Dilemma in choosing on a haute hologerie
Hello, fellow crunchers! I need your help in my decision-making. Feel free to add in your suggestions if you have other candidates to recommend other than the two pieces mentioned below. I sincerely value your feedback. 1) Lange 1 moonphase phase Ref 192.029
2) Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix, Ref 4000E/000A-B548 I am in the process of selling or trading up some of my watches with cash to eventually get my Grail Lange 1 moonphase. In the midst of ongoing negotiations, I run into another opportunity, with the second option being the VC's Fiftysix. Now I am in a dilemma about choosing between the two. Initially, I only had the Lange 1 option, and it was a pretty straight-forward process: save, trade, and cash top-up. Lange 1 is often regarded as the pinnacle of German watchmaking and certainly one of the strongest lineups from A. Lange & Söhne. I will be over the moon to acquire it. Having said that, I am equally amazed by the complications of the Fiftysix complete calendar with moonphase function. The rich history of the Fiftysix and the beautiful vintage and yet modern design in this Petrol Blue is truly a bespoke timepiece. Being one of the original 'Holy Trinity' in watchmaking certainly speaks for itself.
(I am also well aware that this one has the Geneve Seal being the Hallmark in Swiss Watchmaking with in-house movement unlike the other entry model Fiftysix) Therefore, I would like to put things into perspective and let you be the judge. There is only one ultimate winner. To put things into perspective, although I certainly would wish that money is not part of the equation, Lange 1 definitely cost much more than the Fiftysix.
It does not have triple calendar as well. By the way, both are pre-owned, and both are dated late 2021.
Let the voting begin... Design and aesthetic: /5 Price: /5 Movement: /5 Dial: /5 History: /5 Total: 25 points.
A humble collector. Loves nature and arts and all things that are beautiful. ❤️
A Lange All day!
VC for me.
🔥🔥
Blue dial is my vote
Vacheron 😎
Vacheron!
Vacheron for me. I'm not a big fan of ALS design( I much prefer FPJ). It's like ALS heard about my disdain for date windows and intentionally made theirs much more prominent to get a rise from me, lol.
All of them if you’re in the situation to even think about these watches
Vacheron.
Wow wow man, great taste great watches.... my grail is Breguet, but these are fantastic pieces.. i prefer Lange, but not this model. In this case I have to go with Vacheron. 🤚👋
I was offered the VC about 6 months ago. I turned it down.
Lange never gets turned down if I can pull it off.
Vacheron-I prefer the symmetry. But they are both pretty amazing
Definitely the Lange
Either of the Swiss ones. The German one is still in the middle of the last century.
Lange! I think there are some beautiful vc in the past but the recent vc i dont feel attracted to as much. I love a vc pocket watch movement.
Bluey all day!
The photograph with white background look better than black background. You should choose A Lange with the white back.
VC look the same as any watches, A Lange have different layout. More diversity.
Interesting dilemma…I would:
- Buy the VC
- Buy a GO PanoLunar with the money saved on the Lange.
This is the way.
VCs get better looking with each extra complication.
Behind door three:
VC
I have great respect for ALS and VC. Between these two, I’m sure whichever you choose is the right one. Personally, phrases like “Holy Trinity” and Haute-Horology feel quaint and dated. Perhaps it’s the engineer in me, but the basis for these being a continuous banging pallet fork feels disrupted compared to a frictionless electro-magnetic drive regulated by perfect oscillation of a crystal all powered by a kinetic automatic wound main spring. I’m talking about a spring drive. Though I get that it’s more than just the power train that makes the watch, and then it becomes personal choice. A spring drive powered ALS Zeitwerk would get me pretty excited, but unfortunately doesn’t exist yet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a moon phase complication driven by a spring drive movement. I totally get that some aren’t excited about near frictionless perfectly regulated drive….and in that context, ALS has always gotten me excited 🍺
Grear leap forward and thats quite a lot to ask! Please consult with the Head of the R&D from Grand Seiko 😎
For now, there's no such thing existed 😅
Interesting dilemma…I would:
- Buy the VC
- Buy a GO PanoLunar with the money saved on the Lange.
