Short answer
A replica Saxonia manual is a copy of the A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia Thin, a hand-wound two-hand dress watch. Genuine specs: 37mm case, 5.9mm thick, 18k gold, hand-wound L093.1 caliber, 72-hour power reserve, about $20,000 and up at retail. Replicas match the case outline and the dial layout. They do not match the movement. Most use a stock Seagull or Miyota caliber inside a steel case with plating.
Genuine specs to compare against
- Case: 37mm wide, 5.9mm thick, 18k white gold, rose gold, or platinum
- Movement: L093.1, hand-wound, 72-hour power reserve
- Dial: two hands, no small seconds, no date
- Caseback: sapphire crystal, shows the movement
- Finish: Glashutte ribbing, hand-engraved balance cock, gold chatons, blued screws
- Retail: roughly $20,000 to $25,000. Prices change each year
The Saxonia 35mm hand-wound with small seconds uses caliber L941.1 and a 45-hour reserve. It is a different reference.
Movements found in replicas
- Seagull ST17 or ST21: Chinese hand-wind, 21,600 vph, about 40 hours. Common in the $150 to $300 tier.
- Miyota 9015: Japanese automatic, 24 jewels, 42-hour reserve. The rotor shows through a display caseback. The genuine watch has no rotor.
- Decorated Chinese automatic: added plates and fake ribbing over a base caliber. The balance cock is stamped, not engraved.
- Quartz: cheapest tier, $60 to $120. No seconds hand on the dial, so it reads like the real thing until the caseback is opened.
Five tells on the bench
- Thickness. Genuine is 5.9mm. Most replicas measure 8mm to 10mm with calipers.
- Rotor. A rotor in the caseback means automatic. The L093.1 is hand-wound.
- Balance cock. Genuine engraving is cut by hand. Replicas use cast or laser-etched plates.
- Chatons. Genuine uses screw-mounted gold chatons. Replicas use gold-colored rings or none.
- Metal. Genuine is hallmarked 18k gold. Replicas are 316L steel with plating that wears at the lugs.
Price tiers
Entry: $60 to $150, quartz or basic hand-wind, mineral glass. Mid: $150 to $350, Seagull hand-wind, sapphire glass, plated case. Upper: $350 to $600, decorated movement and better case finishing, still steel. Prices move with supply. No tier uses solid gold.
What is not verifiable
Factories do not publish caliber sheets. Case thickness, plating thickness, and crystal material change between batches. A seller who cannot send caliper photos and a caseback photo is a risk.
Legal status in the US
Replicas are unauthorized copies and carry marks owned by Lange Uhren GmbH. Import and resale of counterfeit goods violate US trademark law. CBP can seize shipments and assess civil penalties.