Short answer

Budget Jaeger-LeCoultre automatic replicas sell for $150 to $400. Under $150 the movement runs at 21,600 vph and the crystal is mineral glass. Between $250 and $400 you get a 28,800 vph clone of an ETA 2824-2, a sapphire crystal and a 316L steel case. No replica in this range carries a JLC-made movement. JLC does not supply ebauches to outside watchmakers.

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Price tiers

  • Under $100: quartz, or a DG2813 at 21,600 vph, mineral glass, stamped caseback.
  • $120 to $220: DG2813 or a Seagull ST6, sapphire on some listings, 5 ATM claimed.
  • $250 to $400: Seagull ST2130 or Hangzhou 6460 at 28,800 vph, sapphire, screwed caseback, AR coating on some units.
  • Above $450: the same movements in a machined case. The extra money buys case and dial finish, not a better caliber.

Which JLC models get copied

Three lines carry most of the volume: Master Control, Polaris and Reverso. Two of the three are automatic in the original catalog. The Reverso Classic Monoface is hand wound, so an "automatic Reverso" listing describes a watch JLC does not make. Check the reference number before you judge a build.

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Master Control Date: about 39 to 40 mm, three hands and a date, Caliber 899 in the original. Polaris Date: 42 mm, inner rotating bezel. Reverso Classic: about 47 x 28 mm in the large size, 42.9 x 25.5 mm in the medium.

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Movements you will find

  • DG2813: 21,600 vph, 21 jewels, low cost, loud rotor.
  • Seagull ST2130: 28,800 vph, ETA 2824-2 layout, about 38 hours of reserve.
  • Hangzhou 6460: 28,800 vph, day and date capability.
  • Miyota 9015: 28,800 vph, 42 hours of reserve, thin enough for a Reverso-style case.

A 28,800 vph balance sweeps at eight steps per second. Record a slow-motion video of the seconds hand to confirm the beat rate before you pay.

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Checks before you pay

  1. Ask for the movement name and the beat rate in writing.
  2. Ask for a photo of the caseback threads and the crown engraving.
  3. Ask for a timegrapher shot. Rate inside plus or minus 15 seconds a day is a fair result at this price.
  4. Confirm the crystal material. Mineral scratches, sapphire does not.
  5. Treat a water resistance claim above 50 m as unverified unless the seller pressure-tested the watch.

Where budget builds fall short

Dial printing is the first tell. On a genuine Master Control the logo is applied, not printed, and the hour markers sit in a polished frame. Case flanks on a $200 Reverso copy show tool marks under a loupe. The flip mechanism on a cheap Reverso shows play at the top pivot. A display back shows the gap: a stock 2824 clone with a rotor marked "JLC" and plain bridges.

Legal note

In the US, trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 2320. CBP inspects and seizes inbound shipments. A low price does not change the exposure.