A fake Reverso Tribute Monoface is a copy of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds. The genuine watch has a rectangular steel case of 45.6 mm by 27.4 mm, a hand-wound Calibre 822/2, and a carriage that flips the case 180 degrees. Copies sell for $40 to $600. Most run quartz or a small automatic movement. No copy matches the genuine carriage hardware or the movement finish.

Case data below comes from Jaeger-LeCoultre product pages. Prices are US market ranges. Check the exact reference number first, because the Tribute line holds several sizes.

Genuine Reverso Tribute Monoface specs

  • Case: steel or gold. Small Seconds references measure 45.6 mm x 27.4 mm.
  • Thickness: about 8.5 mm on steel Small Seconds models.
  • Movement: Calibre 822/2, manual wind, 108 parts, 21,600 vibrations per hour, 45 hours of power reserve.
  • Dial: sunray or grained finish, applied indexes, dauphine hands, small seconds at 6 o'clock.
  • Case back: solid steel plate on Monoface models. The plate takes an engraving. Duoface models carry a second dial instead.
  • Crystal: sapphire on the dial side.

Movements inside copies

Most Reverso copies do not carry a hand-wound rectangular movement. Three types show up in listings:

  1. Quartz. The second hand ticks. Price band: $40 to $90.
  2. Small automatic movement with a rotor. Case thickness grows past 10 mm. Price band: $120 to $300.
  3. Decorated automatic or hand-wind copy with fake bridges and screws. Price band: $300 to $600. Dial text may read Swiss Made with no basis for the claim.

Calibre 822/2 has a rectangular plate. A round automatic movement cannot copy that outline. Look at the case back screws and the movement shape.

Flip mechanism

The genuine case slides on rails inside the carriage, then flips. Tolerances are tight. Copies show uneven gaps between case and carriage, and the case rattles when you shake the watch. Some copies glue the case into the carriage, so it does not flip at all.

Checks before you pay

  • Case size: measure with calipers. Target 45.6 mm x 27.4 mm.
  • Thickness: about 8.5 mm for a Monoface Small Seconds.
  • Dial text: genuine dials print JAEGER-LECOULTRE and REVERSO with even letter spacing. Copies show thick fonts and uneven gaps.
  • Case back: genuine steel Monoface backs are plain and polished for engraving.
  • Second hand: a ticking hand means quartz, not Calibre 822/2.
  • Dial count: a Monoface has one dial. A Duoface has two.
  • Weight: Jaeger-LeCoultre does not publish weight figures for this reference. Weigh a known watch for a baseline.

Price bands

  • Quartz copy: $40 to $90.
  • Automatic copy: $120 to $300.
  • Decorated copy: $300 to $600.
  • Genuine steel Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds: about $8,000 US retail. Confirm the current figure with a dealer, since prices change.

Listing traps

Sellers mix photos from different references. The term monoface gets attached to Duoface photos. Check three items: the reference number in the listing, the dial count in the photos, and the case size in the text.

Shipping and repair notes

US Customs treats counterfeit watches as prohibited merchandise. Seizure is common for inbound parcels. Payment by wire or crypto removes the chargeback path. Service is the second problem: watchmakers do not stock parts for copies, and a repair bill can pass the price of the watch.