Anthony de Haas, Product Development Director of A. Lange & Söhne, Discusses the Inaugural Automatic Chronograph

Anthony de Haas, Product Development Director of A. Lange & Söhne, expresses unreservedly about the Odysseus Chronograph.

While maintaining discretion, we can assert that Anthony de Haas ranks among our preferred interview subjects. He possesses a captivating demeanor, making him an exceptional interviewee, and he is also refreshingly candid regarding his work and A. Lange & Söhne overall. This does not imply that other representatives, such as Wilhelm Schmid and Tino Bobe, are less candid; rather, de Haas possesses a distinctive aura. Alternatively, it may be entirely attributable to de Haas's Dutch nationality.

De Haas is well-known to us and to you, as one of only three individuals who provide on-the-record statements for A. Lange & Söhne, all of whom have granted us face-to-face interviews in the past five years. Consequently, one may reasonably assume that there would be minimal topics to address with de Haas. This watchmaking legend is, in fact, a highly sought-after interview subject. The rationale—among other others, this serves as a pertinent example—is that de Haas provides exceptional quotations and is a torrent of knowledge. One risks being overwhelmed by an inundation of information whenever one interacts with de Haas.

During our recent encounter, WOW Thailand editor Ruckdee Chotjinda is present as we tour the A. Lange & Söhne manufacturing in Glashütte. The discussion took place in an unremarkable conference room with regional media, with representatives from Robb Report Malaysia and QP Thailand. The majority of the questions and answers herein are from Ruckdee and this author, but interjections were made but have been omitted for conciseness. The second inquiry regarding double-assembly originated from a journalist at the Robb Report.

In this regard, de Haas' initial response is virtually unaltered, allowing you to observe his propensity for verbosity, even when faced with the most straightforward inquiries (such as mine, which is atypical for me). Both the inquiry and the response have been revised for clarity, phrasing, and conciseness, yet remain fundamentally unchanged. De Haas' response extended for 10 minutes, consuming the all of my allotted interview time; however, he gladly continued much beyond the originally designated duration for the group. We possess sufficient information for a very personal article on de Haas; yet, regrettably, we are constrained by both time and space. We will undoubtedly have another opportunity.

Congratulations once more on the Odysseus Chronograph, which Tino Bobe presented to us at Watches and Wonders Geneva this year. Many are curious as to why this was produced exclusively as a limited edition, marking a first for A. Lange & Söhne.

We considered the chronograph to be exceedingly complex; therefore, we decided to initiate a limited edition in steel and assess the outcome thereafter. First, let us fulfill the delivery of these hundred items; then, we shall assess the situation. Provoking global outrage with the assertion that “it’s universally accessible…” while acknowledging our challenges in production. We have extensive waiting lists for the regular steel Odysseus. We offer titanium and white gold variants of the conventional time-only Odysseus; we were quite astonished by the success and demand for the Odysseus.

The launch of the watch in October 2019 was highly controversial, which was advantageous. By December, we were required to convene a production meeting because we do not manufacture dials or bracelets in-house. Consequently, we ordered more components for all necessary supplies, and we proceeded accordingly. Subsequently, we entered a COVID-19 lockout, resulting in delays and an inability to address the backlog.

In the realm of watchmaking, we encountered an additional issue, possibly due to our unanticipated demand for the Odysseus: the watchmakers responsible for the calibre L155.1 are the same individuals who work on the Lange 1, caliber L121.1. The qualifications required to produce each are equivalent, therefore presenting a dilemma: is the Odysseus more significant than the Lange 1? Negative! Tino and his crew must manage this situation. One cannot instruct a watchmaker to create an Odysseus this week and a Lange 1 the following week. It does not function in that manner; for a watchmaker, it is vexing [de Haas himself is a qualified watchmaker – Ed], yet we are on the verge of undertaking something similar.

Conversely, there is also planning; I oversee planning and development, and while you might propose that I defer development, it would disrupt my entire schedule. We have another problem planned for the Odysseus, which requires a duration of two to three years. Postponing this will result in delays elsewhere, ultimately impacting the life cycle of the collections, thereby including numerous interdependent factors and significant stakes.

Currently, we have two watchmakers in training to produce the calibre L156.1, which is the Odysseus Chronograph caliber. They are in training, but they are not complete novices; they have previously worked on the Triple Split. However, the Odysseus Chronograph markedly differs from any previous chronographs we have produced. Indeed, there is a vertical clutch present; yet, as a watchmaker, the term 'vertical clutch' evokes thoughts of industrial manufacturing. We aimed to create something entirely distinct, and that was the challenge we set for ourselves. The two new employees are enthusiastic about collaborating on the Odysseus Chronograph, and if they commence in November, the initial pieces may be delivered by early 2024.

