Answer
A. Lange & Söhne builds no watch named Lange 2. The current catalog holds the Lange 1, Little Lange 1, Lange 1 Moon Phase, and Lange 1 Time Zone. Sellers who list a "replica Lange 2" use the phrase as a keyword. The watch they ship is a copy of the Lange 1, the off-center design A. Lange & Söhne introduced in October 1994.
Lange 1 specs to compare against
- Case diameter: 38.5 mm
- Case height: 9.8 mm
- Metals: yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, platinum
- Movement: calibre L121.1, hand wound
- Power reserve: 72 hours from two mainspring barrels
- Rate: 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour
- Display: offset hour and minute dial, outsize date, subsidiary seconds, power reserve indicator
Where copies differ
Replica listings for the Lange 1 quote case sizes of 40 mm to 41 mm and case height of 12 mm and up. The extra height comes from the donor movement, often a Seagull ST25 variant or a Miyota automatic. A gain of 2 mm to 3 mm changes how the watch sits on the wrist and pushes the crystal higher above the bezel.
Finish marks separate the two. The Lange 1 runs an untreated German silver three-quarter plate, gold chatons, blued screws, and a balance cock engraved by hand. Copies use brass or nickel plate, machine-cut engraving, and plating measured in a few microns. Photos of the balance cock show the gap: real engraving has cuts of varying depth, and stamped patterns repeat.
Date and dial details
The outsize date on the Lange 1 runs on two discs, one for tens and one for units. Copy dials often print both digits on a single disc or use a stamped wheel with a font that drifts from the original. Check digit shape, the gap between the two windows, and the date jump at midnight. Print quality and alignment matter more than the layout.
Price and supply
A Lange 1 in gold lists in the low-to-mid $40,000 range. Output at the Glashütte factory runs in the low thousands of watches per year across all lines. Replicas sell for $150 to $600. That gap is the main clue: no copy at that price carries a hand-finished movement or a solid gold case. Gold-plated brass is the norm.
Checks before you buy a copy
- Measure case height with calipers. Anything over 11 mm is not built to Lange proportions.
- Ask for a photo of the balance cock and the engraving.
- Ask for a caseback photo with the movement running.
- Compare date fonts against photos of the genuine reference.
- Confirm return terms in writing.
No replica matches a Lange 1 movement. A. Lange & Söhne sells through its own boutiques and authorized dealers, and the maker does not release parts to third parties, so service for the real watch stays inside its network.