Short answer
A. Lange & Söhne does not make a Lange 2. The line is the Lange 1, sold as Grand Lange 1, Little Lange 1, and Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar. Reference 725.038 is not on the brand's published reference list. The search term joins a model name that does not exist to a number that does not match it.
Two things drive the search. A perpetual calendar from Lange costs six figures, so buyers look at replica options. Sellers also reuse real-looking reference numbers to add credibility. That is where 725.038 comes from.
What a perpetual calendar does
A perpetual calendar keeps the correct date through short months and leap years. It handles 28, 29, 30, and 31 day months with no input. Under the Gregorian rule, the next manual correction falls in 2100, because that year is not a leap year. The leap year wheel runs on a 48-month cycle.
What the genuine watch includes
Lange perpetual calendars show day, date, month, leap year, and moon phase. Some references add a tourbillon with stop seconds. Movements are hand-wound. Cases are gold or platinum. Retail prices sit in six figures.
What replica versions show
- Case sizes are listed from 38.5 mm to 42 mm. Measured diameter can differ by 1 mm to 3 mm from the listing.
- Most replica movements are modified Asian calibers. A full perpetual calendar train at replica prices is rare.
- Subdials for day and month often run off a date wheel. They advance on a fixed cycle and ignore month length.
- Moon phase discs are printed. A 29.5 day gear train is uncommon.
- Engraved balance cocks and gold chatons appear on top replicas. The engraving is machine cut, not hand cut.
- Leap year windows are missing on most replicas. Some use a static display.
Checks before you buy
- Ask for photos of the movement, not catalog images.
- Ask for case diameter and thickness in millimeters.
- Ask which subdials move. If the answer is decorative, they are fixed.
- Ask about the leap year window and the moon phase adjustment.
- Confirm the return window and the payment method.
- Compare the listing reference number to the brand site. A number that appears nowhere is a warning.
Price range
Replica perpetual calendar listings run from about $250 to $1,500. Tourbillon versions and gold-plated cases sit at the top of that range. A genuine Lange perpetual calendar runs six figures. Price alone separates the two categories.
What I could not verify
I found no catalog entry for a Lange 2 and no entry for reference 725.038. If a seller cites either, ask for the source document. Apply the same checks above.