Favorite Lange 1?

[le_baron]

My favorite is the second generation (i.e. production) platinum moon phase.

My second favorite is the second generation classic Lange 1 in yellow gold, 191.021. I own it and it is incredible.

[phiberoptiks]

My favorite is the black face, white gold moon phase.

[mps354]

Love my 101.030…white gold case with slate/grey dial

[tubojunk]

Any opinions on the lange 1 tourbillon?

Haven't seen a lot of discussion on this piece or seen it in person. But considering the price, would it make sense to trade in a lange 1 and top up to add a tourbillon to the collection?

[Pokerman2280]

Thinking about getting a Lange 1 in rose gold. My AD has other brands (Patek, Rolex, VC, ALS, etc) and have had some luck with Rolex but hoping to continue the relationship with Rolex and in particular Patek. Would the Lange 1 or Grand Lange but considered a good relationship builder? Or is it in super hot demand as well.

[illiguy]

Originally Posted by Pokerman2280

Thinking about getting a Lange 1 in rose gold. My AD has other brands (Patek, Rolex, VC, ALS, etc) and have had some luck with Rolex but hoping to continue the relationship with Rolex and in particular Patek. Would the Lange 1 or Grand Lange but considered a good relationship builder? Or is it in super hot demand as well.

LOVE the Lange 1 in RG. I have one, and think it’s the quintessential L1, even moreso than YG. The 2021/2022 catalog even backs this up (saying this tongue-in-cheek)



As far as your question, I think a L1 would be a good relationship-builder, as these are much cheaper to acquire on secondary versus MSRP. The L1 might put you in serious consideration for an Odysseus or Dato or Zeitwork.

This is from the peanut gallery, as I acquired my L1 secondary. Others who have built ALS relationship and have been allocated “hot” pieces can speak with greater conviction than me.

[phiberoptiks]

I was told the L1 moonphase is a relationship builder since it qualified me for a place in line for the stainless Odysseus. Those are made-to-order, hence the 1-2 year wait.

I'm assuming the regular L1 should be relationship builder too. For reference, the L1 moonphase is about $46000 at boutique, but can be acquired for 36-40k secondary.

[Lindhuirst]

I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and I want to add the best version of the L1, the best version for me that is.

There are a few ”hot” and hyped versions beacuse of the rarity and hype only imo. Like the Darth and Stealth versions. Blue dial WG. Seen all those lately asking between 60-100k depending. They have more than doubled (WG blue triple) in a year or less…. Which is pretty insane. But this is how collectors buy. Rarity and hype first.

For me the RG versions are the best looking ones or at least just as good. (White metals L1 are hot right now, IF they are rare). I guess L1 RG and L1 MP in RG (second gen) are not seen as a collector pick. Therefore pricing are way lower at 27-35k for the versions. WG L1 MP is also down there at under retail if looking at c24 and I also love this version.

I just need to be happy that my favorites are the ones in low demand and buy what I like.
A clear win this time.

My no1 of all looker would be the new Perpetual L1 WG with the pink gold dial. But the case at 41,9 and 12,1mm thickness just isnt as good as the OG 38,5 imo.

Lange - do a 38,5 L1 MP with this pink gold dial in WG and that would be total fire! :)

Rant over! Cheers

[Pokerman2280]

Originally Posted by illiguy

LOVE the Lange 1 in RG. I have one, and think it’s the quintessential L1, even moreso than YG. The 2021/2022 catalog even backs this up (saying this tongue-in-cheek)



As far as your question, I think a L1 would be a good relationship-builder, as these are much cheaper to acquire on secondary versus MSRP. The L1 might put you in serious consideration for an Odysseus or Dato or Zeitwork.

This is from the peanut gallery, as I acquired my L1 secondary. Others who have built ALS relationship and have been allocated “hot” pieces can speak with greater conviction than me.

I tried on the Lange 1 yesterday and fell in love. In particular, the rose gold version. The pictures honestly do not do it justice and I did not fully appreciate it until it was on my wrist. I'm still waiting for a few Rolex SS models and hopefully will break into Patek one day. As I am buying this out of love, any additional relationship build is just a perk.

[justcruisin]

Originally Posted by Pokerman2280

I tried on the Lange 1 yesterday and fell in love. In particular, the rose gold version. The pictures honestly do not do it justice and I did not fully appreciate it until it was on my wrist. I'm still waiting for a few Rolex SS models and hopefully will break into Patek one day. As I am buying this out of love, any additional relationship build is just a perk.

I agree…every time I put it on, it never ceases to amaze me how the silver dial and RG detailing look incredibly sharp, with all aspects perfectly finished in the sunlight. Good luck with your future purchase, should you do so!

[Justindo]

I'm not the biggest Lange 1 fan but the rose gold moonphase version is my favorite.

[moting]

My favorite is the WG, Black dial, moonphase. The contact of the blue sky/stars with the black dial is very nice

[phiberoptiks]

Originally Posted by moting

My favorite is the WG, Black dial, moonphase. The contact of the blue sky/stars with the black dial is very nice

I agree for the same reasons. Also, the most stealth wealth model and can be dressed down easier in the casual area I live.

