CR[Moderator]
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More feedback about the Dato...
Jun 16, 2020,19:23 PM
Hi Robert,
After I first developed an interest in Lange, it took me another decade to warm up to the Datograph (1st gen). That's largely because I've never been much of a chrono guy. It had nothing to do with the Datograph per se.
In 2014, I finally got one. It's a preowned 403.041 "Yellowjacket" (yellow/gold black dial) 1st-gen, so it wears exactly like the RG model that you're looking at. I had tried the 1st-gen Dato (both in gold and platinum) many times before I bought it, in part to see how it looked in person and in part because I too had heard some people say it was top-heavy.
My wrist is 6"/154mm (small), so I use a short strap and a deployant buckle (because I dislike generally tang buckles). Then, about a year ago, I put it on an old Lange bracelet because I felt like changing it up a bit. That change had nothing to do with discomfort or dissatisfaction.
My first-gen gold Dato is a very comfortable watch, both with the strap/deployant combo and with the bracelet. I never experienced any discomfort or top-heaviness. So that's my experience. Below are two pics, one with strap and one with bracelet.
Good luck with your quest, and I hope you end up loving whatever you pick!