A replica Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso 398 is not a watch made by Jaeger-LeCoultre. The manufacturer does not market any Reverso under the model name 398, and no entry in its published Reverso catalog uses that number as a model designation. Listings that carry the phrase almost always point to a counterfeit or unbranded copy styled after a Reverso Classic or Reverso Tribute. In the United States, buying one for import or reselling it is trademark counterfeiting, and that carries civil and criminal exposure.
What "398" means in these listings
Sellers of counterfeit watches attach arbitrary numbers to product pages for catalog and search purposes. The digits rarely match a factory reference. When a number does appear on the watch itself, it is often copied from an unrelated model, printed in a font the brand never used, or stamped on a caseback with the wrong depth and spacing. Treat any listing that pairs a brand name with an invented model number as evidence that the seller has no relationship with the brand.
The genuine Reverso in short
Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Reverso in 1931 for British officers in India who wanted a watch that could survive a polo match. The solution was a rectangular case with a sliding carriage that flips the dial face inward to protect it. The design survived because it became a canvas for engraving, enameling, and complications. Modern versions use in-house calibres, sapphire crystals, and a factory service and warranty program. A counterfeit reproduces the outline of that case and nothing underneath it.
Legal position in the United States
Counterfeit goods fall under federal trademark law, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes them at the border. The rule applies to a single watch bought for personal use, not only to bulk shipments. A purchase order, a shipping label, or a resale listing can each become evidence. Sellers rarely appear in court, so the buyer absorbs the loss when a shipment is detained.
How to verify a Reverso before you commit
- Flip the case and read the caseback engraving under a loupe for font weight, spacing, and depth.
- Compare the case dimensions against the figures the brand publishes for the specific model.
- Open the display back and confirm the movement finish, jewel count, and rotor or bridge engraving.
- Test the swivel carriage for even tension across the full 180 degree rotation.
- Inspect dial printing at 10x magnification for serifs, alignment, and paint bleed.
- Match the reference number on the certificate against the brand catalog for that year.
- Take the watch to an authorized dealer or an independent watchmaker for a movement check.
What no copy can reproduce
Three things separate a genuine Reverso from any copy: an in-house calibre built and finished in the Vallée de Joux, a documented service history with the manufacturer, and a resale market that recognizes the piece. A counterfeit has none of the three. Resale value on a seized or identified counterfeit is effectively zero, and most repair shops decline to service them because parts do not exist.