Short answer
The replica Reverso Tribute Small Seconds copies a real Jaeger-LeCoultre: a rectangular swivel case of roughly 45.6 mm by 27.4 mm with a running seconds subdial at 6 o'clock. The "1931" in the name points to the year the original Reverso was designed for polo players, not to a model line of its own. A replica gives you the silhouette, the dial layout and the flip action for a small fraction of the genuine price. The two places where cheap copies and better copies split apart are the swivel cradle and the dial printing.
What "1931" and "Small Seconds" actually mean
Jaeger-LeCoultre built the first Reverso in 1931 so polo players could flip the case over and protect the crystal during a match. The Tribute family leans on those early proportions: slim bezel, long rectangular case, short lugs, no crown guards. "Small Seconds" is simply the seconds hand living on its own subdial instead of the center of the dial. On the Tribute Small Seconds that subdial sits at 6 o'clock inside a fine track, which is why the dial feels balanced rather than empty.
Keep that history in mind when you shop. A replica seller describing a watch as "1931 tribute" is selling you a look, not an heirloom. The naming is borrowed from the original, and that is worth knowing before you compare two listings that use it very differently.
Case and the swivel
The genuine steel version measures about 45.6 mm long, 27.4 mm wide and 8.5 mm thick, with a strap width near 20 mm and water resistance rated to 30 m. The rectangular shape wears bigger than the numbers suggest because it is tall on the wrist and its corners are squared off.
The cradle is where replicas live or die. On a good one the case slides on its rails with even tension, clicks into place without grinding, and flips all the way around with no wobble at the pivot. On a bad one you feel grit, the case rocks slightly when locked, or the back plate sits a hair off center. Run the flip a few times on any watch you can handle. If it feels loose on day one, it will feel worse in a year.
Dial, indices and hands
Tribute Small Seconds dials come in sunray-brushed blue, burgundy, green, silver and black, with applied baton indices and dauphine hands. Check these details on a replica:
- Print sharpness. "REVERSO" and the brand text should be crisp and centered, not fuzzy or doubled.
- Subdial track. The seconds ring should be a clean circle, evenly spaced from the center.
- Hand shape. Cheap dauphine hands are too thick and lose the faceted edge that catches light.
- Dial color. Inexpensive blue dials drift purple under warm indoor light.
- Index alignment. Look down the dial from the 12 position and check that the batons sit square to the case.
Movement inside a replica
The genuine runs Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 822, a hand-wound movement beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour with about 45 hours of reserve. Replicas usually use a Chinese hand-wound or a Seagull derivative, and occasionally a thin automatic that hides behind a closed back. Since many Tribute Small Seconds cases ship with a solid back, movement finishing rarely shows in daily wear. What you will notice is winding feel and timekeeping. Ask the seller which movement is fitted and whether it is hand-wound or automatic, then set expectations accordingly.
Straps and sizing
Factory straps on replicas are the weakest link. They tend to be stiff, thin at the lugs and prone to cracking at the fold. Budget for a replacement in alligator-grain leather once the watch arrives, and confirm the lug width before you order. A proper strap changes how the watch sits far more than any movement upgrade.
Before you buy
- Confirm the case dimensions match the 45.6 by 27.4 mm reference.
- Ask for a video of the swivel in motion, not just still photos.
- Request a close-up of the dial text and the subdial.
- Ask which movement is inside and whether it is serviceable.
- Check the lug width so you can source a strap later.
- Look for a return window you can actually use.
Bottom line
A fake Reverso Tribute Small Seconds 1931 can deliver the dress-watch proportions and the flip that make the design interesting. Spend your attention on the cradle, the dial print and the strap, because that is where the difference between a watch you keep and one you resell shows up.