[moting]

Sorry for the typo, I meant contrast :) I agree for the dress down aspect, the RG is also nice but I feel it would wear it only in more formal situations and will attract more attention. The only dowside of the black dial is that if you look at the watch at certain angles the roman numerals kind of disappear.

[amateurcollector]

Originally Posted by Pokerman2280

I tried on the Lange 1 yesterday and fell in love. In particular, the rose gold version. The pictures honestly do not do it justice and I did not fully appreciate it until it was on my wrist. I'm still waiting for a few Rolex SS models and hopefully will break into Patek one day. As I am buying this out of love, any additional relationship build is just a perk.

Yellow gold was discontinued in 2020. Lange is looking to make their YG pieces in limited edition models now.

[le_baron]

Originally Posted by illiguy

LOVE the Lange 1 in RG. I have one, and think it’s the quintessential L1, even moreso than YG. The 2021/2022 catalog even backs this up (saying this tongue-in-cheek)

The blasphemy of the catalogue! The Lange 1 was first launched in yellow gold. So to me (but I guess not to Lange), the yellow gold version is the quintessential model.

Originally Posted by amateurcollector

Yellow gold was discontinued in 2020. Lange is looking to make their YG pieces in limited edition models now.

Interesting point. I did not know that.

[phiberoptiks]

I'm thinking maybe they didn't want the honeygold being too close to the yellow gold?

[CFR]

Originally Posted by tubojunk

Any opinions on the lange 1 tourbillon?

Haven't seen a lot of discussion on this piece or seen it in person. But considering the price, would it make sense to trade in a lange 1 and top up to add a tourbillon to the collection?

I'm not sure how price would play into your decision. My perspective is to get whatever you find most attractive if you can afford it, and don't get it if you can't afford it. So if you think the Tourbillon version is beautiful, go for it! I had the Lange 1 Tourbillon in honey gold (722.050) for 10 years and literally never wore it. It still had the original hang tag on the strap when I finally traded it for a preowned but fully overhauled platinum version (704.025), which I love and wear often. That honey gold Lange was the only watch I ever bought that I never had any interest in wearing, and I regret that decision. But hey, 10 years later, I was happy with the ultimate outcome:

Originally Posted by atleywatches

I typically prefer rose gold as far as precious metals go but for the Lange 1 I much prefer the white gold variations (specifically with the blue dial).

There is also the platinum option but I find that quite plain.

Does anyone else have a preference in that line?

As far as Lange's current offerings, my two favorite Lange 1 models are both in the 36.8mm Little Lange 1 Moonphase line: the 182.086 (white gold w/blue goldstone/aventurine dial) and the 182.030 (rose gold w/white gold guilloche dial and white moonphase disc). Both are astounding in person. If I didn't already have Lange 1s, these two are what I'd get (my wrist is 6"/154mm, but larger wrists can handle these watches). Here's a great photo of both, courtesy of Deployant:



As you can see, the 182.030 is marketed as a women's watch -- it comes on a white strap, with no visible stitches, by default. But the watch looks fantastic on a black or blue strap, and I was puzzled by Lange's decision to not put this on a darker strap. I ran into the former Lange USA brand president in a boutique one day shortly after Lange introduced this watch, and I told her how good it'd look on a black strap. She asked the boutique staff to swap the strap right then and there, and here's a pic of it on her wrist (sorry for the poor-quality photo -- it's the only one I took):



The only thing I don't like about those current Lange 1's is the movement. They both come with the newer cal. L121.2 movement. It's technically superior to the older movement, so lots of people prefer it, but I like seeing the two sub-bridges in the older movement (L901.0) that don't exist in the newer movement.


Now, if we're talking about favorite Lange 1 models historically, here are some oldies that tug at my heartstrings:

[cascavel]

OK, my favorite, of your favorites, is the first one, with the white guilloche dial and blued hands.

[bbierman1982]

Love that Cellini dial! I’ve been considering pulling the trigger on the Cellini 1815 U/D- so sharp.

[Ba Ba]

Here is mine 101.027x


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CFR]

Originally Posted by cascavel

OK, my favorite, of your favorites, is the first one, with the white guilloche dial and blued hands.

That'll be 20 years old in a few weeks. Mother-of-pearl guilloche dial with (non-standard) blue hands. Normally came with WG hands.

Originally Posted by bbierman1982

Love that Cellini dial! I’ve been considering pulling the trigger on the Cellini 1815 U/D- so sharp.

The 234.049 Cellini 1815 Up/Down is a home run. I think Cellini still has some available brand new, and a local preowned dealer here actually has two Cellini 1815 Up/Downs in their current online inventory, asking just under $37K USD. The red "40" on the Cellini (to commemorate their 40th anniversary) is a nice, subtle touch. And the best thing about Cellini's limited editions is that they're not allowed to say "Cellini" on them (thanks to Rolex, lol). Also, I like how they didn't number the watches (1/40, 2/40, etc.) but instead just engraved all of them with "40 PCS." on the caseback rim, so that they're all the same.

