OK, I know its been said before, but

[tertius]

the Lange catalogue is just wonderful, an absolute work of art ...

I only have two problems with their watches:

1. they are too expensive for me to have any realistic prospect of owning one;

2. they don't make any in steel (see point 1.);

3. see point 1.

[johnbaz]

have to agree about the price of them but they really are works of miniature engineering art (much nicer to look at than the poxy mona lisa )

the cote's de geneve and agleage coupled with the deep lustre of the blued screws is a feast for the eyes

flippin'eck- did i just type that



john

[tertius]

johnbaz said:

have to agree about the price of them but they really are works of miniature engineering art (much nicer to look at than the poxy mona lisa )

the cote's de geneve and agleage coupled with the deep lustre of the blued screws is a feast for the eyes

flippin'eck- did i just type that



john

You did, but I think you mean anglage ...

[johnbaz]

tertius said:

johnbaz said:

have to agree about the price of them but they really are works of miniature engineering art (much nicer to look at than the poxy mona lisa )

the cote's de geneve and agleage coupled with the deep lustre of the blued screws is a feast for the eyes

flippin'eck- did i just type that



john

You did, but I think you mean anglage ...

i think you may have something there sherlock



john

[johnbaz]

Hi Tertius

you are of course completely correct (and i'm a thickie )

http://www.timezone.com/library/comarticles/comart...



john

[Dominic H]

Lange & Sohne? More like 'Drule und Slobber'.....



Better now?

[horacethefrog]

Do they only employ midgets?

[CommanderJameson]

Dominic H said:

Lange & Sohne? More like 'Drule und Slobber'.....



Better now?

>wipes self clean<

Put it away, you filthy boy.

Oh god, I'm off again...

[Spice_Weasel]

I just try not to think about Lange und Sohne. Ever since I stumbled across the brand in the 1999 Wristwatch Annual, the Lange 1 has been my grail watch.

These days the Grand Lange 1 (at 41.9mm) is just... well, it, the grail, nirvana, the chosen one. In platinum please, Santa.

[tertius]

Spice_Weasel said:

I just try not to think about Lange und Sohne. Ever since I stumbled across the brand in the 1999 Wristwatch Annual, the Lange 1 has been my grail watch.

These days the Grand Lange 1 (at 41.9mm) is just... well, it, the grail, nirvana, the chosen one. In platinum please, Santa.

Between those two I'd take the Lange 1 over the Grand Lange. But for me I think, having given it very careful consideration, I'd go for a Saxonia Automatik. I love the three-quarter rotor and the big date.

But a Datograph Flyback in steel with a silver dial ... that would be perfect ...

[cyberface]

Dominic H said:

Lange & Sohne? More like 'Drule und Slobber'.....



Better now?

Yeah, it's the watch that I'd never know what the time was, because I'd have it reversed on the strap so I can look at the movement rather than the dial and hands

But tertius' point about pricing is pertinent, especially for people like me with limited budgets. The engineering is impressive. The *art* and craftsmanship that not only embellishes, but in fact raises the engineering to another level, is simply awesome.

I guess keeping the movements in expensive precious metal cases, and keeping the price of acquisition at a prohibitive level, performs a function in maintaining the 'exclusivity' of the watch. However (being a bitter pauper) I'd contend that having the dirty cash to buy one doesn't necessarily correlate well with the taste and sophistication (gosh what a snob I sound) to really appreciate the attention to detail that's gone into the piece. It's a shame that some of the sheer masterly attention to detail that goes into these watches ends up being owned by some people who are rich but don't (or can't) appreciate how special they are (yeah, I expect to be shot down for that elitist comment). And that's why I'd like Lange to make a steel watch - it'd still be expensive, but as a result would only be bought by those who value the movement over the 'status' symbol of the marque.

After all, when I think of Lange - I think of attention to detail. Complicated movements, yes - but lots of manufactures do complications. It's the finishing - the *perfect* detailing of the movement. The anglage has been mentioned, but the different polishing, choice of fine metals, etc. is seriously great on them.

I like to compare that movement (that Dom posts regularly enough to make me think I ought to work harder - and when you're as lazy as me, that's an extreme accomplishment ) to both the Seiko Spring Drive chrono movement, and the Sea Gull ST-19 column wheel chrono. From a distance, the Sea Gull looks cool as well - a nicely decorated column wheel chrono. Look closer, and the sheer perfection in finishing exhibited by the Lange flaunts its superiority. The Seiko is a wonder of a movement, and like Lange their top end watches are built by guys with similar obsessive attention to detail. But with the Spring Drive, perfection is attained by means of nanometric tolerances only feasible by using computer controlled machinery. The anglage on a high end Seiko is perfectly consistent, razor sharp and cut by laser. Again, attention to detail. But the fact that the Lange has superb detail that's hand crafted... that's worth a bit more to me. I know that you can get a machine to do as well as a master craftsman - just get the master craftsman to program the machine. But his work is done once... each piece is then the same, and not improved upon until someone decides to get the master to program the machine again. A hand made piece with that level of masterly attention to detail will be better every time, as the master improves with each repetition...

Apologies, had too much to drink and should go to bed - that last paragraph was pretentious verbosity. Be interested to hear if anyone agrees with it though

[CommanderJameson]

cyberface said:

The Seiko is a wonder of a movement, and like Lange their top end watches are built by guys with similar obsessive attention to detail. But with the Spring Drive, perfection is attained by means of nanometric tolerances only feasible by using computer controlled machinery. The anglage on a high end Seiko is perfectly consistent, razor sharp and cut by laser. Again, attention to detail. But the fact that the Lange has superb detail that's hand crafted... that's worth a bit more to me. I know that you can get a machine to do as well as a master craftsman - just get the master craftsman to program the machine. But his work is done once... each piece is then the same, and not improved upon until someone decides to get the master to program the machine again. A hand made piece with that level of masterly attention to detail will be better every time, as the master improves with each repetition...

All this means is that you need the Seiko and the Lange, in order to appreciate both the human and computer-based approaches.

Cheers.

I'm going to be skint forever because of this forum.