Accutron
Accutron is a pioneering American watch brand that gained international recognition in 1960 for introducing the world’s first fully electronic watch. Developed by engineer Max Hetzel for Bulova, the brand’s original technology utilized a 360-Hertz tuning fork movement instead of a traditional balance wheel, resulting in unprecedented accuracy and a signature humming sound. This precision led to Accutron technology being utilized by NASA in 46 space missions and becoming the official timekeeper for Air Force One. The brand’s most iconic model, the Spaceview, originally served as a transparent demonstration piece to showcase the electronic movement but became a cult favorite due to its open-dial design. Other significant historical models include the Astronaut, which was worn by pilots of experimental supersonic aircraft and used in the U.S. space program. Relaunched as an independent brand in 2020 under the Citizen Group, Accutron continues its legacy of innovation with the Spaceview 2020 and Accutron DNA collections, which feature the world’s first proprietary electrostatic movements.
A. Lange & Söhne
A. Lange & Söhne is a prestigious German luxury watch manufacturer based in Glashütte, Saxony, widely considered one of the finest watchmakers in the world. Originally founded by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in 1845, the brand played a pivotal role in establishing the Glashütte region as the center of German precision horology before being nationalized after World War II. It was successfully revived in 1990 by Walter Lange, the founder’s great-grandson, and has since become famous for its uncompromising craftsmanship, including its signature “double assembly” process and hand-engraved balance cocks. The brand’s catalog is defined by several horological icons, most notably the Lange 1, characterized by its asymmetric dial and patented outsize date, and the Zeitwerk, which features a unique mechanical jumping numerals display. Other significant models include the Datograph, often cited as one of the world’s most beautiful chronographs, and the high-complication “Pour le Mérite” series, which incorporates technical marvels like the fusée-and-chain transmission.