A. Lange & Söhne, Deutsche Uhrenfabrikation Glashütte, hunter, ca 1920.
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Case size: 53 mm
Material: 14K gold, inner cover in 14K gold
Movement: lever escapement
Year: circa 1920
Movement number: 78'826
Case number: 78'826
Accompanied by: certificate, case
Minor wear.
A simple function check indicated the movement runs; accuracy, power reserve and long-term performance have not been tested and servicing may be required at the buyer’s expense. Water resistance cannot be guaranteed and should be checked by a qualified watchmaker before any exposure to water. No right of withdrawal applies to live auction purchases.
Provenance
Inheritance from the sellers great-grandfather who was German, purchased originally in Germany.
More information
An elegant pocket watch from A. Lange & Söhne, cased in 14K gold and signed “Deutsche Uhrenfabrikation Glashütte (DUF)”—a designation used for pieces distributed domestically via Dürrstein & Co to broaden access to Glashütte quality. DUF watches were specified a notch below the firm’s top “1A” grade yet retained the essential Saxon DNA of robust construction and clean, functional design.
To address a weaker domestic market and price sensitivity, DUF pieces were introduced in 1877 under Dürrstein’s nationwide distribution. Typical differences from “1A” included 14K (instead of 18K) cases and simpler movement specifications—historically correct for DUF-signed examples like the present watch.
After wartime destruction and expropriation in 1948, the A. Lange & Söhne name vanished. On 24 October 1994, the reborn manufacture unveiled its first four wristwatches—Lange 1, Arkade, Saxonia, and Tourbillon “Pour le Mérite”—re-establishing the brand at the pinnacle of fine watchmaking.