We are always scouring the web for the most amazing watches currently available, and each Friday Shopping Time shares five standout timepieces with you.
Last week we considered the softer prices of F. P. Journe watches. Unlike other high end watches, such as the Rolex GMT Master, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, (pre-TAG) Heuer chronographs. steel Rolex Daytona and the Cartier Tank, Journe proved an interesting investigation into the world of timepieces from independent watchmakers on the secondary market.
This week we look at A. Lange & Söhne—or just Lange, as the brand is more commonly known. It’s pronounced lon-GAH, so if you can get that out without choking, then you may signal your deep watch knowledge to whomever would be impressed. Lange is a brand that is technically “independent,” in that it isn’t owned by a holding company or group, but it isn’t a brand, like Journe, one thinks of when considering “indies” who craft watches in tiny numbers. And yet, Lange remains one of the most coveted watch brands among high-end collectors, simply because the watches are absolutely amazing. No one argues this point.
In 2022, a Lange flyback chronograph sold at the 16th edition of the Geneva Watch Auction hosted by Phillips for $1.6 million. Back in 2018, a unique piece in stainless steel dedicated to Lange’s founder in the coveted 1815 series sold in Geneva via Phillips for over $850,000. In a private sale in 2023, a platinum Tourbograph sold for a whopping $903,886. So, let’s just say Lange inhabits the rarest air of horology.
However, because Lange isn’t “independent” in the sense of making only small batches of watches, you can find amazing models for what really do seem like reasonable prices when you consider the quality on offer. We’re talking down in the $30,000 range for (now rare) early time-only watches, or in the $60,000 range for highly complex models. In the world of the highest horology, Lange has always represented good value, and with pre-owned prices softening, this is a great time to add one to your collection.
Below are five of the tastiest Langes on the market now.
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