patrick_y
[PuristSPro Moderator]
31196
Great Langes: What is your favorite Honey Gold Model?
Honey Gold. Debuted by Lange in 2010, it's a pale gold with one pragmatic quality; it is much harder than traditional 18K or 750/1000 gold. The formula is a closely guarded secret, but there are rumors that it's 75% gold and the remainder is mostly copper and zinc.
Since 2010, there have only been about thirteen references endowed with the material.
Personally. I really like the idea of the hardness of the material. That's a significant advantage. But as for the color; I'm not drawn to it like I am to traditional 18K yellow gold or 18K rose golds. Those to me have a richness and warmth that honey gold doesn't have - in my eyes, honey gold is a bit too pale sometimes.
However, that pale-ness can be a very positive thing for some people who want a very low-key watch that is a little warmer than white gold but not quite as warm as rose or yellow gold. It could be a stylistic choice too. And giving consumers more choices doesn't hurt.
The exclusivity for Honey Gold as a unique feature for Lange has probably run out. Like patents, these "brand exclusives" generally have a limited time frame when they're exclusive to a specific brand. But don't expect the product from other brands anytime soon. As the cost to manufacture honey gold is supposedly very high due to the hardness, ductility, and other characteristics of the material. Also, foundries aren't all capable of making such a material, and many foundries wouldn't want to make such a material if the order wasn't substantially large.
Now that you're an expert of Lange's honey gold watches, which models are your favorite?
It's a nice Lange! It's also not too big nor too thick, a perfect piece for both men and women to wear!
I attended the debut of the honey gold Zeitwerk in NYC. What a cool event!
Another favorite of mine is the 1815 ultra thin Honey gold (and the standard 1815 honey gold which I don't have a picture of).
What are your favorite Lange honey gold creations? There are about thirteen of them!
I'm rather biased - I like the 2010 1815 Moonphase model myself. The charm of the moon phase, the guilloche dial, and the overall aesthetic just works in my eyes. The balance cock is also made in honey gold and is carved by Lange's in-house team of carving artisans. I'm also a former owner of this piece - I say former, since I only owned it for a few hours before I gifted it to a family member!
Great Langes: What is your favorite Honey Gold Model?
Honey Gold. Debuted by Lange in 2010, it's a pale gold with one pragmatic quality; it is much harder than traditional 18K or 750/1000 gold. The formula is a closely guarded secret, but there are rumors that it's 75% gold and the remainder is mostly copper...
I am biased too.
My best horse in the stable, with an innhouse Lange balance spring. No, it did not come with that Shirt. Apart from my 1815 I would say the rattrapante is a great piece. ...
Damn near perfect watch…
…one I don’t often think about, but when I see it…wow! It really should be on my top 10 list. So nice : )
I have to admit, I'm thankful I was able to get mine new and at retail.
I don't wear it, since it was a gift to another family member. But what a nice watch.
First, the earlier watches do not look the same as the later ones.
Somewhere along the line the alloy changed and there is a noticeable difference between the Emil and my 1815 for example. We compared them side by side a while back with BigAppleBill. In terms of favourites it is hard to beat simplicity. Some of the recen...
It’s also the model I have in mind when I think
about honeygold, and it’s the one I would personally like to own. Thank you, Patrick, for this very relevant honeygold thread. And thank you, Jay, for this 1815 advocacy and photo ! Best, Emmanuel
Thank you for reading and commenting about the honey gold thread!
I really like the 233 series from Lange. Probably their best product in my eyes.
Thank you! Merci! Xie Xie!
I have to admit, it was low lying fruit, I just saw the family member whom I gave the watch to, and it came to mind.
Another one of my personal favorite honey gold pieces! A great piece!
And half the forum here knows I especially like the 233 model line of 40 mm 1815 3 hand watches.
This is great information. I do find the subtle warmth
inviting, but still have to see one in person to be sure if I would want this version of the metal or not.
I share your sentiments about the color.
It's nice, but to me not as nice in general as yellow gold or even rose gold. But this all depends upon the case/dial/hands combination. My favorite would probably be the 1815 with eggshell dial (236.050), or its Lange 1 cousin (101.050). I think the HG c...
Great colour (pun intended) on these Lange watches.
And yes, my impression when having the earlier watches side by side with mine was indeed that those earlier watches appeared more yellow gold. To the point where I don’t think anyone would think that they are not YG.
Here are side-by-side pics I took some years ago. Everything in these pics is honey gold.
Sorry for not posting this earlier. Forgot I had it. The HG tang buckle patinated while sitting undisturbed in a small ziploc bag for 10 years. It got much darker than the case of the watch it came with, as you can see. [Because I like deployants and Lang...
That's super interesting that the color changes that much! Thanks for pointing this out!
I haven't seen the one I gifted to my family member in a long time - might need to make a special request for the watch to come out of hiding!
A pic to illustrate what I am refering to :
My understanding is wire springs aren’t allowed in Geneva seal watches ...
Yes! Wire springs like this would not be allowed in Geneva Seal watches.
In Geneva Seal watches, it would have to be some sort of a metal bar under tension. Definitely not like this wire spring. Thank you for pointing this out. I didn't know about this one!
Thank you for sharing your experiences! Finally, someone like me who isn't completely enamored with the color of the honey gold.
The Honey Gold Moonphase 1815 almost in some ways reminds me of a Germanic looking Breguet. The case, the guilloche dial, some of it just reminds me of a Breguet.
That Lumen model is really nice.
Works much better with the Tourbillon Perpetual Tourbograph than the Zeitwerk (for me). I got to play with that too and was really impressed. Goes great w/those sneakers!
Since I’m now a Lange HG expert after reading your post
Begs the question: Can you please gift it to me next time? 🙂
My fav would be the zeitwerk
Then followed by the 1815 split seconds (love everything abt it except the movement with the wire spring).. If the movement didn’t have the wire spring, I think I would prefer the 1815 split seconds
Oh. Please tell me more about the wire spring part!
I don't like wire springs neither. Big metal bar springs please! I appreciate your high level of discernment on springs! You're a very special person to have noticed this detail!
My favorite HG…and my only one 😉
The 1815 Thin. Love the color of the case which goes well with the enamel dial. The color is quite subtle next to my 2nd gen yellow gold 1815. Claus ...
So nice! So very nice!
I really like this ultra slim with the enamel dial too. Great timepiece. Thanks for showing multiple pictures, really helps me see the beautiful two-part enamel dial!
Great post, Patrick_y! I'm going with the new DPT HG Lumen.
Have held it at the Boutique in New York. If there is a more stunning HG Lange than that piece, I'm yet to see it.
Can't disagree with you there!
That one is a stunning piece. They're really all stunners!
