Short answer
A fake Saxonia 206.030 gives itself away in four places: the dial printing, the caseback engraving, the movement finish, and the beat rate. Genuine A. Lange & Söhne watches are finished by hand at a standard that stamping and laser etching cannot reproduce, and each case and movement number can be traced through the manufacture. Work through the steps below before money changes hands.
What reference 206.030 should be
Reference 206.030 sits in the Saxonia line, an automatic model in a precious metal case with a clean three-hand dial. Lange assigns a separate number to every metal and dial combination, so pull the exact specification for 206.030 from the manufacture and compare metal, dial color, case size, and any date aperture against that sheet. Do not trust a spec found in a marketplace listing, and do not accept a description that says "similar to 206.030."
Prerequisites
- 10x jeweler's loupe or a macro lens
- Digital calipers
- Daylight-balanced lamp
- Factory photos of reference 206.030 on a second screen
- Timegrapher access, either your own or through a watchmaker
Step-by-step inspection
- Copy the reference number, case number, and movement number from the paperwork onto a notepad.
- Match those numbers to the engraving on the caseback and to any engraving on the movement. A mismatch between documents and watch ends the inspection.
- Measure case diameter, thickness, and lug width with calipers, then compare each figure with the published specification for 206.030.
- Weigh the watch on a jeweler's scale. A gold case carries a specific heft; a light case of the correct size points to plated brass or steel.
- Study the dial printing under the loupe. Genuine text sits sharp and level with no halo or double edge, while counterfeit dials show soft edges and uneven letter spacing.
- Examine the hands and markers. Factory hands are thin, mirror-polished, and set true; fake hands look thick, carry burrs at the base, and often overhang the minute track.
- Read the caseback engraving. Factory cuts have clean square shoulders and consistent depth. Laser work on copies shows rounded, melted-looking edges, so confirm the metal hallmark matches the advertised material.
- Study the movement through the display back. Look for Glashütte ribbing across a three-quarter plate, polished bevels on every bridge edge, blued screws, and screwed gold chatons.
- Inspect the balance cock engraving. Every Lange balance cock is cut by one engraver, so the vines flow with varied strokes. Stamped or etched copies repeat one motif on a flat, grainy surface.
- Run the watch on a timegrapher and read the beat rate against the figure published for 206.030. A rate that does not match rules the watch out.
- Wind and set the watch by hand. The crown should turn with light, steady resistance, and the hands should move without wobble. Gritty winding or a date that crawls instead of snapping at midnight is a counterfeit signal.
- Send the case and movement numbers to an authorized Lange service point and ask for confirmation of the production record. A watch that cannot be matched to a manufactured reference is not the watch you were promised.
Common counterfeit tells
- Caseback text that names the model but omits the reference number or metal fineness
- Applied markers that are glued and rotated a degree or two rather than pinned
- A movement decorated with Côtes de Genève stripes instead of Glashütte ribbing
- A generic rotor engraving in place of full brand and caliber wording
- A thick, heavy case on a watch that should sit slim on the wrist
- Box and papers printed and stitched to a lower standard than the watch itself
Before you buy
Buy from a seller who will put the reference number, case number, and movement number in writing and who allows a return window long enough for a watchmaker to inspect the piece. Budget for a service estimate. Inspection by the manufacture is the only test that settles the question, and it is the only answer that carries weight if you later need a refund.