Hi!
They are both really lovely but in order to say which I like better, I'd have to see the room, windows and your decor-that's going to have to be your personal preference. I will say that I DON'T believe either of those fans is worth triple the cost of the other in terms of appearance. Personally, I ordered absolutely gorgeous fans out of a catalog at Home Depot. Some have art glass, 1 is 60", and they are very unique. We have been very happy with them and got tons of compliments. The most expensive was 269 dollars. We have a lovely 4200 square foot home to furnish and I figured I could find much better places to blow the budget than on a ceiling fan. Have fun with the decorating-so many decisions!!
Pattie

Both are lovely. I, too, can find plenty of other places to spend the price differential with a much bigger happiness payoff than the relatively small difference in the two fans.

Please do not spend $719 for a ceiling fan unless you just got it like that! Anyway, the one on the bottom w/ the colored glass is prettier in my opinion. I don't think the one w/ the metal squares on the blades is very cute. I definitely don't think either of them is worth $700+! Didn't even know they made fans over maybe $350! I don't see any precious metal or jewels on it, so why the high price tag?

I don't know about the quality, but appearance wise I prefer the second one. IMO, the first looks more 'industrial' than craftsman, maybe it is the grey and white color scheme. If you are not completely happy with either one, I'm sure you can find something in between 250 and 700 that will suit your taste and budget.

I like the first one because of the detail work on the motor above the light. I do not like either one of the fans because they both have lights. I dislike lights on fans. I think it is annoying to have a fan light on in a room. I just bought four fans; they have not been installed yet. One of the reasons I got the Hunter original was because there was no light. I wanted my dollars to buy the fan, not the light. I had not shopped for a fan for a while, and it seemed the way they were sold had changed. It used to be that most of them had the light kits available for separate purchase, but not anymore. It must increase the profit margins to make the light included. Otherwise, I guess the retailer was left with a bunch of lights that no one wanted to purchase.

I prefer the first one.

I have a Casablanca in my great room and a Hunter in my bedroom. They are not even close to comparable. The Hunter seems nice until you compare it to the Casablanca. It's like comparing a Toyota to a Mercedes.

The Casablancas are nicer than the Hunters. But I don't know that they're 3x nicer. Still, for a very visible public area like a family room I'd get the one I liked better rather than letting price be the deciding factor.

I like the second one better. Though it really depends on what other color woods you have. Dark or light. Light the first might work better. I just like the housing on the second better. Not the normal fan housing shape.

Check ebay and continue to search and look for lighting store sales if you are absolutely in love with the higher priced one.

I don't know which is which and both look nice. I perfer the bottom one.

I have two Casablanca fans that we bought in 1983. They cost $200.00 each, which was a lot back then. They still run perfectly.

However, styles change and you might not want the same style fan for 20 some years. I believe Hunters are also good fans. Seven hundred is a lot for a ceiling fan, even a Casablanca.

Oribus, you're close enough for ceiling fan choices!!! Congratulations!!
Of the two, I prefer the first one. (Hope it's not the $716 one!) But, I have to say, my favorite fan of all time is the Original Hunter. Gabeach, I also pefer the fan without a light kit.
Chiefneal, the are many Hunters--and, then there is the Original Hunter. My guess is you have a fan other than the Original. If so, I understand your position.
Here in the south, fans are more about use than aesthetics. The Original Hunter is a classic fan that performs beautifully year after year after year.

Well it seems to be a toss up which at least says to me, that lookswise, one is definitely not worth that much more.
Now, tell us which is which?

Like the first one better. I have Hunter ceiling fans and love them. Put the extra $500 to better use!

Both are very pretty. I prefer the first one a little more. We have always had good luck with Hunter fans. I personally would not pay $500 dollars extra for each fan.

I had to stare at both photos for a few seconds before I realized how they were different. So to me that's not worth the 500 difference.

After looking at them longer than I would ever look at a fan in a persons house I decided the first one has and asain flare so I like the second one better.

May want to read this before you decide. For those that don't want the spoiler, do not click on the link! :-)

Jill

Here is a link that might be useful: Hunter Fan

I don't know which is which. I definitely prefer the look of the second one. I like the darker glass and blades, and I prefer it without the metal on the blades. However, I don't think either one is worth that price difference. If the second one is the more expensive one, I'm sure you could find something very similar for cheaper.
Now I'm going to check out the link above and see which is which!

Both are nice but both prices are totally ridicules for something no one will even look at for more then a second.

I would never pay the extra $500!

I hope I'm not hijacking, but I have heard several times on here that Hunter Original is great. I went to Home Depot and couldn't find it. Their website has the Hunter "Archive Original" - is that the same fan? Is this what you're talking about?

Here is a link that might be useful: H.D. website

I prefer the 2nd only because I like the color of the blades and it goes better with my interior.
With that said, I don't think the price difference is worth it. I'd go w/the lesser one and put the money into something else.

bloominwhereplanted, I'm not sure. The design appears to be the same. But with the 'Original' having such a wonderful reputation, I can't imagine why the word 'Archive' would have been added. I will check it out and get back with you.

bloominwhereplanted, love your username! No, the Archive Original is a different fan. The Original Hunter is still made.

I like the first one - i think it looks more substantial than the second one. Don't forget ebay for fans. I bought all but one of my minka aire fans off ebay and I saved easily 40% off the lowest prices locally.

Thanks for the info about Hunters. I'll keep looking for them. I've bought Casablanca in the past, via ebay like others mentioned, but if Hunter original is just as good, I'd rather do that since I have a bunch of fans to buy.

FWIW, I'm with the OP - I like the first fan, but like the glass in the second one better! Any chance they look different in "real life?" Like maybe the first one has more amber-colored glass when it's lit or something??

Anther source, where I found Hunters reasonably priced, was Ace Hardware online.

I personally would not like the colored glass as the light would be dulled by it. I like bright, clean light from all my lighting fixtures. I think the first fan looks more expensive, but I'd never pay $700 for a ceiling fan. They don't mean that much to me. LOL