Saxonia Date Replica Review: The Pick First, Then the Options
The Saxonia Outsize Date places a double-aperture date at 12 o'clock and small seconds at 6 o'clock inside a 38.5 mm case. Replicas of that layout succeed or fail on the date discs. A sloppy cam shows a half step each time the number flips, and that flaw is visible from arm's length. Dial finish, hand polishing and case profile still count, but the big date is the part you stare at and the part that exposes a cheap build. Below is the version we would buy first, then the two that make sense if your budget or your wrist points elsewhere.
Saxonia Date Thin Replica: A Buyer's Guide to Getting It Right
Our Pick: Decorated Automatic on a Modified L086.1 Pattern
This is the version that gets the proportions right. The case measures 38.5 mm across and 10.2 mm thick, close enough to the genuine profile that it slides under a shirt cuff. The date mechanism uses two separate discs driven by a ceramic-coated cam rather than a printed wheel, so the digits sit level in the aperture and flip together instead of drifting apart after a few weeks.
Points that earned it the top spot:
- Date numerals match the original typeface, with a flat top on the 1 and a squared tail on the 7
- Dial plate has a fine grained finish instead of the orange-peel texture common on cheaper copies
- Hands are rhodium plated with beveled edges, not stamped flat
- Rotor carries engraved lettering under a sapphire caseback
- Quick-set date through the crown, no pusher needed
Weak point: the movement beats at 21,600 vph, so the sweep is slightly slower than the 21,600 vph original. Wearers will not notice unless they film it in slow motion.
Option 2: Miyota 9015 Base with an Added Date Module
The Miyota route buys reliability over decoration. Timekeeping holds within a few seconds a day and servicing is cheap because the base caliber is common. The trade-off is thickness. The date module adds roughly 1.2 mm, so the case sits at 11 mm and the profile looks heavier on a small wrist. Rotor finishing is plain and the sapphire back reveals a movement that no one will mistake for a Lange caliber. Buy this one if you wear the watch daily and want a movement a local shop can regulate.
Option 3: Quartz Big Date for Casual Wear
The quartz build is thin, accurate and inexpensive. It also skips the sweep second hand entirely, and the small seconds hand ticks once per second. The date discs are lighter and thinner, which makes alignment easier to hold, but the dial printing tends to look flat under bright light. Treat it as a knockaround watch, not a dress piece.
How We Compared Them
- Measured case diameter, thickness and lug width against published specifications.
- Cycled the date through a full month and checked gap alignment at each flip.
- Inspected dial texture, printing and hand finishing under 10x magnification.
- Ran each watch on a timegrapher in three positions for 24 hours.
- Checked crown action, winding feel and water resistance claims.
How to Buy One Without Guessing
- Ask the seller for a video of the date flipping at midnight, filmed straight on.
- Request a side-profile photo with calipers or a ruler visible against the case.
- Confirm the movement name in writing before payment.
- Check the lug width, since 19 mm straps are harder to source than 20 mm.
- Ask whether the crystal is sapphire or mineral glass.
- Pay with a method that allows a dispute if the watch arrives with a misaligned date.
Bottom Line
The decorated automatic is the pick because it solves the one problem a Saxonia copy cannot hide. Fall back to the Miyota build for daily wear and the quartz version for casual use. Whatever you choose, judge the date window first and the movement decoration last.