Alright, so I’ve been messing around with this watch thing, trying to make a copy of a fancy Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon. It’s a real mouthful, I know. The whole thing’s been quite the adventure, let me tell you.
First off, I started by, you know, just looking at the real deal. This Duomètre Sphérotourbillon thing, with its “Dual-Wing” setup, is nuts. It’s like, super complicated. I’m no watch expert, but I figured, why not give it a shot? So I went on Chrono24, yeah, that online watch place, and bought this watch which the seller told me was real. Someone also told me some sellers on Chrono24 were selling fake ones. Mine came with a paper, which looked legit, but no box. I thought that was a bit odd, but I pushed on.
I spent days just staring at this watch. Trying to figure out how it all worked. I mean, there are so many little parts! I started taking it apart, bit by bit. Not going to lie, I almost broke it a couple of times. There was this one tiny screw that just wouldn’t budge. I was sweating bullets, man. It took some gentle persuasion with some special mini tools that I ordered.
- Sourcing the Parts: This was a pain. I was all over the internet, trying to find bits and pieces that looked like the real thing. I found some hands that looked almost right and a face that was kinda close. I had to use parts from other watches, modify them, mix and match. It was like putting together a really weird puzzle. But to be honest, I was still worried if this was the real thing from the seller or not.
- The Movement: Forget about it! I’m not even going to pretend I tried to copy that. I just found a basic movement that kinda fit and made it work. I’m still not sure about the original one.
- Putting it all Together: This was probably the most frustrating part. I felt like I needed, like, ten hands. I scratched the case a few times, and don’t even get me started on the crystal. Let’s just say it’s not exactly scratch-free anymore.
After weeks of fiddling around, I finally got something that looked somewhat like the real thing. It was ticking, which I guess is a good sign. But I am still worried if the one I bought was real or fake. Guy on Chrono24 wanted 30 for it.
The End Result
Honestly, it’s not perfect. Far from it. The finishing is rough, the details aren’t quite right, and I’m pretty sure the real one doesn’t make that weird clicking noise. But hey, I made it myself, right? It’s my own little Frankenstein’s monster of a watch. I learned a lot, mostly about how hard it is to make a watch, especially one as complicated as that Jaeger-LeCoultre. Would I do it again? Probably not. But it was a fun ride while it lasted. I’m still not 100% sure the one I bought is real or not. Maybe I should just bring it to a watch shop? Well, that’s my story. Hope you enjoyed my little watchmaking misadventure. I need some pointers on how to spot a fake Jaeger-LeCoultre to be honest.
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