GO vs ALS finishing

G
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As someone that hasn’t compared the two brands on the wrist directly, how much better is the ALS1 vs the Panomaticlunar from Glashutte Original?

I am interested in the GO pano, but keep being told that the finishing is ‘amazing, fabulous……at this price point’. Now, given that it is knocking on £9k, isn’t there a point when it is very small shades of grey with the differences in finish between movements?

To me as many others, £9k is a pretty penny to spend on a timepiece and it got me wondering what the best is - what perfection is - and how much I might need to part with at any price-point to experience it.

I know Pateks and Lange are stratospherically pricey and everything, but is the GO pano just an entry level/also-ran of haut horologie and the price of an ALS1 is justified due to the faultless execution?

I suppose this is a long winded way of saying, how far from the ‘best a person can get’ is the GO pano series and would I be throwing my money away on a compromise?
Edited:
 
dsio
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@Trev had a PML and it was pretty amazing, beautifully finished watch
 
G
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dsio dsio
@Trev had a PML and it was pretty amazing, beautifully finished watch
Yes, that is what I’ve heard… looking forward to trying one on! I like the asymmetrical look of the SS white dial version particularly.

As this will be my first foray to the regions above my beloved SMP - I wondered how much better it gets than the GO PML and whether it’d be worth the extra to go to the top.

Apologies if my post wasn’t clear.
 
dsio
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G Grunka-lunka
Yes, that is what I’ve heard… looking forward to trying one on! I like the asymmetrical look of the SS white dial version particularly.

As this will be my first foray to the regions above my beloved SMP - I wondered how much better it gets than the GO PML and whether it’d be worth the extra to go to the top.

Apologies if my post wasn’t clear.
One thing that I’d mention, Trev’s actually had a heavily patinated moon phase disc which was interesting in that it was a gold and burgundy color like vintage examples. Then when we checked the production number of his example we saw that it was 7, as in 00007. So it must have been a super early example and they didn’t know about the colour not being stable yet.
 
YY77
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janice&fred janice&fred
I knda lke th finsh n m op bt ntn cmprs 2 m cnst pp.
I agree, although I couldn't make out what you said.😗
 
G
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janice&fred janice&fred
I knda lke th finsh n m op bt ntn cmprs 2 m cnst pp.
Abreviations as follows:

GO - Glashutte Original
ALS - A. Lange & Söhne
SS - Stainless Steel

Was hoping to save time 😀
 
janice&fred
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My abbreviations as follows:
op - oyster perpetual
cnst - constellation
pp - piepan

😁
 
Syzygy
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janice&fred janice&fred
My abbreviations as follows:
op - oyster perpetual
cnst - constellation
pp - piepan

😁
Dyslexia has it's advantages...I actually followed that!
 
NGO1
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Deleted my earlier post by mistake. I guess I do need glasses.

GO, ALS and PP are A-OK.
Lange and Patek wont wow you at entry level. I’d say pretty much on par with GO.

I'm reading between the lines here: If Patek or Lange is what you really want, I suggest save and wait. The satisfaction of saving and hunting for a dream piece far, far exceeds the instant gratification of buying a watch.

Back to your original question. Nope, you aren't missing out on any elevated finishing. As a matter of fact, Lange 1 exhibition case back is boring, with a big fat 3/4 plate covered the entire movement.

my GL1. Daily wear for half a decade.
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E1DA43EA-0F82-4A9C-BF11-C6E4EA27FBBB.jpeg
G
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NGO1 ngo516
Deleted my earlier post by mistake. I guess I do need glasses.

GO, ALS and PP are A-OK.
Lange and Patek wont wow you at entry level. I’d say pretty much on par with GO.

I'm reading between the lines here: If Patek or Lange is what you really want, I suggest save and wait. The satisfaction of saving and hunting for a dream piece far, far exceeds the instant gratification of buying a watch.

Back to your original question. Nope, you aren't missing out on any elevated finishing. As a matter of fact, Lange 1 exhibition case back is boring, with a big fat 3/4 plate covered the entire movement.

my GL1. Daily wear for half a decade.
That is amazing! What a lovely piece.

On a side note: do you ever feel nervous wearing your Lange outside like some do with their Rolex’s - for fear of having it attract ‘attention’ of ne’er do wells? Or is it due to the brands relatively unknown (outside those that know) nature that it flies under everyone but yours radars?
 