Do not underestimate complexity either. Regarding the zero-reset mechanism of the Langematik Perpetual and 1815 Tourbillon… I receive inquiries on the absence of a zero-reset across the collections, as it is perceived to be highly innovative. We could accomplish that with the standard Lange 1, for instance, but this would significantly increase the watch's price. It would incur an additional cost of at least €10,000 due to the zero-reset functioning similarly to a chronograph mechanism. Increased components necessitate additional room.

Consequently, due to the Odysseus Chronograph's distinctiveness and complexity, we do extensive laboratory testing for it. We evaluate the start-stop chronograph mechanism 50,000 times, followed by an additional 50,000 times after allowing the chronograph to operate for 10 minutes, all conducted by a machine without human intervention in initiating or halting the chronograph. We are German and request a measure of German quality control. This is the reason we specified only 100 pieces; nonetheless, on the inaugural day of Watches and Wonders Geneva, our sales representatives inquired why we do not produce 250 pieces. We estimate that there are approximately 500 potential buyers for the Odysseus Chronograph, perhaps more. However, because to the complexities associated with undertaking such a demanding endeavor for the first time, we have decided to first produce and deliver 100 units. The relative speed at which we can manufacture these timepieces remains uncertain. It is uncertain whether we could produce one watch in one year or two years. Marketing the watches is one aspect, whereas manufacturing them is a distinct one.

We are creating something entirely novel, analogous to the Odysseus Chronograph, which you, the journalists and collectors, will never witness. It is possible that the two watchmakers assigned to the Odysseus Chronograph may assert, “This is manageable; I can produce one per month,” although we cannot ascertain this until the process commences. We require a dependable strategy that specifies the time necessary for actual delivery. To be clear, we are not engaging in frivolous activities here. We do not possess 50 prepared items; yet, we are delaying little due to its intriguing nature.

I apologize for the lengthy response to a concise inquiry; brevity is not my forte.

Please provide additional information regarding double-assembly, a hallmark of A. Lange & Söhne.

Second assembly is a prevalent occurrence in the realm of complexities. I was employed at Audemars Piguet in Switzerland over 20 years ago, coinciding with de Haas's 20th anniversary at A. Lange & Söhne in 2024. We performed the identical action. During the initial assembly, it is possible to inadvertently apply oil to the movement, which is undesirable for sale. You disassemble it and clean it; that is our practice here as well. A. Lange & Sohne utilizes German silver, a material that is quite delicate. Contact will induce oxidation; however, no watchmaker will ever handle any component with bare fingers. Never, whether at this location, Patek Philippe, or Seiko, is component manufacture a different issue; regardless of the venue, contact with bare skin may occur – Ed.

You did not observe our CNC machines as they are identical to those in Switzerland, and you have likely encountered more manufacturers than I have. However, there exists a singular machine in our possession that is unparalleled, and if I were to conduct the (A. Lange & Söhne) tour, that would be the sole machine I would present. It is a washing machine for German silver components. This was developed in collaboration with the technical university in Dresden. When fabricating a base plate or a gear train bridge, the machine initially processes one side before proceeding to the opposite side. Meanwhile, the components are placed into the custom-designed washing machine. That is, in my opinion, quite intriguing and distinct at A. Lange & Söhne.

Double assembly, involving an initial assembly of each caliber followed by disassembly and a complete reassembly, has been common practice at A. Lange & Söhne since inception. It is simply our operational methodology. We attempted a single assembly with the Saxonia once, and it resulted in a disaster. We anticipated saving time, although we ultimately squandered it.

In that regard, A. Lange & Söhne does not conduct all operations in-house; how do you determine which tasks to undertake?

Although we do not manufacture dials and casings, exceptions exist. We manufacture our own enamel dials, a significant undertaking for us, and received assistance from Vacheron Constantin when we had challenges. In Glashütte, there are perhaps eight or nine watchmaker brands, but no dialmakers. This indicates that a dialmaker will lack sufficient clientele in this area to sustain operations. Can you now envision the level of investment required to establish and operate a dialmaker? It is often not a matter we wish to address.

Likewise, we produce certain intricate casings ourselves, while entrusting the others to the esteemed case manufacturers at Richemont in Switzerland. It is accurate that we do not manufacture our own screws. We possess the knowledge to manufacture these components, and we indeed produce them for prototypes. We provide the specs to professionals possessing 40 times the quantity of machines that we already have or could potentially acquire. It is logical for an expert to manufacture these components.

Conversely, we manufacture hair springs, and this is our objective. Indeed, we possess the capability to produce for others, and we do so; but, I prefer to utilize that capacity for experimentation. Are you familiar with the remontoir system employed in the Zeitwerk? A secondary hairspring is there, and it is imperative to acknowledge that we would not have discovered this answer otherwise. We even contemplated the implementation of a remontoir system in the Zeitwerk, had we possessed the capacity for hairspring manufacturing.

This essay was initially published in WOW's Legacy 2024 issue.