If you like that model, though, you could look around for a preowned 223.026, which was the old Walter Lange Up/Down in white gold (LE of 50). This watch had a half-hunter caseback, which made it quite heavy, and it's 1.5mm smaller than the Cellini (37.5mm vs. 39mm). The thin white gold rings around the subdials (not present on the Cellini) are a nice touch, and the reflective surfaces of the half-hunter caseback are fun too. The only printed color on the dial is black -- there's no red like there is on the Cellini, which gives it a very different look. And all of Lange's (few) white dial watches have a really calming, soothing, sort of glossy texture to them that people often think is enamel at first blush (even though it isn't enamel). Here's what the 223.026 looks like (also made in rose gold and yellow gold):

Originally Posted by Ba Ba

Here is mine 101.027x

That's the ticket! The 101.027X remains a cult classic. Simple, clean, austere, and never in Lange's catalogs. Lange made the 101.027X and its "legitimate" yellow gold sister (101.022) -- watches with silver dials, printed (not applied) markers, and blue steel hands -- to cater to customers who wanted a highly legible Lange 1 and who found versions like the "Stealth" (101.025) too hard to read. Here you can see a 101.027X next to a similar looking but smaller version (by 2mm diameter, 4mm lug-to-lug).

[jjnd08]

Originally Posted by amateurcollector

Yellow gold was discontinued in 2020. Lange is looking to make their YG pieces in limited edition models now.

I've heard that before, but the catalogue from this year still shows the Lange 1 in yellow gold. I'm curious on where/how you heard this.

I'm not doubting what you are saying is right, but I have heard this a few times, but haven't seen anything that backs this up yet.

[CFR]

Originally Posted by jjnd08

I've heard that before, but the catalogue from this year still shows the Lange 1 in yellow gold. I'm curious on where/how you heard this.

I'm not doubting what you are saying is right, but I have heard this a few times, but haven't seen anything that backs this up yet.

Here's what causes questions about the future of yellow gold in Lange's lineup.

Lange releases at least one price list every year. That price list contains all models in the current lineup.

July 2020 price list: Lange listed 7 models with yellow gold cases. Three of these were 1815s (the regular 1815, the 1815 Up/Down, and the 27-piece limited edition of the Walter Lange 1815 Homage). The other four were all in the Lange 1 family (regular Lange 1, Grand Lange 1, Grand Lange 1 Moonphase, and Lange 1 Daymatic).

March 2021 price list: Lange listed only 1 model with a yellow gold case. That model was the 100-piece limited-edition Lange 1 Timezone. Notably, the iconic yellow gold Lange 1 with champagne dial and applied markers (191.021, formerly 101.021) -- "THE" Lange 1 -- had vanished. This led people to think, understandably, that yellow gold was gone.

July 2021 price list: Lange brought back the standard-production Lange 1 in yellow gold (191.021).

So that's what's confusing about the future of yellow gold in Lange's lineup.

[jjnd08]

Originally Posted by CFR

Here's what causes questions about the future of yellow gold in Lange's lineup.

Lange releases at least one price list every year. That price list contains all models in the current lineup.

July 2020 price list: Lange listed 7 models with yellow gold cases. Three of these were 1815s (the regular 1815, the 1815 Up/Down, and the 27-piece limited edition of the Walter Lange 1815 Homage). The other four were all in the Lange 1 family (regular Lange 1, Grand Lange 1, Grand Lange 1 Moonphase, and Lange 1 Daymatic).

March 2021 price list: Lange listed only 1 model with a yellow gold case. That model was the 100-piece limited-edition Lange 1 Timezone. Notably, the iconic yellow gold Lange 1 with champagne dial and applied markers (191.021, formerly 101.021) -- "THE" Lange 1 -- had vanished. This led people to think, understandably, that yellow gold was gone.

July 2021 price list: Lange brought back the standard-production Lange 1 in yellow gold (191.021).

So that's what's confusing about the future of yellow gold in Lange's lineup.

Appreciate the detailed information! It sounds like the availability of it is still somewhat unknown.

[CFR]

Originally Posted by jjnd08

Appreciate the detailed information! It sounds like the availability of it is still somewhat unknown.

The standard yellow gold Lange 1 (191.021) is definitely available. Anyone can order one from an AD or a boutique.

[JSolution]

Originally Posted by Benzsiam

I love my Lange 1 Time Zone RG.

Wow wow I’m very jealous of you Benz

Another fantastic piece.

I think I’m going to save up a buy something impressive sometime this year. Maybe £80k or so.

I’m usually buying every few months, but the problem is with each purchase becomes more expensive taste - and I never sell any I will not put any towards a trade.

[Gotwire]

I’m very happy with my Yellow Gold Zeitzone with the new dial.