A fake Lange 2 tourbillon is a counterfeit watch sold under a model name that A. Lange & Söhne does not make. The German maker has no Lange 2 in its catalog. Replicas with that label usually copy the Lange 1 Tourbillon or mix parts from several Lange designs. Because the name is wrong, the watch is almost certainly a fake.
What the Lange 2 Name Means
A. Lange & Söhne produced the Lange 1, Lange 1 Tourbillon, Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, and other models. No official Lange 2 exists. Sellers use Lange 2 to avoid trademark filters. If a listing calls a watch Lange 2 Tourbillon, treat it as a replica unless proven otherwise.
Key Signs of a Fake Lange Tourbillon
- Tourbillon cage: Genuine Lange tourbillons have a cage that rotates once per minute with a black-polished steel bridge. Fakes often show a spinning open balance wheel with no cage.
- Movement finishing: Real Lange movements have hand-engraved balance cocks, screwed gold chatons, and blued screws. Replicas use laser engraving or printed patterns.
- Outsize date: Lange's date jumps instantly at midnight. Fake date wheels often drift or change slowly.
- Dial: Genuine dials use applied gold markers. Fakes use printed or glued markers.
- Caseback: Genuine engravings are deep and crisp. Fake engravings look shallow or blurry.
How to Inspect a Suspected Fake Lange 2 Tourbillon
- Search the official A. Lange & Söhne website for the model name. If no Lange 2 appears, the watch is not genuine.
- Ask the seller for a close-up video of the tourbillon. Watch for a cage that rotates smoothly. A real tourbillon cage turns once per minute. A fake may just spin a balance wheel.
- Request a photo of the movement through the caseback. Look for hand-engraved scrollwork on the balance cock. Stamped or laser-etched patterns indicate a fake.
- Check the date change. Set the time to 11:55 PM and watch the date. A genuine Lange date snaps over at midnight. A fake may show a gradual roll or a stuck wheel.
- Examine the dial markers with a loupe. Genuine applied markers have sharp edges and sit above the dial. Printed markers sit flat.
- Compare the caseback engraving to reference photos from auction houses or watch media. Genuine text uses a specific font with clean lines.
- Consider the price. A genuine Lange 1 Tourbillon costs well over $100,000. A Lange 2 Tourbillon for a few hundred dollars is a replica.
Why Fakes Fail at the Tourbillon
A real tourbillon is a complex mechanism that averages out positional errors. A. Lange & Söhne makes its own tourbillons with a stop-seconds function. Replica makers often install a cheap Chinese movement with a decorative tourbillon or no tourbillon at all. These movements show poor timekeeping and rough finishing. Even high-end replicas cannot match the hand-finished bridges, polished bevels, and engraved balance cocks of a genuine Lange.
If You Still Want a Replica
Know that you are buying a counterfeit. No replica Lange 2 tourbillon will pass as real to a watchmaker or collector. Use the inspection steps above to avoid paying genuine prices for a fake. For any watch labeled Lange 2, assume it is a replica and price it as such.