A. Lange & Söhne German Two-Day Submarine Chronometer
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1944
Maker / issuer
A. Lange & SöhneThis A. Lange & Söhne two-day submarine chronometer, serial number 5395, dates to 1944. It is constructed with a gilt full-plate brass three-pillar movement featuring a single-chain fusee.
Due to wartime raw material shortages, the movement is housed in a bakelite case, which is embossed on the rear with an eagle and swastika and marked with the naval number 3101. The white dial displays Arabic numerals, gold hands, a blued seconds hand, and a 56-hour winding indicator. The chronometer is gimbal-mounted within a glazed wooden deck box, which is further contained within a cushioned guard case. The object is accompanied by a key.
According to the auction description, this unit was deployed on the submarine U-1202 between 1944 and 1945 before being acquired by a British naval officer and eventually returned to Germany by a collector in 1981.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Submarine chronometer
- Naval Number
- 3101
- Case Material
- Bakelite
- Movement Type
- Gilt full-plate brass three-pillar single-chain fusee
- Place recorded
- Germany
- Maker / attribution
- A. Lange & Söhne
Design
- Visible features
- • Bakelite case with embossed military insignia • Gimbal-mounted movement housing • Glazed wooden deck box • Cushioned outer transport case
- Case and Mounting
- The movement is housed in a bakelite case, a material substitution attributed by the source to the shortage of traditional metals toward the end of the German Reich. The rear of this bakelite housing is embossed with a state eagle and swastika, and carries the naval identification number 3101. To maintain stability in a marine environment, the chronometer is gimbal-mounted within a glazed wooden box. This unit is intended to be stored within a secondary, cushioned guard case, as shown in the provided documentation.
- Provenance and History
- The auction description reports that this device was used on the submarine U-1202 during the 1944–1945 period. It was taken by a British naval officer following the surrender of the vessel. In 1981, the chronometer was acquired by a German collector, who returned the object to Germany. The unit is currently listed as being in good working condition and includes its original key.
- Movement and Dial Construction
- The chronometer utilizes a gilt full-plate brass movement supported by three pillars. The movement is signed with the maker's name and the serial number 5395, mirroring the signature found on the white dial. The dial features Arabic numerals for the primary chapters, gold hands, and a blued seconds hand providing half-second indications. A 56-hour power reserve indicator is positioned on the dial to communicate the remaining duration of the chronometer’s two-day operational capacity.
Identification
- Serial number
- 5395
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Military markings require contextual verification regarding official manufacture vs field modification
- Research required: Provenance claim rests solely on the auction description