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A. Lange & Söhne is a legendary name in the world of watchmaking, renowned for its precision, craftsmanship, and innovation. The brand was established in 1845 in the small town of Glashütte, Germany, by Ferdinand Adolph Lange. Lange, a master watchmaker, had a vision to produce timepieces that were not only accurate and reliable but also exuded an aesthetic appeal. He and his sons, Richard and Emil, transformed the face of the watch industry by creating extraordinary pocket watches that were sought after across Europe.

Unfortunately, during World War II, the company suffered a severe setback when its manufacturing facilities were destroyed. However, A. Lange & Söhne's story did not end there. In 1990, Walter Lange, the great-grandson of the founder, made a courageous decision to re-establish the family's watchmaking legacy. The brand was revived, and it once again began producing high-quality watches that matched the standards set by Ferdinand Adolph Lange. The first collection of the new era, presented in 1994, was met with universal acclaim, re-establishing A. Lange & Söhne's status as a leader in the luxury watch industry.

Today, A. Lange & Söhne continues to uphold its tradition of excellence, marrying time-tested techniques with modern innovation. Each timepiece is a testament to the brand's unwavering commitment to precision, beauty, and quality. The mastery of A. Lange & Söhne is not simply in the mechanics of their watches, but in the soul and history that each piece carries. As an employee of A. Lange & Söhne, you would not only be joining a company—you would be becoming a part of a rich legacy of watchmaking history.

Panerai, also known as “Officine Panerai”, is a brand on its own. While Panerai watches have been available to the public only since 1993, the brand has a long and rich history, mainly linked to the Royal Italian Navy. The brand started as a simple workshop created in 1860 by Giovanni Panerai, in Florence, Italy. His “officine” wasn’t only a shop and workshop for timepieces but was also as the city’s first watchmaking school. The main step in Panerai’s history will occur in 1916, after Guido Panerai (grandson of the founder) took over the family business and created “Radiomir”, a self-luminous material that allowed to see the time in the dark and underwater.

For some years already, Panerai was supplying the Royal Italian Navy with high precision instruments. Radiomir, a radium-based powder that gives luminosity to the dials, patented in 1916, will become a key element in Officine Panerai’s production. In 1936, on the eve of the Second World War, Panerai creates the first prototypes of the model now known as “Radiomir” for the frogman commandos of the First Submarine Group Command of the Royal Italian Navy. This large 46mm watch, with superior water resistance, featured a luminous dial and will be delivered as of 1938 to military forces – after several changes to the original concept, including the creation of the “sandwich dial”.

Multiple developments followed, all for military-issued watches only. In 1940, Panerai presents the Radiomir 1940, with reinforced lugs and a cushion-shaped case made with edges that are more pronounced on the side – a shape that will later become the brand’s hallmark. In 1943 will be developed another milestone watch, the chronograph “Mare Nostrum” for deck officers. In 1949, the brand launches a new luminous material named “Luminor”, this time based on tritium, which supersedes the radium-based paste. Coincidentally, the eponymous watch will be introduced, with the development of the trademark crown-protecting bridge – again, an element that will forge the brand’s DNA.

In 1972, the brand will be passed to engineer Dino Zei, after Giuseppe Panerai, son of Guido, dies. The brand still acts as a military supplier, with Italian Navy supply contracts long covered by military secrecy. The production is however now only focused on diving instruments, such as compasses and wrist depth gauges, as well as pressure compensation underwater torches.

It’s only in 1993 that Panerai will be launched to the public. Officine Panerai indeed presented a collection of three series of limited edition watches: the Luminor, the Luminor Marina and the Mare Nostrum, which draw inspiration from the historical models created for Second World War commandos. An important step in the brand’s history occurs in 1997, when the Vendôme Group, later to be named Richemont, will invest in Panerai and make available internationally and transforms it as one of the major players of the industry.

Since then, the brand has launched multiple collections and has even started to create its own in-house movements, thanks to production facilities based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Yet, all the watches that are stamped with the name Panerai are reminiscent of the watches created for the Italian frogmen, with the typical military elements.

This story was originally featured at https://monochrome-watches.com/panerai/.

Milan, 1984: a plaque outside a small office shows the surnames Dolce&Gabbana, almost as if it were a professional studio. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, with only two million lire in their pockets, thus began to write the history of the brand that they would have founded shortly after, in 1985, giving life to an all-Italian dream made up of craftsmanship, tailoring tradition, Mediterranean culture, innovation instinct and a pinch of irony. The first clothing collections would follow over time with a wide and varied offer, an expression of dedication, study and research: a virtuous path that culminates in 2012 with the dream of high fashion.

Behind every Dolce&Gabbana creation lie the secrets of many crafts, the devotion to work, attention to detail and love for beauty. After more than thirty-five years, Dolce&Gabbana continues to be inspired by Italian art, traditions and culture by offering clothes, accessories, jewelry and watches that embody a unique heritage of knowledge and emotions.

