Short answer
A. Lange & Söhne does not make a watch called the Lange 2. The catalog lists the Lange 1, Little Lange 1, Lange 1 Moon Phase, Lange 1 Time Zone and Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar. A search for a replica Lange 2 lands on the Lange 1 family.
Where the name comes from
Two uses show up in listings.
- Lange 1, second generation. A. Lange & Söhne updated the Lange 1 in 2015 with the calibre L121.1. Some sellers call the updated version a series 2 watch.
- Lange 1 variants. The Little Lange 1, Lange 1 Moon Phase and Lange 1 Time Zone share the same dial layout. A typed "1" read as a "2" also lands here.
No factory record shows a model line named Lange 2.
The real Lange 1, by the numbers
- Case: 38.5 mm across, about 10 mm thick. Gold or platinum.
- Movement: calibre L121.1, hand wound, 72 hours of power reserve, 368 parts, 43 jewels, 21,600 vibrations per hour.
- Dial: off-center hours and minutes, outsize date, small seconds, power reserve needle marked AUF and AB.
- Price: new gold versions sit in the $45,000 to $55,000 range. Platinum costs more.
Dimensions differ between references and between case metals. Check the reference number on the case back.
Points where replicas differ
- Case width. Many replica cases measure 40 mm or 42 mm. The genuine case measures 38.5 mm.
- Movement. Replicas use quartz or a generic automatic. A genuine Lange 1 winds by hand and holds 72 hours.
- Date window. The genuine outsize date uses two separate discs behind a large window. Many replicas use one small window or one disc.
- Case back. A genuine watch shows a three-quarter plate, screwed gold chatons and a hand-engraved balance cock. Replicas show a decorated rotor or a flat plate.
- Metal. Steel, brass and gold plating appear in replica listings. Lange cases carry a 750 or Pt 950 hallmark.
Checks at the point of sale
- Ask the seller to measure the case across the bezel with calipers.
- Photograph the movement through the case back and compare the plate layout with press photos.
- Read the calibre number on the movement. A four-digit Lange calibre code means one thing. A blank plate or a three-digit code means another.
- Check the hallmark stamp on the case back and the lugs.
- Compare the date font and the window height with official photos of the reference.
- Get the return window and the stated case material in writing.
Price bands in the replica market
Replica Lange 1 listings cluster in three bands: $120 to $200 for quartz, $250 to $450 for automatic, and $600 to $1,200 for the top band. Genuine Lange 1 prices run 50 to 100 times those figures. Sellers who quote a case size, a movement type and a return period give a buyer more to work with.
Legal position in the United States
U.S. Customs and Border Protection lists counterfeit watches as prohibited merchandise. Shipments can be seized. Importing counterfeits can bring civil penalties. Buyers in the US carry that risk with each order.
What the term covers in practice
Treat "replica lange 2" as a search term for the Lange 1. Confirm the reference before you compare specs. If a listing claims a Lange 2, ask for the reference number and a photo of the case back.