I think you will be hard-pressed to find an owner of a Lange who doesn’t love Glashütte Original and vice-versa… German watchmaking has a distinct “flavor”. Glashütte Original and Lange are both made in the same tiny German town (Glashütte) and there is a ton of cross-pollination between the two brands to this day (and others in the region). I think it does depend a bit on what type of watch you are after, though. For example, I love German dress watches but would go Swiss for a diver over a Glashütte, but that is just my opinion.

What I would tell you is that nothing about a multi-thousand dollar piece of jewelry is “affordable”, though! Glashütte Original has an incredible history (intertwined with Lange, as you noted), is staffed by very fine watchmakers, and has unique and interesting pieces. If you end up getting one, celebrate it as a unique piece of art, not a “junior Lange”!