A. Lange & Söhne

While visiting the Lange boutique in Singapore, I had a chance to try on a watch I had only previously seen in photos. I knew it would be too heavy and too large for me but it was one of those watches, any enthusiast would not give up the chance of trying...  

I have asked Lange Singapore to find our if there is any chance this watch might still be available to be sold on its own. The boutique had told me that I would have to spend at least SGD60k on other Lange watches which is their new policy before being al... 

or he may return the compliment!!!

You have just defined 'money talks, bullshit walks!'

will make Prof an offer he can't refuse

BUT, given that this is a dream watch, I totally wish the best TO YOU my friend, rather than to your wallet! ;-)) It is honestly beautiful and unusual to see such a reaction in front a watch (I think I can only compare it with the Patek "Boccadasse" for m... 

I am a firm believer than if something is meant to be, it will be. And if this beautiful watch is unavailable then, I will have to make myself happy by ordering the soon to be released Patek 5231G - yes, I have psychic powers!

I would say Yes and wait for it. Apparently Lange practices are not standardized across the globe….sad.

I don't like being forced into buingy watches that I am not keen on but Lange watches can be resold these days quite easily and at minimal loss, sometimes even at a profit. So if that is what I have to do to obtain the Rattrapnte then, so be it!

But are they going to break it up or still individual pieces of this Rattrapante available?

There is an outside chance that they may be prepared to break up a set. An enquiry is being made. Please note that the Lange Boutique in Singapore requires a purchase of at least SGD60k to purchase any new limited editions. This is a new policy.

I suspect they want you to spend 60K and still won't give you what you want...

The sales person will first establish if the Rattrapante is still available before asking me to purchase at least SGD60k worth of watches. I must confess that the service I have received so far from the Singapore Lange boutique has been first class. They ... 

if you are happy with the boutique and service all is fine. It was very interesting to know what kind of policies are around nowadays. I only buy where I get a 5 stars 🤩 experience but then again I don't have a grail watch in the waiting that they could s... 

especially on the five star experience and the madness currently prevailing in the market. I believe in buying what I like rather than what everyone else does. So no steel Rolexes, Royal Oaks or Nautliuses for me as I tend to be partial to dress watches. ... 

Not all Lange boutiques are owned by the Richemont Group. Some are owned by Wempe, Sincere Watches or Middle Eastern based dealers.

Most dealers may request that one buys a watch from a slow moving brand before one is 'allowed' to buy the sought after watch. In this case, at least Lange watches are generally quite sought after so spending SGD60k on one or two of their pieces would not... 

If people were not asked to buy 'unwanted watches' and could buy sought after watches as they pleased, it would encourage many more speculators to buy Royal Oaks, Daytonas and Nautiluses with the aim of selling them at a profit. True collectors will seldo... 

There are many great watches out there and we are spoiled for choice. Just for the record the Singapore boutique is directly owned by Richemont unlike some other Lange boutiques so this is happening with the knowledge of Richemont. And again I agree with ... 

I could not agree more. On principle I walk away and I have had a pretty bad experience with that Lange dealer in Singapore when I tried to order an Odysseus and showed them my 3 Lange purchase history dating back to 2008 all at Wempe NY, they were simply... 

but I doubt if they actually thought watches from their brand were not interesting! That would be a first!

And not only from Lange, of course. They could sell ham, it wold be the same.

But most sales people are more keen on earning their commission from a sale. Customer service sometimes takes a back seat which is a big no no for me. I know of many watch sales people who know little of their products let alone that of any other brand. I... 

I wish brands would take into account our past purchases from any shop in any part of the world but unfortunately they do not. One has to have a purchase history in one particular shop to qualify for the special pieces. I have purchased five new Lange wat... 

Ferrari specifically keeps a database of purchases for this which is transferable and transparent to any dealer. It is still not a great practice, and you are subject to the dealer’s discretion as well, but from a brand perspective they will vet you posit... 

