Short answer

"Lange 2" is not an A. Lange & Söhne model name. Replica sellers use the label. The number 405.031 sits in the Datograph Up/Down line: a 41 mm manual-wind flyback chronograph with an outsize date and a power-reserve display. No replica of this reference copies the real movement. Listings sold as "Lange 2 405.031" run about $200 to $1,500. Most hold a quartz or a third-party automatic chronograph movement inside a decorated case.

What reference 405.031 is

  • Case: 41 mm. Lange lists more than one 405 number by case metal, including platinum and rose gold.
  • Movement: caliber L951.6, manual wind, flyback chronograph with a jumping minute counter.
  • Dial: outsize date, two chronograph subdials, power-reserve indicator.
  • Power reserve: 60 hours.
  • Caseback: sapphire display back.

Confirm the exact metal, year and papers with Lange or an authorized dealer before you trust any listing. The 405 numbers are close together and sellers mix them up.

Why Lange replicas are rare

Rolex replicas dominate the market. Lange replicas do not. Three reasons:

  • Volume. Lange output is small next to Rolex. Replica factories follow volume.
  • Finishing. The L951.6 carries hand-engraved bridge work and Glashütte ribbing. Copying that finish costs more than the fake sells for.
  • Display back. A sapphire caseback shows the movement. There is no place to hide.

Checks on a claimed 405.031 replica

  1. Movement photo. Ask for a clear shot through the caseback. A blank plate with printed text is a dead sign.
  2. Flyback test. Video the chrono running, then press the reset pusher without stopping. A real flyback restarts at zero. A stock chronograph movement stops or does nothing.
  3. Date change. The outsize date should flip in one step at midnight. A slow roll or a gap between the two discs points to a printed date or a single-disc fake.
  4. Power reserve. On the real watch the indicator moves with the mainspring. On most fakes it is printed or fixed.
  5. Case thickness and weight. The genuine case is about 13.1 mm thick. Ask for caliper photos and a scale reading in grams.
  6. Engraving. Look at the buckle, caseback rim and crown. Laser etching looks shallow next to the real stamp.

Price ranges

Genuine 405.031 watches trade on the secondary market in the tens of thousands of dollars. Prices move with case metal, condition, box and papers. Replica listings fall between $200 and $1,500. A seller asking $2,500 or more for a Lange replica is charging for a story, not for parts. Claims of Swiss origin at those prices do not hold.

Import and legal notes (US)

US Customs and Border Protection can seize counterfeit watches at import. Trafficking in counterfeit goods carries federal criminal penalties. One fake for personal use still risks seizure. Reselling it is a separate offense.

Questions to send a seller

  • Movement photos, front and back.
  • Video of chrono start, stop and reset.
  • Video of the date change at midnight.
  • Weight in grams and thickness in millimeters.
  • Macro photos of the serial, reference and buckle.

Bottom line

A fake 405.031 buys the look of a Datograph, not the watch. The L951.6 is the reason buyers pay for the reference, and no replica in this price band copies it. Buy the look if that is what you want, and know what you are getting.