This episode is all about GERMAN watches! Luxury watches made in Germany are the equal of any made in Switzerland, but German style and traditions are entirely unique. Join Tim Mosso for a far-ranging discussion of the best watches from A. Lange & Söhne, Glashütte Original and other German watchmakers. For watch collectors, shoppers, and enthusiasts of German watches, this show is the ultimate buyer's guide.

A. Lange & Söhne is the most famous name in German watchmaking, but the company itself is young. Established in 1990, the modern A. Lange & Söhne carries on tradition of pre-World War II German watchmakers. Famous models include the Datograph chronograph, the Zeitwerk digital jumping time watch, and the Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour le Merite. Founded by original family scion Walter Lange and executive Gunter Blumlein, A. Lange & Söhne has become the point of reference in German high horology watchmaking and a legitimate rival to the Swiss "holy trinity" of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Vacheron Constantin.

The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph as featured in this episode launched in 1999. That watch, made in platinum, forced a reckoning among Swiss watch brands. The extravagant movement finish, manufacture caliber, and original design of the flyback chronograph from A. Lange & Söhne convinced Patek Philippe to abandon its traditional use of chronograph ebauches from Valjoux and later Lemania. Datograph caliber L951 was a landmark for its beauty, intricacy, and superb operation.

Externally, the Datograph was a squat 39mm vessel that looked slightly archaic even when new, but the charismatic big date dial won friends among open-minded watch collectors. Watchmaker Philippe Dufour even purchased a rose gold Datograph 403.031 for himself - one of the few watches Dufour admired enough to buy for his personal use.

The A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk jumping time watch represented an even greater departure than the Datograph. Launched in 2009, the Zeitwerk was based on a concept created by Blumlein before his 2001 passing, and the idea was further refined with a view towards miniaturizing the five-minute clock from the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden - the Dresden opera house.

With its uniquely balanced dial, remontoir-equipped caliber L043, and spectacular "triple jump" each hour on the hour, the Zeitwerk became an instant sensation. So compelling was this German watch that it won the GPHG "Aiguille d'Or" - the watchmaking equivalent of "Best Picture" at the Academy Awards. And because the GPHG is a Swiss competition, the Zeitwerk's victory was all the more impressive.

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