Short answer
A replica Saxonia 385.026 is a counterfeit watch. It copies the look of a piece from A. Lange & Söhne, a German maker based in Glashütte, Saxony. Lange does not build it, does not sell it, and does not service it. Bringing one into the United States is illegal, and a shipment can be seized and destroyed at the border.
What the name refers to
A. Lange & Söhne was founded in 1845 by Ferdinand Adolph Lange. The company was rebuilt in 1990 by Walter Lange and now sits inside the Richemont group. Saxonia is the entry line: thin, round, three-hand watches in gold or platinum.
Lange does not publish a full public archive of every past reference number on its website. Because of that, the exact factory specification for 385.026 cannot be confirmed from an independent source. Replica sellers fill that gap with copied text. Treat any spec sheet on a replica page as unverified.
For context, Lange lists the Saxonia Automatic with calibre L086.1, a 72 hour power reserve, and a case near 38.5 mm. Replica listings for 385.026 often quote those same numbers.
How the counterfeits are built
- Case: 316L stainless steel, 38 to 39 mm, with gold color from plating or PVD. Real Saxonia cases are solid gold or platinum and carry hallmarks.
- Movement: a Chinese automatic calibre, often Seagull or Hangzhou, or a decorated ETA 2824 pattern. Most run at 28,800 vph. The Lange L086.1 runs at 21,600 vph.
- Dial and hands: printed or applied markers. Real blued hands are heat treated steel. Replicas use painted steel.
- Caseback: sapphire or mineral glass over an engraved bridge layout. Engraving depth, font, and finishing differ from Lange work.
- Serial and papers: copied numbers, printed booklets, and boxes that do not match Lange packaging.
Price bands
Counterfeit listings run from about $150 to $900. A real Saxonia Automatic sells above $20,000 at retail and holds value on the secondhand market. Counterfeits hold no resale value. Service centers decline them, and parts do not interchange with genuine units.
How to tell one apart
- Check the metal. Steel with plating is not Lange. The maker uses gold or platinum.
- Look at the movement. Lange uses a Glashütte three quarter plate, a hand engraved balance cock, and screwed gold chatons.
- Check the weight and the finish of the case edges.
- Ask Lange or an authorized dealer to check the serial against service records.
Legal status in the United States
18 U.S.C. § 2320 makes trafficking in counterfeit goods a federal crime. 19 U.S.C. § 1526 lets U.S. Customs and Border Protection seize and destroy counterfeit imports. For a single watch bought for personal use, the usual result is forfeiture of the shipment and no criminal charge. Sellers, importers, and repeat buyers face criminal exposure.
What is not known
Production counts for 385.026 are not public. Lange does not release them for past references, and no replica seller has access to that data.