NGO1
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G Grunka-lunka
On a side note: do you ever feel nervous wearing your Lange outside like some do with their Rolex’s

Nope. no-one knows what it is = No one cares. The asymmetrical dial on leather (crocs) strap loudly scream "This is NOT a Rolex". Several watch-nerds on my team hunt for IG famous pieces. They'd get "nice watch" regularly, from clients and baristas. For all the years I wear the GL1, not a single glance. No one cares. My wife, to this day, has no idea what brand it is. She does know it's the most scratched up watch in my box.

btw: ALS now offers laser welding as part of their service, materials can be added to restore the case, back to specs. if you, like me wear it as a daily.
 
Alfista88
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A stainless steel PML could be what you're looking for. You can sample the design on your wrist, and see if anything about the GO feels "lacking", compelling you to seek a Lange 1.

I own 1 of each brand, although very different styles. A steel SeaQ 39, and a Lange Saxonia. Personally, I prefer the darker color hue of German silver used in the large Lange 3/4 plate. That large Lange plate glows, when you rotate the watch back & forth under different lighting conditions. Check out the 2nd photo in this article: https://blog.crownandcaliber.com/splurge-vs-steal-lange-1-vs-glashutte-original-panomatic/

But with the GO PML, you get double swan necks and double the engraving! Plus convenience of automatic winding.

What generation is your SMP? If it's one of the 1120 or 2500 caliber ones, I think you're spoiled with a comfortable thin watch 😉 The thickness of the PML might shock you. With its almost-brutalist tall long slab of just vertical steel on the side profile, in between the bevels on the top bezel and caseback. In comparison, the rotating bezel makes up a sizeable portion of your SMP's side profile, breaking up the monotony of a tall vertical case height. Definitely worth checking out both in person, to see if the case height on either a Lange 1 or PML interferes with your enjoyment of this watch design.
 
G
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Alfista88 Alfista88
A stainless steel PML could be what you're looking for. You can sample the design on your wrist, and see if anything about the GO feels "lacking", compelling you to seek a Lange 1.

I own 1 of each brand, although very different styles. A steel SeaQ 39, and a Lange Saxonia. Personally, I prefer the darker color hue of German silver used in the large Lange 3/4 plate. That large Lange plate glows, when you rotate the watch back & forth under different lighting conditions. Check out the 2nd photo in this article: https://blog.crownandcaliber.com/splurge-vs-steal-lange-1-vs-glashutte-original-panomatic/

But with the GO PML, you get double swan necks and double the engraving! Plus convenience of automatic winding.

What generation is your SMP? If it's one of the 1120 or 2500 caliber ones, I think you're spoiled with a comfortable thin watch 😉 The thickness of the PML might shock you. With its almost-brutalist tall long slab of just vertical steel on the side profile, in between the bevels on the top bezel and caseback. In comparison, the rotating bezel makes up a sizeable portion of your SMP's side profile, breaking up the monotony of a tall vertical case height. Definitely worth checking out both in person, to see if the case height on either a Lange 1 or PML interferes with your enjoyment of this watch design.

I was struck by the design of the PML, something about it ‘speaks to me’. What drew me to the GO was the refinement, and I love that moonphase complication. Another factor is that no one would know what it is - which I like…nothing that screams to be noticed through bling 😀

I currently wear the newer calibre 8800 SMP that I got 2 years ago and has not been off my wrist since. The size of the PML case is slightly thinner - only by 1mm - than the Seamaster, so this isn’t a factor… on the face of it anyway.
 
mikeo1
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I am never disappointed with the visual presentation of a GO esp their chronograph cal 61. Its' gold chatons, heat blued screws and tin polished edges stand strong against other calibers at 5x its' price
upload_2022-9-27_0-51-21.jpeg
 
Archer
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NGO1 ngo516
Deleted my earlier post by mistake. I guess I do need glasses.

GO, ALS and PP are A-OK.
Lange and Patek wont wow you at entry level. I’d say pretty much on par with GO.

I'm reading between the lines here: If Patek or Lange is what you really want, I suggest save and wait. The satisfaction of saving and hunting for a dream piece far, far exceeds the instant gratification of buying a watch.

Back to your original question. Nope, you aren't missing out on any elevated finishing. As a matter of fact, Lange 1 exhibition case back is boring, with a big fat 3/4 plate covered the entire movement.

my GL1. Daily wear for half a decade.

GL1.jpg




😉
 
GL1.jpg
NGO1
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@Archer
6 is easier to read than 06. So, I understand that design decision. Single digit dates should be that, single digit! If you have a thing for date widow, this will ruin your day…
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2E796530-BF52-4CF7-BF69-4FF6B367F7FF.jpeg
Archer
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NGO1 ngo516
Single digit dates should be that, single digit!

We can agree to disagree...



I prefer symmetry personally. 👍
 
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