The short answer
Buy the hand-wound version first, then compare everything else. A replica Datograph Up/Down with a hand-wound chronograph movement inside and a case close to 41 mm wide and 13 mm thick will read correctly from across a room and sit correctly on the wrist. Automatic 7750-based builds add height, shift the crown and pushers off centre and often miss the 4 and 8 o'clock subdial positions. If you keep only one criterion, keep thickness. It is the number that gives the watch away before anything else does.
lange datograph up/down copy watch
What the original does, and why it matters here
A. Lange & Söhne launched the Datograph Up/Down in 2012 as an update to the 1999 Datograph. Reference 181.039 measures 41 mm across and 13.1 mm tall, runs hand-wound calibre L951.6 with a flyback chronograph and 60 hours of power reserve, and places the oversize date at 12, the 30 minute counter at 4 and running seconds with the AUF/AB power reserve display at 8. Those four elements are the design. A replica that loses one of them becomes a generic chronograph wearing a Saxon dial.
What to look for
Movement and winding
Hand-wound chronograph movements, including the Seagull ST19 family and its derivatives, are the better starting point because they keep the case thin and match the winding ritual of the original. Automatic builds based on a 7750 with an added date and power reserve module can work, but check the measured height rather than the listing. Anything past about 15 mm is a different watch in profile.
Replica Datograph Up/Down Price Guide: How to Buy the Best Deals
The big date at 12
The genuine date uses two discs that jump together at midnight, sit on one plane and share the same numeral height. On a replica, look for two separate apertures with even spacing, matched font weight and a clean jump rather than a slow crawl. Printed dates on a single disc are the clearest sign of a cheap build.
replica datograph up/down price
The power reserve at 8
On the original, the small hand inside the running seconds subdial tracks the mainspring between AUF and AB. On replicas this is often decorative, tied to a day night wheel or fixed in place. Ask the seller whether the indicator moves in step with actual running time, then test it: wind fully, let the watch run half a day and see whether the hand has travelled a proportionate distance.
Dial, hands and printing
Check the concentric finish inside the subdials, the applied baton markers, the length of the chronograph hand against the minute track and the sharpness of the wordmark. Photographs taken straight on hide these details, so request angled macro shots with the crown at three.
Case, lugs and finishing
The lugs should curve down toward the wrist with a defined bevel along the top edge. Polished surfaces should be mirror clean and brushed surfaces should run in one direction. On the caseback, look at the engraving depth and the movement finish. Hand engraved balance cocks and Glashütte ribbing are imitated by stamping on replicas, and the difference shows under a loupe.
Strap and hardware
Lug width is 20 mm. A stiff, glossy strap makes a good case look cheap, so budget for a replacement in matte alligator or calf. The tang buckle should be solid, signed and correctly proportioned to the case size.
Parameter bands that separate the tiers
- Case diameter: 40.5 to 41.5 mm. Smaller or larger breaks the dial proportions.
- Case height: 13 to 14.5 mm is acceptable on a hand-wound build. Above 15 mm, walk away.
- Lug width: 20 mm, measured with calipers rather than assumed.
- Subdial centres: symmetric about the vertical axis, with the counter centred near 4 and the seconds near 8.
- Crystal: sapphire front, sapphire or display back with a flat profile.
- Movement: hand-wound preferred, roughly 28,800 vph, with a power reserve claim near 60 hours.
- Pushers: firm, short travel with a clean start and stop. True flyback reset is rare and should not be assumed.
Pitfalls
- Stock press images instead of photos of the actual watch. Ask for dated shots of the dial, the caseback and the date at midnight.
- Swiss labels on Asian assemblies. Judge the watch by the movement photos, not the wording.
- Listings that quote the genuine specifications as if they describe the replica.
- Water resistance claims on a chronograph with a display back. Treat it as splash resistant.
- Sellers who cannot confirm whether the power reserve indicator is functional.
- Ignoring import rules. Counterfeit watches can be seized at the border in many countries, so check what applies where you live before ordering.
FAQ
Does the power reserve indicator actually work?
On some higher tier builds, yes. On most, it is a decorative hand. Ask directly and request a short video showing the hand after twelve hours of running.
Will the date change instantly at midnight?
A good replica jumps within a few minutes of midnight. A slow roll across several hours points to a basic date mechanism behind the apertures.
Is the flyback function real?
Rarely. Most replicas reset the chronograph but do not restart it with a single push. If flyback matters to you, confirm it in writing before paying.
Can a replica Datograph be serviced?
Hand-wound Chinese chronographs are serviceable by independent watchmakers, and parts are available. Automatic modular builds are harder to repair once the date or reserve mechanism fails.
How obvious is the thickness difference?
Very, in profile and under a cuff. A 16 mm case next to a 13 mm case looks like two different watches, and no amount of dial detail compensates.
Before you order
Confirm the measured height, the movement type, the subdial positions and the date behaviour in writing. Ask for photos of the exact unit, not a catalogue image. Spend your budget on the case and the movement first, then upgrade the strap afterward, because those two decisions determine how the watch reads on the wrist.