What a fake Datograph is
A fake Datograph is a watch made to look like an A. Lange & Söhne Datograph. It is not made by A. Lange & Söhne. The real Datograph comes from Glashütte, Germany. It has a manual-wind chronograph movement. It has a big date. A real Datograph costs $60,000 to $150,000 on the secondary market. A fake costs $200 to $1,500.
How to spot a fake Datograph
Look at the movement. A real Datograph has a column wheel and a horizontal clutch. The finishing includes hand-engraved balance cock. A fake uses a stock chronograph movement, often from China or Japan. The engraving is stamped, not cut.
Look at the dial. The real Datograph has a silver or black dial. The subdials sit at 4 and 8 o'clock. The big date is at 12 o'clock. On a fake, the date font is wrong. The subdial spacing is off. The hands are too thick.
Look at the caseback. A real Datograph has a sapphire crystal. The movement number and case number are engraved. A fake has a mineral glass or no display back. The engravings are shallow.
Price and market
Fake Datograph watches come from China. Factories in Guangzhou and Shenzhen make them. They sell on marketplaces and social media. Prices range from $200 for a basic fake to $1,500 for a super clone. A super clone copies the exterior but not the movement. No fake has the real Lange movement.
Legal status
In the US, selling counterfeit watches is illegal. The Trademark Counterfeiting Act of 1984 makes it a federal crime. Buying a fake for personal use is not a crime in most cases. But customs can seize the watch. A. Lange & Söhne can sue sellers.
What to check before buying
- Ask for a photo of the movement.
- Check the date font. The real Datograph uses a specific font.
- Check the caseback engravings. Real ones are deep and crisp.
- Check the price. A real Datograph never sells for under $50,000.