A fake Lange 2 tourbillon is a counterfeit copy of the A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Tourbillon. A. Lange & Söhne does not list a Lange 2 in its catalog. The name appears on replica storefronts as a search label. Buyers who order one receive a watch assembled in China with a tourbillon movement from Seagull, Hangzhou, or Dandong, a steel or gold-plated case, and no parts from the Saxon maker. Prices run from about $250 to $2,000. In the United States, importing or selling the watch violates federal counterfeiting law.
What the Genuine Watch Is
The Lange 1 Tourbillon launched in 2000. Case diameter is 38.5 mm. The dial carries an off-center time display, an outsize date at the top left, and a power reserve indicator at the top right. The tourbillon sits at 5 o'clock under a cage that doubles as the small seconds hand. Caliber L961.1 beats at 21,600 vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve near 72 hours. Lange added a stop-seconds mechanism for the tourbillon in 2008, which lets the owner set the watch to the second. Cases come in 18k yellow, white, or rose gold and in platinum. Retail ran above $100,000.
Movements Inside Replicas
Replica Lange tourbillons use Chinese tourbillon calibers. Common bases are the Seagull ST80 family, Hangzhou 3000-series movements, and Dandong tourbillons. Beat rate is 21,600 vph. Power reserve lands near 40 hours. The cage turns once per minute. Owner tests put accuracy between minus 15 and plus 30 seconds per day. Cheaper listings show a cage that does not turn. In those, the tourbillon is a printed disc set on the dial.
Case, Dial, and Finish
Cases are 316L stainless steel with PVD or electroplated gold. Case thickness runs 12 to 14 mm, against a thinner genuine case. Sapphire crystal shows up on mid and top tiers; mineral glass shows up on entry models. The outsize date on most replicas uses one printed disc instead of two independent rings, so both digits sit on the same plane. Hand engraving on the balance cock is replaced by laser etching or a stamped plate. Rhodium plating covers brass plates.
Price Tiers
- Under $300: quartz or basic automatic movement, fake cage, mineral glass, hollow case.
- $300 to $800: working Chinese tourbillon, 316L case, sapphire on some models.
- $800 to $2,000: closer case size, gold plating, decorated plates, box and papers.
Points That Do Not Match
- Case diameter of 40 to 42 mm against 38.5 mm on the genuine.
- Date changes over several hours, not at midnight.
- Power reserve indicator is a printed scale, not a linked mechanism.
- Serial number does not match any Lange service record.
- Balance cock engraving is laser cut, not hand cut.
- Some listings label the watch Lange 1 Tourbillon while the photo shows a plain Lange 1.
US Legal Status
18 U.S.C. § 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison, plus fines under federal sentencing rules. CBP officers seize counterfeit watches at US ports and destroy them. A single watch sent by mail can be held. Card networks and payment processors refuse replica sellers, so buyers send bank transfers with no chargeback path.
Service and Resale
Lange service centers do not work on counterfeit watches. Parts for the Chinese movement come from parts dealers, not from Lange. Repair means swapping the movement, which costs $100 to $250 for the part. Resale value is near zero. Auction houses and dealers with a reputation will not take one.