If you are shopping for a fake Lange 3 101.037, start with the correction that saves money: A. Lange & Söhne has never built a Lange 3. The digits 101.037 fall inside the 101.xxx block of reference numbers that the brand uses for the Lange 1, the off-center dial watch that carried the company's 1994 relaunch. The "3" in most listings comes from a mistyped marketplace title, a seller's shorthand for a third production batch, or a misread of the model line. Our top pick for this reference is a hand-wound first copy that gets three things right at the same time: the asymmetrical dial geometry, an outsize date that flips as one unit at midnight, and a visible movement with real finishing instead of glued-on decoration. Those three points, plus case proportions, crystal material, and hardware, are the criteria this guide walks through in order.
What Reference 101.037 Actually Points To
The Lange 1 arrived on October 24, 1994, as one of the first four models of the revived Saxon brand, and it has stayed in the catalog since. The classic case measures about 38.5 mm across with a lug width near 20 mm, so a first copy that comes in at 42 mm or stands 14 mm tall on the wrist is not copying the same watch. The dial is the signature: the main time display sits at 9 o'clock, the outsize date hangs in the top right corner, small seconds sits at 5, and a power reserve indicator at 3 is marked Auf and Ab. Numbers in the 101.xxx family span more than one metal and dial color, so confirm the exact variant with the seller rather than assuming the digits describe a single fixed combination.
What "First Copy" Means for This Reference
"First copy" is trade language for a watch built to match the outside of a known model and sold at a fraction of the original price. It is not the original, it carries no manufacturer warranty, and the brand will not service it. Treat it as a look-alike on your wrist, which is what it is. A first copy that is offered to you as a genuine Lange 1 for a few thousand dollars is fraud rather than a bargain, and it is worth reporting.
Criterion 1: Dial Layout and the Outsize Date
The twin-disc date is the hardest detail to copy and the first place a weak replica shows itself. Ask for a short video of the date changing, not a still photo.
What works
- Two date discs that sit flush with each other and with the dial surface
- A clean single jump near midnight instead of a slow creep over several hours
- Numerals centered in the window with even spacing between the two discs
- Printed text on the dial that stays sharp under a phone's macro lens
What fails
- A visible step or shadow line where the tens disc sits above the units disc
- Date windows that drift off center as the date changes
- Overprinted or fuzzy brand text that smears at the edges
- A power reserve hand that reads Auf and Ab but does not move with the winding state
Criterion 2: Movement and Winding Feel
The original is hand-wound with a 72-hour reserve, and the movement is meant to be seen. A copy with an automatic rotor behind a sapphire back is the wrong watch entirely, no matter how good the dial looks.
What works
- Hand winding that feels smooth and builds resistance instead of grinding
- Visible perlage on the plates and stripes that are cut or brushed, not printed
- Jewel settings that sit in real holes with clean edges
- An engraved balance cock with depth and hand-cut variation
What fails
- A rotor on a model that should be hand-wound
- Blued screws that are painted rather than heat treated, which shows as flat color
- Decorative plates screwed over a stock movement with mismatched fonts
- A stated power reserve you can test in a day and watch fall short
Criterion 3: Case, Crystal, and Wearing Comfort
Case height matters more than diameter for how this design reads on the wrist. A case that is too thick turns a slim dress watch into something that catches on a cuff.
What works
- Case width near 38.5 mm with a height close to the original profile
- Polished bezel and lugs with brushed flanks that meet at a defined line
- Sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating that stays clear at an angle
- A signed crown that sits flush and turns without wobble
What fails
- Extra thickness that pushes the watch off a dress shirt cuff
- Mineral glass with a green edge under indoor light
- Strap lugs cut at the wrong width, which forces a loose or pinched fit
- A stiff strap with rough edge paint that cracks within a month of daily wear
Criterion 4: Finishing Details Buyers Skip
Small things separate a convincing first copy from a placeholder. Hand shape and length should match the case metal and reach the correct point on the dial. Applied markers should sit flat with even gaps. Any engraving on the back should have depth, since laser etching looks like a flat decal in raking light. Check the buckle too, because weight and finish there are easy to fake badly.
Who This Reference Suits
A first copy of the 101.037 makes sense if you want the German off-center layout on your wrist for daily wear and you would rather not risk five figures on a bar stool. It does not make sense if you want the actual movement, brand service, or resale value, and it never makes sense if you plan to pass the watch off as genuine. If you want a watch to hand down, this is the wrong purchase.
Checklist Before You Pay
- Request a video of the date change and the power reserve hand moving.
- Ask for the case measured with calipers, in writing.
- Confirm the crystal material and the strap lug width.
- Ask for a photo of the movement under bright light, not studio glow.
- Confirm a return window and the condition rules that apply to it.
- Check your local import rules before shipping, since counterfeit goods bearing a protected trademark can be seized at the border.