Anthony de Haas, Director of Product Development, A. Lange & Söhne, Dresden, Germany
Robert Hoffmann, Head of the ZEITWERK Assembly Department, A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte, Germany
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In 2009, A. Lange & Söhne launched the ZEITWERK, a mechanical timepiece with a digital time indication, realized by jumping numerals. “At that time, we thought that it would be a unique piece of our collection”, remembers Anthony de Haas, Director of Product Development at the German watchmaker. However, the new concept turned out to be so successful that a new watch family grew out of it, consisting of seven different models today.
At the June 2021 meeting of the Horological Society of New York, Anthony de Haas and watchmaker Robert Hoffmann, Head of the ZEITWERK Assembly Department, will talk about the synergy between dial and movement design, the power of constant-force escapements and how tradition inspires today’s watchmaking.
About Anthony de Haas
Anthony de Haas has been Director of Product Development at A. Lange & Söhne since 2004. In his position, he is responsible for the creation of all new timepieces, from product strategy to technical concept and product design. Before joining the company, the native Dutchman worked with Renaud et Papi, the complications developer of Audemars Piguet, and other prestigious watch brands, where he held leading positions in technical departments as well as in sales and marketing. He is a qualified watchmaker, having completed six years of micromechanics studies. He lives in Dresden, is married and has two daughters. In his spare time, he loves playing the drums and ice hockey.
About Robert Hoffmann
Robert Hoffmann is Head of the ZEITWERK Assembly Department, where the passionate watchmaker takes responsibility for this unique product line of A. Lange & Söhne. As a native of Saxony, he completed his education at the Lange Watchmaking School and subsequently worked for several years in the company’s chronograph department. He gained experiences abroad as Head of the Prestige Watchmaker Department at Swatch Group UK before returning to A. Lange & Söhne in 2015. The father of two children finds a balance with his challenging professional activity in sport and in enjoying handmade crafts.
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