There is no denying that independent watchmakers are popular right now. Looking at any major auction results or pre-owned market sales, you will see the jaw-dropping prices of F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour watches. New projects announced by MB&F or Vianney Halter are sold out immediately. But while Swiss independent watchmakers are enjoying the spotlight, German indies, too, are experiencing a similar resurgence despite their lower profile.
Your first visit to a German independent watchmaker is likely to be challenging. The car GPS might place you in proximity but not exactly at their atelier; in my case, this led to my mistakenly knocking on their neighbours’ door. Unlike their Swiss counterparts, German independents tend to reside in smaller villages, sometimes far from the city. Most of the time, the house they live in is their atelier. You will not only meet the watchmaker but also his family, who play an integral role in the family-owned business. Of the many I have met, I find them to be humble, very conscious of the value they are offering and uncompromising in their work.
MARCO LANG
A fifth generation watchmaker, Marco Lang learned from watching his father Rolf Lang restore clocks and scientific instruments in the
