A Lange joins the collection

[Rushne]

Long story short.
I got an A Lange & Söhne 1815 Annual Calendar in rose gold.

Long story long.
About 6 years ago my AD had a big event at a local hotel and had every brand they sell on offer to view with many many different models. Champagne flowing and people mingling.
Then I stumble across their Lange booth. I’d always knew of Lange but never bothered much.
Then SA handed me an 1815 Chronograph and told me to turn it over to view the movement. Dear lord, as cliche as it sounds. All the hassle and busses silenced as I gaze above this miniature metropolis as if plucked from the universe of 5th element and squeezed into a watch case. Wow! What beauty, but… that’s not all, the action of the pusher buttons. So unbelievably smooth and an experience to behold. I take down the SA’s name who was a newbie at the time. Fast forward to today and the same SA has sold me many a watch and we know each other very well.

Well as you may see in my signature. I lost my Portuguese 7 days… probably almost 5 years ago now(around the same time as the event above). Ever since I have not had a leather strapped watch in the collection. Fine. I got the Aquanaut in the meantime, Daytona, SkyDweller, OP Celebration. Nice. Packed watch box but nothing dressy or to replace that casual dressy that the Portuguese offered.
My SA and I had spent probably the last two years on and off trying dress watches. JLC MUT moonphase, perpetual, Reverso. Vacheron Patrimony, Traditionall and 56. Cartiers. Breguet Tradition.
All very lovely watches but nothing spoke to me. This would also be a bigger purchase as it would be for my 40th birthday (which is still 1.5 years away haha)

A few years back I had tried the 1815 up/down and absolutely loved it. It seemed like a top end replacement for the Portuguese 7 days. But no. I couldn’t justify the price.
In the meantime my AD had unfortunately fallen victim to Lange’s brutal culling of retailers and shifting to Boutique only model.

Then about a two months ago. My SA got in a lightly used ALS 1815 Annual calendar. Be still my beating heart. An opportunity to grab a more complicated 1815 (I love annual calendars) and at a secondary market price! Sign me up!
But let’s not be hasty.
I then spend the next few weeks investigating alternatives. The 5205 Patek. Leaves me cold. Lovely watch but larger and a moonphase that seems to have been spray painted on with a stencil. Also the movement doesn’t do anything for me. It’s my 5167’s movement with some bolt ons.
The 5396 AC with Breguet numerals. Now that’s nice but.. still not making me feel too much like I want to own it. Recessed pushers to adjust the date details every time? How archaic :)
I then also went deep on the Lange history. Günter Blümlein, for those of you who don’t know the history, helped resurrect the brand with Walter Lange in 1990 and he had been the head of LMH, which put him in charge of IWC and JLC. Then my monkey brain says “He was involved with IWC?! This is yet another reason for me to go for the Lange! It’s just meant to be”… as a watch nerd does, grabbing any excuse to justify the stupid amount of money we pump into a hobby. I was then deep into the Lange lore of their movements and how much effort they put into designing new movements for new watch’s.
Needless to say. The journey left me pretty disappointed with Patek to be honest. Flogging the 324 movement out for what feels like… forever. I do still have a special place for Patek but they dropped a peg in my eyes. Their newer movement are a better step forward though!

I then thought “but maybe I should be doing the white gold one” but the upon checking my phones photo real. I HAD tried on the white gold version in Geneva and totally forgot about it as lovely as it is. The silver dial in a white metal case just made the whole package a little less lively.

Anyway, I digress. I then rearrange some funds. Put a watch up for sale and am now a very happy owner of a Lange.

Now! Some pics!

[noobs]

very nice, congrats!

[NYG1121]

Beautiful piece and a great story. Lange never disappoints and enjoy this one for many years to come!

[brandrea]

Congratulations, it’s beautiful

[diracpoint]

Many congrats! Enjoyed your story!!

[CFR]

Thanks for sharing how you settled upon this beautiful watch. Congratulations!

[nickorette]

Congrats!

[mario1971]

Lange is always a good choice, beautiful watch! Congrats!

[hgg43c]

Congrats !! Love the bit about monkey brain


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[1William]

Congratulations.

[agriculture&watches]

Awesome watch. Congratulations

[Easy E]

Very nice. Congratulations

[Ichiran]

Congratulations and wear in good health!

[ZipBang]

Very nice! Love my Lange’s…




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[Gebbeth]

Congratulations!

I don't know what it is, but ALS' execution of the annual and perpetual calendar, with the rotary subdials showing date, day, and month, just seem easier to read and cleaner than similar layouts from Patek and VC. I can actually read what's on the dial, whereas, it's sometimes looks jumbled and difficult to read on other watches.

That being said, if ALS makes a linear perpetual/annual calendar, that would be something to see.

[enjoythemusic]

Major congrats!!!!

[cosmoliu]

Thanks for the nice story.

Congratulations!

[Guppydriver]

That's an absolute titan of a watch. Mechanical brilliance engineered to perfection.

I may never arrive at a place where I can afford a Lange, so I sure appreciate you sharing both the story and pics of yours.

[Rushne]

Originally Posted by noobs

very nice, congrats!

Originally Posted by brandrea

Congratulations, it’s beautiful

Originally Posted by diracpoint

Many congrats! Enjoyed your story!!

Originally Posted by CFR

Thanks for sharing how you settled upon this beautiful watch. Congratulations!

Originally Posted by nickorette

Congrats!

Originally Posted by 1William

Congratulations.

Originally Posted by agriculture&watches

Awesome watch. Congratulations

Originally Posted by Easy E

Very nice. Congratulations

Originally Posted by Ichiran

Congratulations and wear in good health!

Originally Posted by cosmoliu

Thanks for the nice story.

Congratulations!

Thanks guys! :)

Originally Posted by hgg43c

Congrats !! Love the bit about monkey brain

Hahaha it's true! Darn monkey brain connecting the smallest of dots to justify spending a nice cars worth of cash on a watch... you don't need

Originally Posted by mario1971

Lange is always a good choice, beautiful watch! Congrats!

Thanks! I have seen your lovely Lange on Klocksnack as well :)

Originally Posted by NYG1121

Beautiful piece and a great story. Lange never disappoints and enjoy this one for many years to come!

Glad you enjoyed the long read. Lange absolutely does not disappoint.

Originally Posted by ZipBang

Very nice! Love my Lange’s…




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Hot damn! I already thought to myself... "I need a Lange 1 at some point. The moonphase with black dial. That's for me." Seems you are ahead of me there haha

Originally Posted by Gebbeth

Congratulations!

I don't know what it is, but ALS' execution of the annual and perpetual calendar, with the rotary subdials showing date, day, and month, just seem easier to read and cleaner than similar layouts from Patek and VC. I can actually read what's on the dial, whereas, it's sometimes looks jumbled and difficult to read on other watches.

That being said, if ALS makes a linear perpetual/annual calendar, that would be something to see.

Right? It's wonderfully laid out and simple, yet complicated, if that even makes sense

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Major congrats!!!!

Thanks buddy! I keep putting off the Octo Finissimo, but I think it was worthwhile in this instance :)

Originally Posted by Guppydriver

That's an absolute titan of a watch. Mechanical brilliance engineered to perfection.

I may never arrive at a place where I can afford a Lange, so I sure appreciate you sharing both the story and pics of yours.

Thanks buddy! Well I hope you are surprised sometime in the future with the arrival to a place where you can! I would have never believed anyone that said just 5 years ago "You'll be able to swing a complicated Lange in a few year AND you'll happily choose it over the equivalent Patek"