TRUE ORIGINAL

The story of how Glashütte Original earned its name and continues to present itself worthy of its grand name

Variations of the phrase, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” existed well before the 19th century. Some believe that a version of the saying was first recorded in a 1708 biography titled, The Emperor Marcus Antoninus His Conversation With Himself, where the expression is written —paraphrased — as: “You should consider that imitation is the most acceptable part of worship, and that the gods had much rather mankind should resemble, than flatter them.” The most recognized accreditation for the saying today, however, is probably ascribed to Oscar Wilde, who did certainly popularize it. But what will perhaps come as a surprise to some is the entirety of Oscar Wilde’s version, which reads, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness”.

Switching gears over from literature, we go now to the realm of horology. We make our way specifically to learn about how one of Germany’s most respected watchmaking names came to be. In the state of Saxony, just about 30 kms outside of the city of Dresden, is a town called Glashütte. It was here, in the mid 1840s that an enterprising Ferdinand Adolph Lange (F. A. Lange) sought to ride the upswing of watchmaking skills in the region and help Glashütte prosper. His intended approach was to set up a watchmaking manufacture and establish a system of apprenticeship. F. A. Lange had recently returned from Switzerland and observed that this method of watch production and training had proved highly effective there. This was important to F. A. Lange, not because he wanted to become a successful businessman. Rather, his desire was to help better the life and economy of Glashütte, which had otherwise fallen on hard times.