Masters in Business Lange & Sohne CEO Wilhelm Schmid's Take on the Watch Market and Luxury Timepiece Design
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Nov 28, 2025 
Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, shares insights on luxury watchmaking at a prestigious automotive event. He draws fascinating parallels between watch and car design, emphasizing craftsmanship and purposeful innovation. Wilhelm discusses the meticulous handcrafting process and the significance of authenticity in luxury brands. He highlights innovations like a stoppable tourbillon and introduces the new Saxonia Thin. With a nod to younger collectors, he hints at exciting surprises for the future of A. Lange & Söhne.
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Shared Pillars Of Cars And Watches
- Classic cars and fine watches share enduring design, heritage, and craftsmanship.
- Wilhelm Schmid says those shared pillars create a natural brand pairing for A. Lange & Söhne.
Purpose Drives Timeless Design
- Purpose-driven design produces lasting appeal and avoids dilution.
- Schmid calls this clear objective the 'North Star' for watches and cars alike.
Gullwing As A Design Example
- Schmid compares the Mercedes gullwing's radical engineering solutions to purposeful watch design.
- He recounts how the gullwing's doors responded directly to structural constraints and performance needs.