Twelve on Time: Wilhelm Schmid on His Relationship with Time and Watches
This installment of the "Twelve on Time" series features an interview with A. Lange & Söhne CEO Wilhelm Schmid, who discusses his personal views on watchmaking, design, and the industry. Schmid shares his thoughts on what makes a watch special, his favorite complications, and the challenges facing high-end watch brands today.
Schmid identifies the Lange 1 as a watch that changed his perspective on watchmaking, calling it "unlike anything that had ever existed before."
He values legibility in a watch, stemming from a balanced combination of design and functionality, and believes a watch should evoke a feeling and bring joy.
Schmid favors chronographs for their interactive nature and instant operation, considering them a brilliant and exciting complication.
He criticizes the modern trend of overemphasizing watch size, suggesting more focus should be placed on whether a watch suits the wearer's wrist and personality.
A key indicator of a carefully made watch, for Schmid, is when the movement fits the case and, ideally, when the unseen parts are also finished.
He views the quartz crisis as a pivotal moment that shifted mechanical watches from being primarily tools to expressions of personality.
Schmid notes A. Lange & Söhne's challenges include connecting their Glashütte-based workforce with a global customer base, maintaining discretion while sharing their story, and engaging the next generation of collectors.
He draws inspiration from classic cars, appreciating their timeless beauty and the passion they still evoke.