Don't panic because your guage reads something other that what you are anticipating it will read.
Your car may have had a lower temp thermostat in it or it may have been weak for a long time. Your new one sounds like it is correct.
If you are concerned with it, get a non-contact IR thermometer and actually measure the temperature at the water outlet. Normal operating rage will be up to 215F or so before the low speed fan kicks on.
Steve