Short answer
A used A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk is a pre-owned German mechanical watch with jumping digital numerals. The line launched in 2009. Gold models trade on the secondary market for about $60,000 to $90,000. Platinum and Minute Repeater versions cost more. Buy on service history, original papers, and a verified serial number.
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What the Zeitwerk is
A. Lange & Söhne is based in Glashütte, Saxony. The company reports output of about 5,000 watches a year. The Zeitwerk replaced hands with three numeral discs: one for the hour, two for the minutes. The discs jump at the top of each minute. A constant-force escapement drives the jump so the numerals snap in one step instead of dragging.
The movement is mechanical and hand-wound. The first version used caliber L043.1. Lange holds a patent on the constant-force escapement.
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Model line
- Zeitwerk, 2009. Three numeral discs. White gold, pink gold, and platinum cases.
- Zeitwerk Striking Time, 2011. Adds a strike on the quarter hour.
- Zeitwerk Minute Repeater, 2015. Repeater on demand.
- Zeitwerk Date, 2019. Adds a date ring. Larger case than the original.
Used prices
Asking prices for gold Zeitwerk models sit in the $60,000 to $90,000 band. The Minute Repeater is a separate market and sells for several hundred thousand dollars. Auction results set the floor. Prices move, so check current listings and recent sale records before you bid.
What to check
- Numerals. Watch the minute change. The discs should snap in one step. A slow or partial jump points to wear in the constant-force escapement.
- Service records. The jumping mechanism needs a full service. Ask for invoices from Lange or an authorized service center.
- Case and lugs. Check for polishing. Heavy polishing rounds the case edges and removes the original finish.
- Box and papers. Lange ships a guarantee booklet and a leather case. Missing papers cut value.
- Serial number. Match the number on the case back to the movement and to the papers.
Fakes and red flags
Lange did not make a steel Zeitwerk. A steel case is a fake. Copy dials often use printed numerals that do not jump, or a quartz movement under a decorated plate. On a real Zeitwerk the hour disc advances when the minute discs pass 59.
The constant-force escapement and the three-disc train are the parts that are hardest to copy. That is where fakes fail.
Numbers in this guide are estimates. Verify any figure with Lange, an auction house, or a watchmaker before you pay.