So, I got really into watches a while back, and one brand that caught my eye was Jaeger-LeCoultre, or JLC as the cool kids call it. They make some seriously neat timepieces, but the one I got hooked on was the Duomètre Sphérotourbillon. The real deal is way out of my league, price-wise, so I thought, “Why not try making a decent imitation?”
First off, I spent hours just staring at pictures and videos of the real thing online. I mean, this watch is a beast. It’s got this crazy tourbillon that spins in all directions. I tried to get a good look at the movement, the dial, the case – everything. I needed to at least know what I was up against before I even started.
Next, I started gathering parts. It is not easy, let me tell you. Finding parts that even remotely resemble the ones used in the JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon is a tall order. I spent days browsing online stores, comparing parts, and trying to figure out what could work. I ended up ordering a bunch of stuff, hoping that at least some of it would be usable. This part felt like a real gamble, to be honest.
- First batch of parts arrived – mostly wrong, but a few were promising.
- Ordered more parts, this time being more specific.
- Hit a wall with the tourbillon cage – nothing seemed to fit right.
Assembling the watch was another story. I started with the movement, which was a huge pain. Getting all those tiny gears and springs to work together is no joke. I messed up so many times, had to take it apart, and start over. My fingers were sore, and my eyes were strained, but I kept at it. I was determined to make this thing work, even if it killed me.
The Toughest Part
The tourbillon was the biggest challenge, obviously. The real JLC has this multi-axis thing going on, and I had zero chance of replicating that. But I managed to put together a simpler tourbillon that at least looked the part. It didn’t have the same crazy motion, but it spun, and that was good enough for me. I had to settle for “inspired by” rather than a true copy here.
Then came the dial. I found a basic dial that was kind of similar to the JLC, but I had to modify it quite a bit. I added some details, painted some parts, and tried to make it look as close to the original as possible. It was tedious work, but seeing the dial take shape was super satisfying. It felt like I was actually making progress, you know?
Finally, I put everything into a case that I thought looked decent. It wasn’t a perfect match for the JLC case, but it was close enough. I polished it up, made sure everything fit snugly, and there it was – my imitation Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot, but it was mine. And honestly, it looked pretty darn good for something I made in my spare time. I learned so much about watches, about patience, and about my own limits during this whole process. It is kind of crazy, but I think I did ok for a first attempt.
I even wore it out a couple of times, just to see if anyone would notice. Nobody did, of course, but I felt a little thrill every time I looked at my wrist. It’s like I had a little secret, a little piece of watchmaking magic that I made myself. Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a ton of work, but the feeling of accomplishment is pretty addictive. For now, though, I’m just enjoying my little creation.
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