Lol good idea but that's not my approach this time...
The photograph with white background look better than black background. You should choose A Lange with the white back.
VC look the same as any watches, A Lange have different layout. More diversity.
You've nailed it. That's why it's considered the pinnacle in German watchmaking.
Thanks to all who give 'likes' and provided your valuable feedbacks/comments. I will consider it carefully on my choice. After that, there's no regret and move on 😉
By the way, it's evenly split between the 2 choices still. Geeee what a tough choice !
I love the Lange. Something about the design language
I usually side with Lange, but between these two particular watches, VC gets the vote.
Lange. Better finishing, iconic design (but I get it that some won't love the asymmetry), historic (no idea if the 56 has any historical importance), and a very small point - nicer moon phase.
VC for me. I tried one on recently and loved it, and the complete calender is a true VC movement, unlike the entry model 56.
Thank you all for your helpful comments and insights! 🙏
I have finally pulled the trigger and secured my grail piece after many sleepless nights!
2023 has indeed been a crazy year in my watch collection journey! The floodgate has opened when I bought my first watch of the year, the #omega #worldtimer in March and have since added another 15 or so watches in the span of 7 months...I shall close this gate in the same way I opened it - by trading off the piece that caused the flood! Haha! (What an irony!)
You have to understand that I have been well into watches for over a decade now (when my wife bought me the Explorer 36mm some 14 years ago), I have not really been collecting watches over the years. I had only added two pieces since 2009.
I believe this all started during the pandemic lockdown. All I did was binge-feed all the well-curated video contents from #watchfinder, among other great watch contents from YouTube. The contents were absolutely mesmerizing and equally poisonous! 😂
Now coming back to my original post, you know, I was really concerned if this was the piece for me and if the trade deal make any sense. I was equally concerned that the chance may not come again and that someone was ahead of me. So I drafted a message to ask for your help.
Anyway, per your request, I am here to report on the winner. And the winner is 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁......!!!!
Vacheron Constantin!
The FiftySix Complete Calendar Ref. 4000E/000A-B548
40mm steel in Petrol Blue ~~
Here is the outer sleeve with the box.
You can see the gold printing printed onto the box represents great history and tradition.
The piano box has a classic old cigar smell 🤔 but it definitely spells luxury with lacquered mirror coated finishing to the wood.
Images behind are the essential paperwork retrieved from the nice hard box: the warranty card, invitation to the hour club, certificate of origin, etc.
Once I opened the piano box, soft felt material that cushioned the top-case with the VC logo in the centre were really nice to the touch. (I had taken out the watch with my own memory foam to hold the timepiece.)
Now let's talk about the watch!
The dial is a new 2019 iteration since the FiftySix was first launched in 2018. This new Petrol Blue, as VC called it, has a very subtle blueish-black hue. It's not the typical blue you see when swiveling against shimmering light. Different colours of blue, greyish blue, and black can be seen that resemble the gothic style of a darker tone.
However, with the overall case construction, it still looks way more modern and rather sporty from a design perspective.
Underneath the beautiful dome-sapphire crystal, it houses the three hands with super-luminova, numerical-even numbers also with super-luminiva painted, a day and month window, a date indicator, and the moonphase. The date indicator is running from the centre, pointing out the outermost numerical day-track numbers.
Putting it on my 16cm wrist, it blends in perfectly, and I feel very comfortable wearing it!
The 40mm case-diameter seats comfortably with a case thickness of 11.6mm; it is definitely on the dressier side.
I will enjoy my self-winding daily ritual now with this latest piece onboard!
Flipping the watch back, I see more adventures await!
What a beautiful exhibition caseback! The symbolic Maltese cross can be seen on both the rotar weight, which is in 22K gold, as well as the clasp with pin-buckle, which is also designed with the same Maltese cross construction. The dark blue or black alligator leather with the calf skin underneath upgrades the already elegant design of the watch. I really like the whole design effort put into this watch!
I would also like to take this opportunity to wrap up my watch collection journey in 2023 and share this story of mine. It's amazing how my nephew introduced me to this #watchcrunch app to share the enthusiasm for watches among all the watch fanatics like you!