# ALS Repair cost/Reliability



## dennis.k

Dear all,

I've been lurking on several WIS forums for some time now, and am privileged to be able to attain all the information I need as I expand my modest collection (currently Rolex SubC, AP Royal Oak 15400, and PP5396R).

Shortly after I got my PP, I was tempted to get an ALS (typical?), and in fact, am expecting a shipment of Saxonia Thin 37mm WG as my daily wear; the PP was too eye catching at work.

While I'm looking for my next target (we all know how it goes), ALS Timezone WG caught my eye.

A button away from changing the local time zone took my breath away (that mechanism!), while the symmetrical dial layout was just an eye candy (so many needles!). And so the hunt begins...

2 weeks into searching and surfing, something held me back. There appears to be an abundance of secondary supplies out there (specifically ALS Timezone WG), which got me second guessing myself.

I've encountered several problems with my AP Royal Oak, where the time keeping does not justify the price, which might have explained the vast pre-owned supplies out there. (no offence, the watch is aesthetically pleasing!)

Doing my due diligence, I've tried different strings of words on Google, but was not able to find any posts raising concerns/issues with ALS, let alone ALS Timezone which redirected me to a different forum.

Therefore, with all due respect to all brands, I hope we could get some feedback from ALS owners, in terms of experiences with regard to ALS time keeping and accuracy. (is it improbable that no ALS owners have encountered any issues with their watch? :-d)

Selfishly, I am particularly concerned with ALS Timezone, given the complexity of the watch's mechanism, but of course will be happy just to get any feedback from ALS owners.

Sorry for the long post. Here's an eye candy: (hope this works, first time uploading a pic)


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## smartbot

My Lange (1815 Chrono) had been pretty reliable until I recently noticed the power reserve was only half of the advertised rate. Luckily it was still under warranty and Lange has taken the watch back to address the issue.

Other than the power reserve issue, my Lange has been incredibly reliable and keeps very accurate time. From what I have read online that is the general consensus about Lange.


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## CFR

I have enjoyed the Lange brand for about 15 years now. I have found Lange watches to be at least as reliable as other comparable brands, and their customer service in the US has been excellent. I've had a few problems with a few Langes, but certainly nothing more than I'd expect to experience -- actually far less. I recently had a very frustrating experience with FP Journe -- a watch had been completely overhauled in October 2015 and I subsequently had to return it over the next 8 months not once, not twice, but THREE times for the exact same problem -- which is something that has never happened to me with a Lange. I do not baby my Langes either. I'm much more worried about damaging the strap (from water, etc.) than the watch. Also, I know several Lange Timezone owners, and they have had no systemic problems with their watches. Good luck with your pursuit!


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## dennis.k

Thank you smartbot and CFR for kick starting the thread. I would like to extend my gratitude to CFR for the ALS annual price list/guide (the maintenance of the file is almost as meticulous as making a watch lol).

While the web has showered ALS with praises, I hope by sharing some of the issues encountered by owners, we could raise awareness of the do's and don'ts when handling our watches (water damage to the strap), and more importantly, be prepared when things do go wrong.

I'm happy for smartbot that your 1815 Chrono is still under warranty when you discovered the problem. Could anyone shed some light in terms of the repair cost should any unlucky soul encounter the same issue with lapsed warranty?

CFR, would appreciate if you could share your experiences (problems which were within your expectation) with your Langes. 

Also, I'm glad to know your friends are happy with their Lange Timezones, which definitely nudged me closer to the watch :-d.


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## mpalmer

Welcome to the forums! You have a sweet collection. Enjoy your Saxonia!


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## CFR

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you find the spreadsheets to be helpful. The problems I experienced with brand new Langes were pretty random and very infrequent. I had a Zeitwerk Striking Time that would stop long before the power reserve wound down. It had to go back to Lange twice shortly after I bought it. It has functioned perfectly ever since. I know this was unusual -- other owners didn't experience it -- so it didn't really bother me. I had another Lange in which a piece of dirt/lint suddenly became visible on the dial (that was in 2006, to give you an idea how far back I'm reaching). Lange took care of this immediately.

I really don't have any guidance other than to use the same common sense you'd use with any mechanical watch costing more than $25 USD -- e.g., don't immerse it in water, don't subject it to avoidable major shocks, etc. I'd put my strap comment in the "common sense" category. And of course, if you're one of those folks that doesn't like scratches/dings/etc., then you'll wear it only on certain occasions.

Good luck!


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## cambridge99

I've had two major issues with my Grand Lange 1. In the first month of having the watch the winding stem stopped working and then my watch needed to be sent to Germany. That process took 3 months. More recently the XII and IX fell off. I've sent the watch to New York and hope to find out soon how long it will take to fix this issue. To have two major issues within a year isn't acceptable for a watch of this "calibre". I feel like I got a lemon and would expect more support from Lange to resolve these issues.


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## kaiserphoenix

my ALS 1815 chrono has been absolutely perfect in function and time keeping. So far no issues knock on wood! (I even cycled and played golf)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Dancing Fire

My 10 yrs old Lange 1 MP running at +2 sec. per day. I'd also own a PP 5396 and on most days the date does not center on its window. The date wheel is loose.


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## jayogolmic

May I ask what was the cause of the issue? Curious to know. Thanks.


smartbot said:


> My Lange (1815 Chrono) had been pretty reliable until I recently noticed the power reserve was only half of the advertised rate. Luckily it was still under warranty and Lange has taken the watch back to address the issue.
> 
> Other than the power reserve issue, my Lange has been incredibly reliable and keeps very accurate time. From what I have read online that is the general consensus about Lange.


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## Stewpot

I'd be interested to know how accurate every one else's Langes are. I've got one of the old 36mm 1815s, which runs at -2 sec per day. It's certainly more accurate than anything non-digital that I've owned

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## WatchFrog

Stewpot said:


> I'd be interested to know how accurate every one else's Langes are. I've got one of the old 36mm 1815s, which runs at -2 sec per day. It's certainly more accurate than anything non-digital that I've owned
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


My 1815 up/down runs at about +1 sec per day. No problems over the 18 months I have had it. Here's a pic (just because, as they say!) :-


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## kuefi

what reference is the patek in the opening post?


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## closeset

ALS is good-looking and reliable


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## StufflerMike

Reference: 5396G 
Movement: Automatic Caliber 324S









More pics on watchprosite 😉


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## tommyjai92

Was the lange 1 issue resolved in the end?


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## Icycas

Reliable. Costly.


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## Matt Ngai

Damn, I'm just looking into getting the 1815 Up/Down this for my wedding next year.


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## edeag3

Not intending to necro this thread but I finally had some first hand experience (3 watches sent in) so wanted to put this info out there:

The basic prices for movement overhaul and case refurbishing (incl. laser work if needed) are on their website but here are some extras:
Crown: 280-320 EUR, WG for Platinum Datograph or Langematik perpetual
New bezel, platinum 1100 EUR (Dato)
New dial (black, dato) 1590 EUR
Crystals (front or back) 125 EUR
Additional labor if needed (42 EUR/unit, maybe hour??) I needed 10 extra units to refnish some movement parts

Hope this info is useful, I know it can be hard to get info on service costs. All prices are without VAT and of course, may change. If the watch is in good condition they will not incur any additional charges whatsoever. They're very good about explaining what is needed vs. recommended as well.


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