A. Lange & Sohne Cabaret Pink Gold Black / Silver (107.031)

The heritage of the Saxon manufactory is intimately intertwined with the early days of time measurement at the Mathematics and Physics Salon, so it is only natural for A. Lange & Söhne to pay tribute to its historic roots by supporting the museum.
Without the Mathematics and Physics Salon in Dresden, the A. Lange & Söhne watch brand might never have conceived. In the late 18th century, with its observatory and timekeeping service, the Salon became the "Greenwich of Saxony" and the crucible for precision watchmaking in Dresden. Here, the young Ferdinand A. Lange took inspiration from the ingenious devices invented by Saxon astronomers and clockmakers to realise his entrepreneurial dream of crafting the world's finest watches in Saxony. When he es-tablished his manufactory in 1845, his vision came true; he started a tradition that is still nurtured and evolved at A. Lange & Söhne to this very day.

A. Lange & Söhne has been a sponsor of the Dresden State Art Collections since 2006. Understandably, a key focus in this alliance is on the Mathematics and Physics Salon. Its reopening after a six-year renovation period is particularly important for Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid: "We are delighted that the historic rapport between the Mathematics and Physics Salon and A. Lange & Söhne comes to the fore even more prominently with the new exhibition concept. In addition, it is rewarding to see how the new concept, with its workshop tutorials, animations, and guided tours, acquaints youngsters with the history of science in exciting ways, thus transforming the museum into a vibrant venue of learning."

When the thoroughly renovated Mathematics and Physics Salon with its eminent collection of scientific and time-measuring instruments opens its doors again on 14 April 2013, an entire department will be dedicated to exhibiting automata, clocks, and watches that date back to the Renaissance period. Under the heading "From Dresden to Glashutte", one of the highlights of this section is the history of horology in Saxony from its origins in the Mathe-matics and Physics Salon to the establishment of the Saxon precision watchmaking industry in the Ore Mountains by Ferdinand A. Lange. Early A. Lange & Söhne pocket watches in the museum's collection are prime witnesses of these close historic ties. The new permanent exhibition of the Mathematics and Physics Salon will also showcase the famous A. Lange & Söhne "42500" pocket watch crafted in 1902. A few years ago, it was meticulously restored in Lange's ateliers for historic timepieces.

Some models from the current A. Lange & Söhne collection enter into a dialogue with historic time-keeping instruments from the inventory of the Mathematics and Physics Salon:

1815 UP/DOWN and Nocturnal by Johann Michael Haager, Braunschweig, 1707
Also referred to as the "Star Clock", the Nocturnal indi-cates the time at night on the basis of the positions of the stars. The hole in the middle of the disc is aimed at the North Star, and the pivoting hand is aligned with the guide stars of the Ursa Major constellation. The full hour can now be determined by counting the number of rounded teeth. During the day, the 1815 UP/DOWN indicates the time to the second. Its three-day movement is lavishly finished by hand and endowed with classic UP/DOWN power-reserve indicator.

GRAND LANGE 1 with a model of the five-minute clock in the Semper Opera House in Dresden by Ludwig Teubner, Dresden, 1896
The original clock, high above the opera stage, was crafted by famous Dresden clockmaker Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes in 1841 with the help of Ferdinand A. Lange, his most gifted apprentice. The innovative digital time display was a sensation and 150 years later inspired the design of the equally revolutionary Lange outsize date. The black dial of the white-gold GRAND LANGE 1 gives it an impressive presence.
SAXONIA ANNUAL CALENDAR in front of a turret clock by Paulus Schuster, Nuremberg, 1586
The turret clock presented to Christian I, Elector of Saxony, by his wife Sophie as a Christmas gift in 1587 is a truly regal keepsake. No fewer than eight movements were needed to indicate the time, drive an astrolabe, a striking mechanism with alarm function and an annual calendar. A single self-winding manufacture calibre in its platinum case is all the SAXONIA ANNUAL CALENDAR needs to precisely tell the time and provide numerous clearly organised calendar indications for a full year.