Taking place in idyllic Newport, RI, this past weekend, the Audrain Concours d’ Elegance and events leading up to it were sponsored by German watch brand A. Lange & Sohne. It was the perfect blend of art and elegance with 180 of the most spectacular classic cars on the lawn of the famed Breakers overlooking the ocean, and a luxurious display of A. Lange & Söhne timepieces – including a huge Odysseus clock.
The elegance was further underscored by the majestic Gilded-age mansions in the area. In fact, even the Gathering on one of the first days of the multi-day Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week event was held at Doris Duke’s mansion at Rough Point. There, as with the Breakers (the grandest Newport summer “cottage” built by the Vanderbilts between 1893 and 1895), a handful of members of the press got a private tour – enhancing our appreciation of the elegance and sophistication of the Newport region and the event.
According to Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne (and an avid car and watch collector), the brand’s desire to join Audrain Newport Concours has as much to do with the setting as with the cars. “It is not even the fact that these are classic cars, it’s more about the elegance – the fact that the Concours is really a beauty contest for the cars. We can see the tie in with our watches. It is about craftsmanship and history. Each of these cars has a story, much like our watches. They are collector items, just like watches. We have to focus on those synergies in what we do. And It was time for us to sponsor such an event in America.”
In fact, this event in Newport marked the first time A. Lange & Söhne has participated in an American Concours. However, it has a long relationship with other Concours around the world, including the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace and the Concorso D’ Eleganza Villa D’ Este (with which it has partnered for more than a decade). The partnership for the Newport Concours d’ Elegance, presented by A. Lange & Sohne, celebrates the worlds of meticulous craftsmanship, fine mechanics and the beauty of classic design.
In terms of automobiles, the Duesenberg SJ (Supercharged) from The Nethercutt Collection, owned by Helen & Jack Nethercutt, won the timeless luxury award for its unparalleled elegance and performance. A Delage D8-120 ‘de Villars’ owned by Fritz Burkard took home the trophy for this year’s Concours d’ Elegance’s ‘Best of Show’.
For winners in certain categories of the Concours on October 1, A. Lange & Söhne awarded certificates decorated with a hand-engraved golden balance cock – a key watch component that sets this brand apart from others thanks to its meticulous finishings.
Located in the Saxony region of Germany, A. Lange & Söhne is one of the most sought-after brands by collectors. From high complications such as repeaters and its famed Triple Split, to hand-made individual pieces like its Handwerkskunst, A. Lange & Söhne holds many a patent and deftly combines innovation with classic elegance.
The brand hand crafts all of its watches in house in Germany in a state-of-the-art Manufacture. Every tiny component in each movement – whether visible or not – is meticulously finished to exacting standards and each movement is hand assembled twice. A walk through the hallowed halls of watchmaking at A. Lange & Söhne is a journey literally through time – with many signature elements in its watches that can be traced back to the brand’s roots.
Among the watches on display at the luxe A. Lange & Söhne patio on the terrace of the Breakers: the recently unveiled platinum A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar, the much-coveted Odysseus Chronograph and a recently released Handwerskunst with magnificent dial motif.
