Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and I gotta say, this latest project was a real doozy. I decided to try my hand at making a knockoff of the Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon. Yeah, I know, it’s a mouthful. But trust me, it’s a beautiful piece of machinery, and I wanted to see if I could get close to the real thing.
First off, I spent hours just staring at pictures and videos of the original. Trying to get a feel for every little detail, you know? The way the light hits the case, the intricate workings of the tourbillon, everything. Jaeger-LeCoultre, they’re like the masters of making fancy watches. They’ve made over 1,200 different movements and have 400 patents! This thing is a complicated beast, so I knew I was in for a challenge.
Then came the fun part – sourcing the parts. Now, I wasn’t about to go out and buy genuine Jaeger-LeCoultre parts, obviously. That would defeat the whole purpose (and my wallet wouldn’t be too happy either). So, I had to get creative. I hit up all the usual spots, online forums, you know the usual places.
- Scoured online marketplaces for similar-looking parts.
- Ordered a bunch of different movements to see which one could be modified to fit the bill.
- Even 3D-printed a few custom pieces to get the look just right. It was like putting together a giant, complicated puzzle.
After weeks of tinkering, I finally started to see something that resembled the original. I managed to get the dual-wing concept working, which was a huge win. That’s the thing that lets the tourbillon and the timekeeping functions work independently. It’s pretty slick. I even got a little tourbillon cage spinning in there, though it’s nowhere near as smooth as the real deal. Getting the spherical tourbillon to work was the hardest part. But hey, it spins, and that’s something, right?
Putting it all together was nerve-wracking. One wrong move and the whole thing could fall apart. I was sweating bullets, let me tell you. But slowly and surely, it all came together. I even managed to find a decent strap that kinda matched the original’s vibe.
The Result
So, how did it turn out? Well, it’s not perfect, not by a long shot. But it’s definitely recognizable as a Duomètre Sphérotourbillon. It’s got that same hefty feel, the same general layout, and the tourbillon is definitely the star of the show. Of course, if you put it next to a real one, you’d see the differences in a heartbeat. The finishing isn’t as refined, the movement isn’t as smooth, and the materials are obviously not the same high-end stuff. Most of the Jaeger-LeCoultre are dress watches, but this one is more like a sports watch.
But hey, I made it myself, and that’s what counts. It was a hell of a learning experience, and I’m pretty proud of how it turned out. Would I wear it out? Maybe to a watch meet-up, just to see people’s reactions. But mostly, it’s going to sit in my display case, a reminder of the time I tried to copy a masterpiece. I learned that this brand is really good at making dress watches. It has a rose gold case that just looks… wow.
Next up I want to get a real JLC watch, I think that I will have fun with it!
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