One of A. Lange & Söhne’s most famous pocket watches has returned to its place of origin, the Museum Bautzen, where it had been previously lost in the turmoil at the end of the Second World War.
The pocket watch No. 41000 from 1900, known as the ‘Centennial Tourbillon’, played a key role in the history of A. Lange & Söhne, which began producing tourbillons in 1892 (ninety years after their invention in 1802). Twelve tourbillons were described between 1892 and 1925 according to Martin Huber’s reference work Die Lange Liste (Eng. The Lange List) below.
A particularly magnificent example and a technical masterpiece is No. 41000. Its calibre combines a one-minute tourbillon with a fusée-and-chain transmission. It also features the Up/Down power reserve indicator a key characteristic of Lange watches. The pocket watch No. 41000 was first delivered in 1900 to the Saxon court jeweller Paul Thimig in Dresden, who sold it to entrepreneur Otto Weigang, owner of a Bautzen printing house and a collection of important pocket watches, at a price of 1,500 gold marks.
Prior to delivery, Emil Lange, the second-generation owner of the company, took the watch as a showpiece to the Paris Exhibition, where he had been appointed to the jury of the 1900 world fair as a member of the international jury.
The platinum-plated gold case was skilfully decorated with engravings in the Neo-Renaissance style. The polychrome enamelled miniature on the front shows an allegorical representation of the Roman goddess of wisdom Minerva next to a globe. In her left hand, the patron saint of merchants, craftsmen and artists holds an olive branch as a symbol of peace and in her right a laurel wreath as a symbol of victory, representing faith in the victory of peace through economic and scientific progress.
The background references the occasion for which this watch was created with the country pavilions lined up especially for the purpose of the world fair on the ‘Quai des Nations’, which are now known as the Quai d’Orsay. The engraving of a rising sun on the reverse of the case, above the sea represents the beginning of a new era – the 20th century, which was being awaited with great hope.
The Centennial Tourbillon passed into the possession of the Museum Bautzen in 1914, together with other pocket watches and works of art from Otto Weigang extensive collection, following his untimely death. At the end of the Second World War, the precious timepiece disappeared from an external depot in 1945 where parts of the collections had been brought to safety from being bombed.
The pocket watch No. 41000 was rediscovered by Martin Huber in 1976, where it was part of a special exhibition and has been auctioned several times.
“I am very grateful to Martin Huber for organising this exhibition. He played a major role in bringing the Lange name back into the consciousness of all those who have not lost their belief in and fascination with these unique mechanical watches.”
Explained Walter Lange after the new start in 1990
However, the most recent auction at Sotheby’s in London in spring 2019 did not take place. The town of Bautzen contacted the auction house and decided to buy back the watch in view of its outstanding cultural and historical significance.
“The return of the centennial tourbillon to the Museum Bautzen’s collection finally makes this unique example of Saxon precision watchmaking accessible to the public again and gives it the attention it de-serves. Technically, artistically and in terms of craftsmanship, this watch has set benchmarks and contributed significantly to the historical reputation of A. Lange & Söhne. It is the same standard of technical perfection and supreme craftsmanship with which we continue to develop and manufacture our timepieces today.”
Wilhelm Schmidt, CEO, A. Lange & Söhne
For more information please visit A. Lange & Söhne