What the string refers to
The phrase joins three parts: the brand A. Lange & Söhne, the word replica, and the number 232.026. A. Lange & Söhne does not publish a reference 232.026 in its model list. The brand uses codes such as 101.021 for the Lange 1 and 116.025 for the Lange 1 Time Zone. Sellers of replica watches use numbers like 232.026 as catalog labels. Treat the code as a listing tag, not as a factory reference.
How A. Lange & Söhne numbers its watches
- Format: six digits split by a period, three on each side. Example: 101.021.
- The final digits track case metal and dial variant, not the model line.
- Case metal on genuine pieces is gold or platinum. Steel does not appear in the catalog.
- The Glashütte factory in Saxony makes a few thousand watches per year.
Specs sellers list for this code
- Case: 316L or 904L stainless steel, 38.5 mm to 41 mm wide.
- Crystal: sapphire with coating on one side.
- Movement: Asian automatic, often a Seagull or Hangzhou base, decorated with stripes and a fixed balance cock.
- Water resistance: listed at 30 m to 50 m. Seals are not pressure tested.
- Price: USD 200 to 700 on most listings.
Differences from a genuine Lange 1
A real Lange movement is built in-house in Glashütte. The balance cock is hand engraved with a floral pattern. The outsize date uses two separate disks and a patented mechanism. Replicas use a printed date wheel or a bolt-on module. Case weight shows the gap. A gold Lange 1 on a strap weighs near 100 grams. A steel replica weighs near 70 grams. Genuine dials use solid gold appliques. Copies use brass with plating.
Legal status in the United States
18 U.S.C. § 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison. Repeat offenses carry up to 20 years. U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize shipments at ports of entry. A. Lange & Söhne holds U.S. trademark registrations for its name. Resale of a counterfeit in the U.S. carries civil liability under the Lanham Act.
Checks to run on a listing
- Ask for the case diameter and the weight in grams.
- Ask for the movement base by caliber name.
- Ask for photos of the caseback and the engraving.
- Compare the date aperture size to a published photo of the model.
- Confirm the return policy and the payment method in writing.
Unknown: which workshop produced the item behind code 232.026. Replica sellers do not disclose a factory, and the same code appears across unrelated listings.