
Pocket Watches · Pocket watch
A. Lange & Söhne Lange Pocket Watch 14K RG, 1898
- Maker / attribution
- A. Lange & Söhne (maker)
- Date
- 1898
- Historical period
- Industrial Revolution (1850 – 1900)
- Country of origin
- Germany
- Object type
- Pocket watch
- Stock no.
- ALGSPW14RG
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (ALGSPW14RG)
- Catalogue title (original)
- 1898 A. Lange & Söhne Lange Pocket Watch 14K RG W/ Box, Papers, Sales Receipt, & Extract From The Archives (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number ALGSPW14RG), this is a pocket watch by A. Lange & Söhne, made in Germany, dated 1898. The Atlas places it in the Industrial Revolution period (1850 – 1900) of its Pocket Watches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Craft & Tailored
Founded in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in Dresden, A. Lange & Söhne quickly established itself as one of the world’s foremost producers of precision pocket watches. Lange’s uncompromising approach to craftsmanship set a new benchmark for Saxon watchmaking, and his creations soon became prized possessions among Europe’s most discerning patrons. The company’s original legacy was interrupted in the aftermath of World War II, when its facilities were seized during the Soviet occupation in 1948, effectively silencing the Lange name for decades. It was not until 1990, following German reunification, that Walter Lange, great-grandson of the founder, revived the manufacture in Glashütte, formally restoring A. Lange & Söhne as one of the most revered names in haute horology. Manufactured in 1898, this 14K rose gold A. Lange & Söhne pocket watch represents a rare surviving example from the brand’s original era. Preserved in remarkable condition, it is accompanied by its original box, papers, period sales receipt, and a comprehensive Extract from the Archives. Now over 125 years old, this exceptional timepiece offers a rare opportunity to acquire an authentic, fully documented artifact from the golden age of German watchmaking. SPECS Stock # ALGSPW14RG Brand A. Lange & Söhne Style Pocket Watch Model N/A Serial 3XX32 Size Unisex Material 14K Rose Gold Dial White Porcelain Millimeters 54 Strap N//A CASE & BRACELET The 14K rose gold case is exceptionally well-preserved, especially for its age, featuring some minor dents on the case back and swirling from wear, though no real damage is present. The crystal was recently replaced and exhibits no wear. The large onion-style crown operates perfectly, winding the watch and opening the dial cover without issues. The back cover and movement cover open without issues. DIAL & HANDS The white porcelain dial is impressively well-preserved, with the only notable element of age being a small tonal scratch just above the hand stack, which is invisible to the naked eye, though no cracks or other damage are present. The hands are believed to be original and remain in excellent condition. ACCESSORIES The watch is a complete set, including its original clamshell box, guarantee paperwork, sales receipt, and a recent A. Lange & Söhne Extract From The Archives. The watch was recently serviced and is keeping time relatively well, given its age.
Historical context
Industrial Revolution (1850 – 1900)
American interchangeable-parts manufacture; railroad time standards; Swiss and German factory systems.
Machine production with interchangeable parts, pioneered by Waltham (1850s) and adopted by Elgin, Longines, Omega and others, made reliable lever watches widely affordable. Keyless winding became standard, railroad watch standards were introduced (1890s), and Swiss and American industries competed globally.
Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Precision & Scientific Horology
Atlas type guide
Pocket watches
The pocket watch was the dominant personal timekeeper from the late seventeenth century until the First World War. Its development tracks the history of the escapement: verge watches with fusees until the late eighteenth century; Thomas Mudge's lever escapement (c. 1755) and the cylinder escapement popularised by George Graham and later by Swiss makers; and the Swiss and English lever watches of the nineteenth century. Lépine's bar-bridge calibre and keyless winding made watches thinner and easier to use.
Industrialisation transformed the trade: American factories such as Waltham (from 1850) and Elgin produced interchangeable parts by machine, and Swiss makers responded with their own mechanisation after the 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition. By 1900 a reliable watch was affordable to millions; the finest makers continued to produce complications and precision watches.
What to look for
- The escapement: verge (crown wheel), cylinder, duplex, English or Swiss lever.
- Key winding (a square arbor in dial or back) or keyless crown winding.
- Signatures and serial numbers on the movement, dial and inside case back.
- Hallmarks, case maker's marks and gold or silver standards stamped in the case.
- Dial material: enamel, silver, gold, later printed metal.
Dating clues
- Verge watches dominate before c. 1800; cylinder watches c. 1770–1900; lever watches after c. 1820.
- Keyless winding: increasingly common after c. 1860.
- Manufacturer serial number lists exist for Waltham, Elgin, Longines, Omega, Patek Philippe and others.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
Read next:Verge escapementDetached lever escapementFuseeIdentification Centre
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