Short Answer

A replica 1815 Moon Phase is a copy of the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Moon Phase, a hand-wound watch made in Glashütte, Germany. The genuine watch runs Lange's L943.1 movement. Its moon display needs one correction every 1,058 years, per the maker. No replica uses that movement. Copies run third-party calibers, plated steel cases, and printed moon discs. A. Lange & Söhne does not authorize any of them. In the US, selling one is a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. 2320.

What the Genuine Watch Is

  • Maker: A. Lange & Söhne, founded 1845, based in Glashütte, Saxony.
  • Line: 1815, named for Ferdinand Adolph Lange's birth year.
  • Movement: L943.1, hand-wound, with a moon-phase module.
  • Stated moon accuracy: one day of deviation per 1,058 years.
  • Case metal on first editions: 18k yellow gold. Later runs: 18k honey gold.
  • Case size: about 37.5 mm on the first edition.
  • Output: small batches and limited runs, many now discontinued.

Reference numbers change by edition and metal. Check the number on the caseback against maker records before any purchase. Lange can confirm a serial number. It will not confirm a counterfeit.

What Replicas Hold

  • Movement: Asian copies of the ETA 2824 or the Seagull ST19, with a bolt-on moon module.
  • Case: 316L stainless steel with gold plating, not solid 18k gold.
  • Moon disc: printed foil or painted brass, not blued steel or gold.
  • Finishing: machine stripes on bridges. No hand-applied chamfers on most examples.
  • Moon gearing: tracks a flat 29.5-day cycle, not the 29.53059-day synodic month.
  • Service: no Lange service center will touch or authenticate one.

Price Facts

Genuine 1815 Moon Phase watches trade on the secondary market in the tens of thousands of USD. Honey gold limited editions sit higher. Replica listings run from about 60 USD to 400 USD. A price above that band is often a scam, not a better copy. Paying more does not add a real moon-phase train or a gold case.

US Legal Status

  • 18 U.S.C. 2320 covers trafficking in counterfeit goods. A first offense by an individual carries up to 10 years and a fine up to 2 million USD.
  • Customs and Border Protection seizes and destroys counterfeit imports.
  • A limited personal-use exemption can cover one item brought in by a traveler, at the agency's discretion. It does not cover resale.
  • The USPTO defines counterfeits as goods bearing a mark identical to, or substantially indistinguishable from, a registered trademark.

Checks That Separate Copy From Original

  1. Weigh the case. An 18k gold case is heavier than a plated steel copy of the same size.
  2. Look for assay hallmarks inside the caseback. Steel copies lack them.
  3. View the moon disc at 10x. Genuine discs have depth and a cut edge.
  4. Study the movement through the display back. Lange marks, an engraved balance cock, and hand engraving appear on the real part.
  5. Ask for a service record. Lange documents its own repairs. A copy has none.

Risks Buyers Report

Resale value is zero on the legitimate market. Plating wears through at the lugs and crown within months of daily wear. Parts for clone movements are not standardized, so a repair shop may refuse the job. Some sellers take payment and ship nothing. None of these points differ by country of sale. The legal exposure sits with the seller in the US, and the seizure risk sits with the item.