Ferrari have got their act together a lot better than any of the watch brands. That is why they are arguably the most recognisable brand in the world. A similar practise by the watch brands would not go amiss and would attract a larger clientele in the lo... 

that should be punished, vote with your wallet

But a purchase history from another shop even though it is for the same brand will not guarantee us preferential treatment and we should not expect any special treatment either.

Maybe i should talk to Jerome about this...

I am not in this world. Buy one to buy another is paying grey market anyways. This is what rolex was doing to get BLNR before covid. Buy this date just to get the next blnr.... now they don't even do that because DJ are gone!

Companies are taking advantage of this either by increasing prices, reclassifying many of their sought after watches as allocation pieces or simply 'forcing' customers to buy pieces to obtain another. All three practices might be deemed as good business m... 

It is not a a specific comment on your interest here and what the boutqiue said. Just lamenting how things have gotten. I feel bad that you can't spend (this large amount) money and get what you want. It really does look nice in the pictures. Good luck 👍 ... 

I think it will take a minor miracle for me to secure this piece but if I do, it will be thoroughly appreciated.

But if I have a chance to acquire my grail (and I only have one!), I should not let it go

whatever the brand may be.

In fact, that is a compliment to your watch selection. Few of us have bought so wisely!

the watch is not mine and probably never will be! :-(

you have so many gorgeous watches, some are just not meant to be may be

If a watch is meant to be yours, it will be. If not, I believe it was not meant to be.

spending so much on a timepiece but I may make an exception this time knowing that if there was a piece still available, it would probably be the last piece for sale. I will be 60 next year so my body parts have no value any longer! A few bank robberies s... 

...although a friend is on the list. But in the photos is looks amazing. It's great that you got the chance to see it.

I am now addicted!

and not your mother-in-law!!!

I particularly like the honey gold. I have missed out many opportunities with Lange and now it feels like the barriers to entry are quite high, haha.

This Lange pales by comparison to your Patek collection!

the whole experience alone will make me treasure this watch for a very long time, if not forever. We all have our grails - this would be mine.

what can I sell to be able to afford this grail of mine. Body parts are not in the equation

because they are worthless!

I thought every piece was sold out. That's what I was told by my AD and Lange New York. I tried for this piece, which in all honesty was beyond my budget, but for this I was willing to make the sacrifice. I had no idea there were sets of three. May I ask ... 

The other two watches in the set were the popular 1815 ultra thin and the less wearable turbograph ie a tourbillon with a perpetual calendar. I have little doubt if the set of three were split that the 1815 ultra thin will be very marketable but less conv... 

Right now I do not have a predicament but on the off chance that they do break up the set for me, I would be facing a huge dilemma. Firstly, which two Lange watches to buy to meet the criteria - my first choice would be the 1815 up and down in rose gold p... 

They told me that they "might" consider breaking up a set if I was willing to purchase another "substantial" Lange even though I already have a couple in my collection. It is a truly remarkable watch, but I personally can't rationalize (or afford) a secon... 

but if I had to buy an unwanted Lange or two just to secure my grail, I would without hesitation. And also without hesitation, I would sell the unwanted Lange because I would never keep a watch in my collection that I did not truly love. I can safely say ... 

I can understand this brand's well-known issues to sell many of its watches, which have often taken a huge hit on the secondary market, but officially reducing the sale of a watch to a mere business transaction IS objectively pretty sad ;-) It's also surp... 

Let's see what Lange can do for me. I had already purchased an 1815 ultra thin in honey gold from this boutique so at least I am a current customer of theirs.

Thank you Fabrizio - I will need all the luck I can muster which will make this a memorable journey should the end result be a positive one.

Unfortunately, Lange HQ has decided not to split the remaining unsold box sets so I will not be getting the Rattrapante after all. I have always believed that everything in life happens for s good reason so perhaps I will find something else interesting w... 

It is ok. I am blessed with what I already have. Mustn't be greedy even though for me, that watch was THE watch