Wilhelm Schmid On What It Takes To Uphold The Stringent Standards

Against the backdrop of his “most challenging years” at the company, A. Lange & Söhne CEO Wilhelm Schmid reflects on what it takes to uphold the stringent standards that have made the German brand a connoisseurs’ favourite

- Alvin Wong

Amid the trials and the tribulations that have rocked the watch industry the past two years, Wilhelm Schmid and, to a large extent, the company he oversees, have projected a sense of calm and consistency. Despite navigating production stops and starts at its manufacture in Glashütte, and interruptions to its global retail network, A. Lange & Söhne appears to be forging ahead with remarkable poise, if its new watches are anything to go by.

This year, Lange collectors have been thrilled by a wide-ranging selection that includes a technical delight (Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar), a super-rare artisanal complication (Cabaret Tourbillon Handwerkskunst), as well as regal updates to iconic models ranging from the Little Lange 1 to the Triple Spilt. But to say that everything is business as usual would be stretching things a bit.

For Schmid, who is entering his eleventh year at the helm of Lange, this probably wasn’t the kind of milestone anniversary that he had anticipated. “The past 18 months were probably the toughest in my professional life,” he admits.

The travel and social restrictions, especially, was tough on a brand like Lange, which thrives on personal relations with its customers.With the proximity comes the trust. If you only produce about 5,500 watches a year, this is something that we need to have,” Schmid explains.