Founded in 2001 and based in the Ullersdorf district of Radeberg, the watch manufacture Lang & Heyne presents a new timepiece designed in the tradition of Saxon watchmaking from the 18th and 19th centuries: the Lang & Heyne Friedrich III Manufaktur Edition, limited to just 5 pieces. As with the Anton Manufaktur Edition introduced at the end of 2023, the brand uses these “ME” timepieces to express both the core of its capabilities and new skills developed by its specialists—creating watches intended to represent the pinnacle of their respective collections. Here is a detailed look at the latest Manufacture Edition.
As with all Lang & Heyne calibres, over 90% of the components in the Manufacture Edition’s Calibre VI are produced in-house. It is a traditional hand-wound movement with a 55-hour power reserve and a frequency of 18,800 vibrations per hour. Its construction reflects several features typical of Lang & Heyne, including a hand-engraved balance cock, swan-neck fine adjustment, and heat-blued screws. Together with gold chatons and rose-gold wheels, these elements introduce subtle colour contrasts within an otherwise fully rhodium-plated movement.
Although the architecture adheres to the Saxon school of watchmaking, it deliberately avoids the traditional three-quarter plate. Instead, the minimalist bridge layout reduces coverage to the functional minimum—revealing more of the finely decorated movement. Yet aesthetics are not the sole focus of the construction. Functionality plays a central role: the solid rose-gold wheels offer high hardness, oxidation resistance, and durability. The AMAflex escapement endows the movement with anti-magnetic and wear-resistant properties, while the Ecobrass barrel is made from lead-free, high-performance brass without any galvanic coating.
The movement of the Lang & Heyne Friedrich III Manufaktur Edition undergoes two assembly phases. During the first, all adjustments are made—from setting the endshake of the wheels to fixing the pallet stones in place using shellac. The movement is then disassembled, cleaned, inspected for scratches, and reassembled. The final regulation takes approximately one week; the decorative finishing of the components beforehand takes around two weeks.
Aesthetically, the dial is characterised by Roman numerals and traditional Louis XV-style hands, leading to another notable aspect of the manufacture: Lang & Heyne is among the few watchmakers that produce their own hands. For this particularly intricate hand shape, the form is cut from a steel plate by a skilled engraver using various burins.
The hands rise above a two-part black enamel dial, produced using the champlevé technique on a white gold base. This is one of the oldest enamelling techniques, involving multiple firings at over 800°C to melt the enamel, followed by polishing and glazing to achieve a smooth surface. A new addition is the use of a rehaut, which subtly frames the off-centre seconds display at 6 o’clock.
The 39.2 mm case features a hinged cover on the caseback, crafted from solid material and secured by a specially developed spring mechanism—drawing inspiration from the savonnette case design of historic pocket watches. As a result, the watch has a total height of 10.65 mm. Opening the cover reveals the Calibre VI, which is additionally protected by a sapphire crystal.
Due to the high degree of in-house production and the time-intensive manufacturing and finishing processes, only an estimated 150 to 200 timepieces leave the Lang & Heyne workshop each year. This limited output also enables the brand to accommodate individual customisation requests. For example, the hinged caseback of the Manufacture Edition can be engraved with initials, symbols or personal motifs—allowing each Lang & Heyne Friedrich III Manufaktur Edition to become a unique piece. The case is completed by an onion-shaped crown set with an onyx cabochon.
The Friedrich III Manufaktur Edition is strictly limited to just five pieces and is fitted with a hand-made reptile leather strap secured by a pin buckle. The price of the Friedrich III Manufacture Edition is €59,500.
Lang & Heyne
Friedrich III Manufaktur Edition
N/A
Stainless steel
Diameter: 39.2 mm
Height: 10.65 mm
30 metres
Two-part black enamel dial, Roman numerals, Louis XV hands in steel
Alligator leather strap with shark leather lining, pin buckle or folding clasp
Caliber VIME
Manual winding
55 hours
18,000 semi-oscillations per hour (2.5 Hz)
Display of hours and minutes, large decentralised seconds, hacking seconds mechanism
EUR 59,500
