Direct answer

A super clone of Jaeger-LeCoultre reference 1398420 sells for $250 to $650. The case is scanned from an original, the crystal is sapphire, and the movement is an Asian or Japanese automatic with a decorated rotor. No Swiss ebauche sits in this price band. The watch runs and holds time. It is not a Jaeger-LeCoultre and it carries no factory service.

jaeger lecoultre 1398420 counterfeit how to spot

Which watch the reference points to

Reference 1398420 is sold as part of the Master family. Public catalogs do not list this exact number, so ask the seller for the case diameter, dial color and function set in writing before payment. Master-line numbers have covered dates, small seconds and moon phases under the same family name. A dial photo settles the question faster than a model name.

jaeger lecoultre 1398420 fake for sale

What the term covers

Three tiers exist. Budget replicas at $90 to $150 use a stamped dial and a mineral crystal. Mid tier at $180 to $280 adds sapphire and a clone case. Super clone at $300 and up adds a cloned case profile, dial print taken from the original artwork, and a movement with engraved bridges and a JLC-style rotor. The caseback engraving is copied at this tier. The serial number is invented.

How to Spot a Counterfeit Jaeger-LeCoultre Q1398420

Movement inside

Two calibers dominate. The Miyota 9015 runs at 28,800 vph, 24 jewels, 42 hours of power reserve, with hacking. The Asian clone of the ETA 2892-A2 is thinner and costs more to service. Decoration plates and engraved rotors are cosmetic. A 9015 under a glued bridge plate is common below $400. Ask for a movement photo with the caseback off. The second hand should sweep at 8 beats per second.

fake jaeger lecoultre 1398420 vs authentic

Case and crystal

  • Steel: 316L, 38 to 40 mm across, 9.5 to 11 mm thick.
  • Crystal: sapphire front, sapphire or mineral caseback.
  • Lug width: 20 or 21 mm. Measure before you order a strap.
  • Finishing: check bevels between lugs and the polish on the bezel edge.
  • Caseback: screws should accept a standard JLC-style tool, not a knife.

Dial and hands

  • Applied indices: check height and polish. Stamped indices sit flat and catch no light.
  • Minute track: check print thickness at 6 o'clock.
  • Date window: check the cut edge and the font of the numeral.
  • Hands: dauphine or baton. Check the center cap and the hand length against the track.
  • Moon phase, if present: the disc runs on a 29.5-day cycle. Look for dot stars, not a flat photo print.

Water resistance

ISO 22810 sets the test and marking rules for water resistance ratings. Sellers claim 30 m to 50 m. Gaskets on replicas are unchecked, and pressure testing is not part of most seller QC. Do not swim with the watch.

Price bands

  • $250 to $320: Miyota 9015, sapphire, plain caseback print.
  • $320 to $450: decorated movement, better dial print, correct crown logo.
  • $450 to $650: clone caseback screws, matched dial color, polished bevels.

Checks before shipping

  1. Photo of the dial under daylight, no filter.
  2. Photo of the movement with the caseback removed.
  3. Timing reading on a timegrapher: rate within plus or minus 15 seconds a day.
  4. Case diameter and thickness with calipers.
  5. Lug width measured, stated in writing.
  6. Weight in grams. A light case points to a thin steel shell.

Red flags

  • Seller claims a Swiss ETA or a real JLC caliber at this price.
  • Stock catalog photos with no dated snapshot.
  • No return window in writing.
  • Pressure test claimed with no printout.

Bottom line

Expect a steel automatic watch with a copied dial, a 42-hour Japanese or Chinese movement, and no service history. Pay for the movement and the dial print, not for the name on the rotor.