Now this particular plan had a second part, one which only a true WIS could understand. I reasoned that if I would have to wait until almost the end of the year to finally get my hands on my dream watch, it would only be fair if I beforehand bought another one to ease the pain of the wait ! 

The perfect candidate was quickly at hand when Markus Hanke posted pictures of the new Union Glashutte Julius Bergter Edition last February. This limited edition series consists of four models, all fit with the handwind Glashutte Original Caliber 30. The small seconds, pointer date and power-reserve/moon-phase models were each made in a series of 100 pieces and the perpetual calendar only 25 times. I've never bought a watch sight-unseen before but these just looked too tasty to risk missing out on. And as they were priced very reasonably, I pre-ordered a Small Seconds model from a shop in Germany, delivery of the watches was to start early May.

Sometime in May my plan started to go wrong. The shop I ordered the Union from had just dropped the brand and thus apparently wasn't getting preferred treatment. It was a bit frustrating seeing guys like Hartmut already posting pictures of their Small Seconds while I, who was after all probably the first person to order it, was left in the dry. At the same time I met up with a US Timezoner who was on an extended business trip through Europe and had just managed to acquire a Lange 1 at a pretty incredible price in one of the cities he had visited. It probably showed how jealous I was so he kindly offered to contact the store and ask if they could do a similar deal for me. It turned out that they could so very shortly afterwards, I was the proud owner of a Lange 1 myself but the "shorten the wait for the Lange Union" was still nowhere to be seen ... 

Two weeks ago, I finally got a call that the watch had arrived and so made a quick trip up to Germany over the weekend to pick it up. The watch is of course lovely in every sense but it is also provided just a little bit of an anti-climax in light of already having the Lange on my wrist.

 

All the Julius Bergter Unions have a 39 mm steel case, domed sapphire crystal, sapphire display back, a slightly grained silver-grey dial with arabic numerals, blued steel hands and are powered by the Caliber 30 movement which comes from Union's sister company Glashutte Original. The main difference in the movement used by Glashutte Original is that the parts are finished by hand and much more opulently decorated.

 

 

Many typical elements of the Glashutte school of watchmaking can be found in the movement. It has a three-quarter plate, blued screws, a swan-neck fine regulator, Glashutte stripe decoration and one of the rubies is even set in a screwed chaton. The dial-side of the watch is of course very reminiscent of the platinum Lange 1815, the case is a bit larger and the numerals use a slightly different font but it's quite apparent from where the Union designers drew their inspiration. The crown is very different though, a modern touch on an otherwise completely traditional watch.

 

 

Except for the bezel, the ring around the display back and the edges of the lugs, the entire case has a matte finishing which I didn't know before seeing the watch and which I like very much. The curves of the clasp follow those of the case's lugs and seem rounder than usual. The quite large clasp is easy to open and close and holds the strap - which is a good quality, padded one out of Louisiana alligator - securely together.

 

 

And now for a totally unfair comparison between the Union and the Lange

 

 

Okay, so the Union is indeed an attractive watch, keeps good time and considering the very nice movement, quite a bargain. But how does it fair against the supreme ambassador of Glashutte style watchmaking - the Lange 1 ? The Lange's list-price is almost five times higher, so there darn well should be differences between the two. But just how big are they ?

 

 

I'm afraid I have to disappoint everybody who was expecting that at this point I would whip out my screw-drivers and disassemble the watches for a Walt Odets-style analysis of the two movements. Unfortunately I'll have to make do with a considerably simpler method and just convey my feelings when I gaze at them. Simply put, looking at the Lange makes me go "WOW !" while the Union still at least merits an enthusiastic "hmmm". 

The warm sheen of the Lange's German silver three-quarter plate and the Glashutte stripes which looked like they were applied by a breeze of air is so completely different than cool rhodium look of the Union where the decorative stripes almost appear to be etched in by a router. Nine of the Lange's visible jewels are set in screwed chatons while the Union's single chaton looks more like an unnecessary afterthought. The entire movement is much more elaborately and finely finished and decorated, a glance at the two balance cocks, demonstrates this very well. Still, the Union looks better than most Unitas or Peseux handwinds used in many watches today.

 

 

The case-work of the Union fares quite well against the Lange. The lugs are a bit sharp and the engraving on the back - probably laser-etched - is much less fine than the Lange's. In shape, the two cases are almost identical with the Union having slightly longer and more curved lugs. The Lange is a half a millimeter less in diameter, both watches are very comfortable to wear. 

The differences found in the movements continue on the dial sides. On one hand, the massive silver dial with applied numerals, razor-sharp printing and carefully framed date windows of the Lange, on the other hand, the slightly dull and visibly grainy silver-grey dial with the printed numerals and the not so elegant Union logo. I do like the appearance of the Union a lot but it's very clear that it's in an utterly different class than the Lange. I usually switch watches every few days, both timepieces always show me the correct time to the minute and I haven't tested which one actually runs with better precision. 

The readability of the Union is actually a tad better than the Lange's due to the higher contrast of the blued hands and the greyish dial. The Lange's twin barrels give the watch a well-dimensioned 72 hours power-reserve while the Union just barely runs for 36 hours without winding. A huge difference between the two becomes noticeable when winding the watches. The Lange is completely silent and feels incredibly smooth and buttery and hardly requires any pressure to wind while the feel of the Union is utterly conventional. Two watches which in some ways are very similar and in others very different. 

Despite its few shortcomings, overall the Union is a lovely watch in its own right and represents one of the most affordable ways to obtain a piece of Glashutte style watchmaking. The Lange 1 is a milestone, fabulously executed and the reference for all watches made in this style. I am most grateful to own them both.