When the good fairy that leans over your cradle is the world’s most powerful woman, you are destined for a flourishing and dynamic future. When your past dates back to 1845, the date when the Manufacture Ferdinand A. Lange was created, such roots give you wings. By personally inaugurating the new building of the Manufacture A. Lange & Söhne on August 26^th 2015 in Glashütte, three years after the start of building work, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a powerful signal to the brand belonging to the Richemont group and to the man behind its renewal, Walter Lange, the founder’s great-grandson : “The early days were not easy, but you and your team have managed to once again raise the traditional A. Lange & Söhne brand to the rank of an international company.” The 72-meter long, 25-high, 5400 sq.m. new two-wing complex features bright, well-structured façades and provides the production teams with a comfortable and convenient modern working environment. The 253 huge, slightly sloping windows ensure ample lighting in the workshops. CEO Wilhelm Schmid is delighted with this new milestone in the history of the brand that is celebrating this year the 200^th anniversary of its founder’s birth : “This will help us further enhance the quality of our watches and optimize our production processes. All the while, we strive to minimize our ecological footprint and resource consumption.” While harmoniously blending in with the historical architectural surroundings, the buildings have been designed in keeping with the principles of sustainable development, actually making the Manufacture the largest geothermal energy plant in Saxony and one of the world’s only CO2-free facilities. Its 55 downhole heat exchangers plunging 125 meters underground ensure a pleasant indoor climate year-round, and the electricity required to operate the pumps is eco-friendly. Yet another asset for one of Fine Watchmaking collectors’ favorite brands ?