A year and a half ago Lange & Sohne announced Wilhelm Schmid as the new CEO of the brand. Some questioned his ability to pilot the ship because of his lack of experience in horology. Prior to taking the helm at Lange & Sohne Schmid worked in sales and marketing at the luxury car brand BMW. But Schmid came out of the gates brilliantly with the Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar and the beautifully streamlined Saxonia Thin in his first lineup.
While there are other German watchmakers in the market, only Lange & Sohne has the distinction of playing in the top tier, comparable to players such as Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin in their surprising innovations and emphasis on fine finishing. It’s a big responsibility to lead the company and Schmid realizes the importance of caretaking the brand and feels up to the task. An admitted car guy and gear head, Schmid does see similarities in both the automotive and watch worlds. Both cater to the same customer base and are powered by mechanics. He feels up to the task.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Schmid to talk about his new position. He candidly takes on questions about his capacity to tackle his new job and Lange’s position in the haute horlogerie world. Just maybe he will overcome the label of always being referred to as a car guy and earn the distinction of watch guy too. You decide.