. ( a minor concern ).
Bone
Another thing worth a mention is the pinning up point of most of the hairsprings. Modern movements favour either a sprung captive stud or in some cases a screw stud. This lot are big fans of the ‘ piton cover ‘. the stud is secured to the cock by a 2 screw plate, very traditional and a sign of exellance. It also demands a very high level of watchmaking ability to to set up correctly. The early Rolex Prince TS movement was the same, as were the Pateks. Having said all of this I’ve never done one. Would’nt even attempt it without the factory movement holders.