Inside A. Lange & Söhne’s New Tribune Tower Boutique

Within Chicago’s Tribune Tower, a national historic landmark that celebrated its centenary last year, A. Lange & Söhne has opened its ninth point of sale in the U.S. Encompassing 1,409 square feet, the boutique was designed entirely in-house by the Glashütte manufacture. Clients (and the horologically curious) will find three private seating areas, two lounges, and a series of installations and experiences that bring the Saxon watchmaker’s philosophies to life—including educational immersions into timepiece finishing techniques and a look at the luxury house’s technical contributions to the world of watchmaking.

“Each timepiece in our collection reflects a familial bond between our watchmakers and collectors, one that is best experienced by putting a Lange watch in one’s hands and on one’s wrist,” Wilhelm Schmid, the CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, shared. “Our boutiques are designed to share our watches and unique brand story with each customer, and to capture the skill, determination, and imagination used by our watchmakers in Glashütte as they work by hand to perfect every detail of the watch for its owner.”

A symbolic component binds the building to the manufacture’s modern history. Correspondents from the Chicago Tribune collected 150 significant architectural pieces throughout the 19th and 20th centuries; these were incorporated into the tower’s façade. In 1990, a piece of the Berlin Wall was added mere months after its fall. That same year, Walter Lange reestablished his family’s manufacture, A. Lange & Söhne, in Germany.