Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with watches lately, specifically trying to make a cheaper version of a fancy Jaeger-LeCoultre watch, the Duomètre Sphérotourbillon. It’s a mouthful, I know. I’m not a watchmaker or anything, just a guy who likes to tinker.
First off, I started by looking at a bunch of pictures and videos of the real deal online. Man, that thing is pretty. The way it’s put together, all those tiny little parts, it’s nuts. I just wanted to see if I could copy the look, the vibe of it, on a budget.
Next, I started hunting for parts. I hit up some online stores that sell watch parts – cases, dials, hands, you name it. Found a few that looked kinda like the parts in the JLC. Nothing fancy, just basic stuff that had a similar shape or design.
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Found a basic round case, stainless steel. Not too shiny, not too dull.
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Got a dial that was plain, but had those little markers like the JLC. Not the same, but close enough for me.
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Picked up some hands that were simple, but kinda elegant. Not as fancy as the real watch, but they did the job.
Then came the hard part – putting it all together. I’m not gonna lie, it was a pain. Those little screws, man, they’re tiny! I dropped them more times than I could count. And getting the hands on just right? Forget about it. Took me forever.
I also tried to do something about that cool “tourbillon” thing the JLC has. It’s like a spinning cage that holds the time-keeping parts. I found some cheap knock-off parts online that were supposed to look like a tourbillon. It doesn’t move like the real one, but it looks kinda similar. I glued that sucker onto the dial.
After hours of fiddling and cursing, I finally got it all assembled. It’s not perfect, not even close. But, you know what? It kinda looks like that expensive JLC watch. From far away, at least. And if you squint a little.
The Final Result
It’s definitely not gonna fool anyone who knows anything about watches. But for me, it was a fun little project. It’s like making a model car or something. You know it’s not the real thing, but you built it yourself, and that’s kinda cool.
I wear it sometimes, just for kicks. It tells the time, more or less. And it reminds me that sometimes, it’s fun to try to make something, even if it’s not perfect. It is a little bit rough, but overall, I am happy with the final result.