Alright, so, I’ve been messing around with watches lately, and let me tell you, it’s been a journey. Today, I’m diving into my latest adventure: trying to replicate the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar, specifically the ones you’d find at specialty stores.
First off, I started by looking around for where to get this watch. I mean, it’s a classic, right? I’d heard somewhere that the JLC Master Ultra Thin Moon was supposed to be pretty good, and some other options of that watch are also NWBIG. I bumped into some articles, one dated October 14, 2023, talking about the JLC Master Ultra Thin Moon. And then, there’s this Rose Gold review from October 2, 2020, that got me thinking. There’s even something about a “JLC ultra-thin perpetual” from October 28th. I spent a few hours watching videos and reading about the different models.
Then, I dug a little deeper and found this tidbit about how in some movie, the main character had a Master Ultra Thin Perpetual that he carefully selected from his big collection! The article mentioned that it was the most painful thing to watch what happened to his watch in the movie. I started to find out what makes this watch so special.
Next, I found some details about the Master Ultra Thin Date. They say it’s a “true classic” for Jaeger-LeCoultre. And apparently, they released a new dial color, which is a big deal for such an iconic piece. I kept reading and found out that there’s a blue-grey dial version that’s available everywhere now.
I also learned a bit about the guts of the watch. It’s got this super-thin self-winding movement, the JL caliber 868. It’s only 4.72 mm thick! They say it has a 38-hour power reserve and is made up of 336 parts and 46 jewels. Pretty intricate stuff, and it’s all made in-house by Jaeger-LeCoultre.
After all that, I felt like I had a good grasp of what this watch was all about. So, I decided to try and find the parts to put together something similar myself. I started looking for the right case, a good movement (maybe not as fancy as the 868, but something that could work), and of course, that signature dial. I found a few places online that sold parts, and I ordered a bunch of stuff, hoping it would all fit together.
When the parts arrived, it was like Christmas morning. I laid everything out and started assembling. It took a few tries, some tinkering, and a lot of patience, but I finally got something that looked pretty close to the real deal. It wasn’t perfect, mind you, but it had the same vibe, that sleek and elegant look.
The Result
In the end, I managed to put together a watch that I’m pretty proud of. It’s got the classic look of the Master Ultra Thin, and while it’s not a genuine Jaeger-LeCoultre, it’s a decent imitation. Plus, I learned a ton about watchmaking in the process, which is always a win. Of course, it didn’t have that 4.72 mm thick movement or all those fancy jewels, but hey, it tells the time, and it looks good on my wrist.
So, that’s my story of trying to replicate a Jaeger-LeCoultre masterpiece. It was a fun project, and I’m already thinking about what watch I want to tackle next. Maybe I’ll try something even more complicated. Who knows?
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