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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Serial-number guide

A. Lange & Söhne Serial Numbers

Needs research

What a A. Lange & Söhne serial number can establish, what it cannot, and how to record a date estimate another researcher could check.

Diagram

maker or gradeserialcase hallmarksimport and assay marks
Schematic: where markings are found. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Method

Reading the number, step by step

  1. 1. Find the movement number

    Case numbers are recorded separately; Glashütte cases were sometimes supplied by outside case makers.

  2. 2. Understand what it encodes

    Pocket-watch movement numbers are broadly sequential and are used to estimate production periods for historical Lange watches.

  3. 3. Judge how precise the date can be

    Estimated: approximate periods from published Glashütte research; seek manufacturer confirmation where possible.

  4. 4. Check the records behind the tables

    Historical records for the Glashütte firm survive in part; the modern company and specialist Glashütte literature are the main references.

Quick facts

Manufacturer
A. Lange & Söhne
Dating confidence
Estimate only — see notes
Editorial status
Needs research

Sources & references

  1. Published Glashütte horological history (secondary)
  2. Manufacturer heritage enquiries

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.

Limits

What the number does not prove

Questions

Frequently asked

Where is the serial number on a A. Lange & Söhne watch?
Case numbers are recorded separately; Glashütte cases were sometimes supplied by outside case makers.
What do A. Lange & Söhne serial numbers mean?
Pocket-watch movement numbers are broadly sequential and are used to estimate production periods for historical Lange watches.
How accurate is dating a A. Lange & Söhne watch by serial number?
Estimated: approximate periods from published Glashütte research; seek manufacturer confirmation where possible.
Where are A. Lange & Söhne production records held?
Historical records for the Glashütte firm survive in part; the modern company and specialist Glashütte literature are the main references.

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