A fake 1815 Rattrapante is a counterfeit copy of A. Lange & Söhne's hand-wound split-seconds chronograph. The fastest test is the split pusher. On a real one, pressing it stops the rattrapante hand alone while the chronograph keeps running, and a second press lets that hand snap forward to rejoin the running seconds. Most fakes either stop both hands together or do nothing at all, because a true rattrapante mechanism is the hardest chronograph complication to copy at low cost.
What the Genuine 1815 Rattrapante Does
The 1815 Rattrapante belongs to Lange's 1815 family and uses a hand-wound caliber from the L101 group. Two chronograph pushers sit on the right side of the case at 2 and 4 o'clock, and the split pusher sits on the left flank. Power reserve runs about two days. The case is precious metal, the dial carries applied numerals with fine printed scales, and the movement shows a German silver three-quarter plate, screwed gold chatons, a hand-engraved balance cock, and a swan-neck fine adjustment.
How to Inspect a Suspected Fake
- Wind the watch about 20 turns and confirm the crown turns with light resistance instead of a loose spin.
- Start the chronograph with the upper right pusher and let it run for 10 seconds.
- Press the left split pusher once. One hand should freeze while the other keeps sweeping.
- Press the split pusher again. The frozen hand should jump forward and align with the running hand.
- Stop the chronograph, then reset it with the lower right pusher. Both hands should return to zero in one motion.
- Turn the watch over and look at the movement. A hand-wound bridge layout with engraved balance cock points to a genuine caliber; a rotor, a battery, or a decorated plate with fake screws points to a copy.
- Weigh and measure the case. Precious metal cases feel dense for their size, and the diameter and thickness should match the published reference figures.
- Read the dial print with a loupe. Check the brand spelling, the country of origin line, and the alignment of the subdial rings.
- Compare the serial and reference numbers on the caseback with the numbers on the certificate.
Red Flags in Listings
- A price far below the market range for the reference.
- Terms like 1:1, AAA, or mirror grade in the description.
- Stock photos instead of images of the actual watch, including the caseback and serial.
- No video showing the split pusher working.
- A quartz movement or a battery hatch listed for a mechanical watch.
- Swiss made print on a watch that should read Made in Germany.
Legal and Practical Notes
US Customs and Border Protection treats counterfeit trademarked goods as seizable property, and importing one can lead to confiscation and civil penalties. A copy also carries no service support: Lange will not work on it, and independent watchmakers often refuse split-seconds repairs on movements with no spare parts. Resale value for a counterfeit is close to zero.
What a Replica Can and Cannot Do
Some replica split-seconds watches do run a working rattrapante module, but the feel differs. The pusher travel is short, the jumping hand lands off center, and the reset can leave one hand out of alignment. A replica can look correct on a wrist and still fail a 30 second function test. If you plan to buy, test the split function in person or ask for a video of the full start, split, rejoin, and reset sequence before any payment.