The Moncler brand was created in 1952 in Monestier-de-Clermont, a small village in the mountains near Grenoble, aiming at creating padded sleeping bags and tents for the mountain. A few years later, in response to the needs of its employees working at high altitudes, the Company produced the first down jacket for extreme climates. This vocation to protect from the cold has evolved over the years becoming a global phenomenon and a sporting luxury icon.

Watchfinder & Co. is a pre-owned luxury watch retailer founded in 2002 that buys, sells and part-exchanges premium watches from more than 50 brands. It operates as a multichannel business, combining online commerce with directly operated boutiques and showrooms and its own certified service centre.

Watchfinder was acquired by Richemont in 2018 and today sits within Richemont’s ‘Other’ business area, alongside the group’s Fashion & Accessories maisons.

Founded in Brussels in 1829, Delvaux is the oldest fine leather goods house in the world, crafting and designing without interruption in its workshops since then. Delvaux is the inventor of the modern handbag, having filed the first-ever leather handbag patent in the world, in 1908.

In 1933 Franz Schwennicke takes over the business. Delvaux becomes an exclusive brand and is the first to introduce seasonal collections, mirroring the practices of Haute Couture.

Under his direction and then later that of his wife, Solange, Delvaux produces countless masterpieces. The ateliers of Brussels and France produce handbags that stand out in the history of leather goods, such as the ‘Brillant’, created for the Brussels World Fair in 1958.

Steeped in the spirit of Belgian surrealism, la Maison Delvaux brings a witty approach to all its creations, infusing each design with an unconventional and original touch.

The first luxury leather goods house in the world is unlike any other. In the hands of its highly skilled leather artisans, Delvaux bags become genuine works of art.

Delvaux has a long and rich history. More than 3,000 handbag designs have been created since 1829. To this day, every new creation continues to be described, sketched and catalogued in Delvaux’s Golden Book, the “Livre d’Or”.

Kering Eyewear is Kering’s dedicated eyewear company, responsible for the design, development and distribution of luxury and high-end frames and sunglasses. It manages a portfolio of 15 brands, combining licensed houses such as Gucci, Cartier, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Chloé, Alaïa, Montblanc, Dunhill and Puma with the proprietary brands LINDBERG, Maui Jim and Zeal Optics.

The company positions itself as a luxury eyewear specialist, with an operating base in Padova, Italy, and a commercial organisation spanning wholesale, retail and travel-retail channels internationally.

Since 1874, Piaget has been committed to bringing the spirit of Luxury to life thanks to a constant quest for creativity, an unlimited innovation and a respect for excellence. All this being possible thanks to a fully integrated Manufacture mastering watchmaking and high jewelry know-how.
Piaget excels in everything that is rare, precious and exceptional.
Always do better than necessary: the Piaget founder’s motto still remains the guiding principle for all our colleagues across the world who, every day, make Piaget grow with passion.

CHANEL is a private company and a world leader in creating, developing, manufacturing and distributing luxury products.

Founded by Gabrielle Chanel at the beginning of the last century, CHANEL offers a broad range of high-end creations, including Ready-to-Wear, Leather Goods, Fashion Accessories, Eyewear, Fragrances, Makeup, Skincare, Jewelry and Watches. CHANEL is also renowned for its Haute Couture collections, presented twice yearly in Paris, and for having acquired a large number of specialized suppliers, collectively known as the Métiers d’Art. CHANEL is dedicated to ultimate luxury and to the highest level of craftsmanship.

It is a brand whose core values remain historically grounded on exceptional creation. As such, CHANEL promotes culture, art, creativity and “savoir-faire” throughout the world, and invests significantly in people, R&D and innovation.

Founded in 1884, Breitling has a rich history deeply rooted in the world of precision timekeeping. The company was established by Léon Breitling in Saint-Imier, Switzerland, with the focused mission of developing chronographs and counters for scientific and industrial purposes. This legacy of innovation was carried forward by his son, Gaston Breitling, who in 1915 introduced one of the world's first wrist chronographs. Over the years, Breitling has built a name for itself with its commitment to manufacturing excellence, launching numerous iconic models that have made their mark in the fields of aviation, maritime, and exploration.

During the mid-20th century, Breitling further solidified its connection to aviation. The brand developed onboard chronographs for aircraft cockpits, earning the moniker "official supplier to world aviation". The Navitimer model, introduced in 1952, became a favorite among pilots with its slide rule bezel that could perform crucial flight calculations. Breitling's relationship with the world of flight has continued to the present day, with partnerships and sponsorships of international aviation events and teams.

In the 21st century, Breitling has continued to innovate, combining state-of-the-art technology with classic craftsmanship. The brand's commitment to precision and functionality remains unwavering, with each timepiece reflecting the company's legacy of excellence. From the SuperOcean collection designed for divers, to the stylish Premier line that brings together elegance and performance, Breitling continues to create watches that are reliable, robust, and highly functional, appealing to adventurers and connoisseurs alike. Joining the Breitling team means being part of a proud history and a vibrant future.