A quick chat with Wilhelm Schmid

CEO of Lange since January 2011, Wilhelm Schmid was in town for a dinner with collectors a couple of weeks ago. Over the course of dinner Mr Schmid revealed some interesting things, including the fact he owned a Lange before he joined Lange.

One year is not a long time in the watch industry since new products take three or four years to develop so it is some time before Mr Schmid will have significant impact on the products. For those wondering, Mr Schmid was with BMW South Africa just prior to moving to Dresden.

Here is a interview with Mr Schmid done subsequent to the dinner.

- SJX

Wilhelm Schmid at the Singapore collectors dinner

SJX: What is your vision for Lange? Specifically in terms of the product line-up.

WS: The vision I pursue for A. Lange & Söhne is the same that has led the brand ever since it was founded: to build the world’s best watches. This goal aims at product quality, in the first place. On the other hand, it is complemented by a balanced product portfolio based on higly profiled watch families at the forefront of technical perfection and creativity. Although we are already at a top level, we will continue to perfect our products and improve our manufacturing processes.

SJX: Is there any watch or complication you feel Lange should have but is not in the collection yet?

WS: There are a number of complications, which I could imagine, but I would not want to give my thoughts away. It is our policy not to comment on future developments. But I can tell you this much: As a global trend we see an unrelenting demand for timepieces with sophisticated complications. We have met this trend in the past two decades, and we will continue to address it in the years to come.

SJX: Tell us what you think is the greatest strength of the Lange brand, and its weakness.

WS: Lange & Söhne’s strength is based on the passion of our employees, our retail partners and watch collectors for the brand. It is our most valuable asset. Our biggest challenge, in an overall positive market environment, lies in our limited production capacity. Given the craftsmanship, effort and time used on each of our timepieces, we are simply not able to meet the demand of the Lange connaisseurs around the globe.

SJX: What are your thoughts on Lange watches on the secondary market and auction, both recent and vintage? Do you see that as important in brand building?

WS: In recent years, A. Lange & Söhne has encountered increased record sales at auctions. At the main watch auctions, models such as the TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite”, the 1815 MOON PHASE or the anniversary LANGEMATIK are fetching up to five times their original retail price. Therefore, leading auctioneers consider A. Lange & Söhne as one member of an exclusive group of labels that are expected to generate a long-term increase in value, especially the limited editions.

SJX: Tell us about some of your watches before you came to Lange.

WS: As long as I can remember, I have been attracted to mechanical wristwatches. At the age of 17, I purchased my first “real” wristwatch – and it has not been the last one. However, I would not call myself a collector. I always had a great affinity for mechanics, which also inspired my first education in the automotive industry.

SJX: And I hear you owned a Lange watch before you started at Lange too, can you tell us more?

WS: I was attracted to A. Lange & Söhne ever since I saw the first LANGE 1 in a shop window in the mid-1990ies. I was intrigued by the fact that a traditional German brand celebrated its comeback with four manufacture calibres all at once, at a time when inhouse developed movements where an absolute rarity in the industry. My first Lange was an 1815 which I purchased shortly after its launch because of its clear design and artisanal beauty.

The yellow gold 1815 Mr Schmid owned before coming to Lange

SJX: Can you reveal more about your personal hobbies, besides watches of course.

WS: It is no secret that I have worked for an automotive brand that stands for sheer driving pleasure. I count myself among the people to whom beautiful cars and refined mechanical timepieces belong together like two sides of a coin. The link between the two is my fascination for performance, ingenuity and design.