Alright, folks, gather ’round, let me tell you about my little project here. So, I got this thing for fancy watches, right? And the Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon has always been one of those “wow” pieces for me. But let’s be real, the price tag is, uh, a bit much. So, I thought, why not try my hand at making an imitation? A little DIY project, you know?
First off, I started digging around for information. What makes this watch tick, literally? Turns out, it’s all about this “Dual-Wing” concept. Fancy name, but it’s a pretty neat idea. Basically, you got two separate mechanisms in there, but they share one regulating organ. Like two engines sharing a steering wheel, kinda. This is supposed to make the watch super accurate, which is, you know, important for a watch.
Then I found out about this Heliotourbillon thing they added in September 2024. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? It’s part of their Duomètre Perpetual Calendar. The original Duomètre mechanism, which they patented back in 2007, already had two barrels and two gear trains, one for keeping time and one for the extra fancy stuff, all linked to a single escapement. I guess they weren’t satisfied, so they just made it more complicated and it turned out to be pretty cool.
So, with all this in mind, I started gathering materials. Now, I’m no watchmaker, so I wasn’t about to make actual watch parts. More like, finding things that look the part. Lots of online searching, let me tell you. This wasn’t just about making something that looked like the original from afar, but up close as well. A real test of patience, this was.
- Finding the Right Case: This was tough. The Duomètre has a distinct look, and just any old watch case wouldn’t do. After a lot of looking, I found a decent one that had a similar vibe. Not perfect, but good enough for my purposes.
- The Face: This was the hardest part. Printing out a picture of the dial was easy enough, but making it look authentic? That took some doing. Layering, different types of paper, even a bit of aging with some tea – yeah, I went there.
- The “Guts”: Obviously, I wasn’t putting a real Dual-Wing movement in there. But I did find some old watch parts and gears that I arranged to look somewhat like the real deal. It’s all about the illusion, right?
Putting it all together was, well, let’s just say there was a lot of trial and error. Glue, tiny screws, a lot of swearing… you get the picture. But in the end, I had something that, at least to my eye, looked pretty darn close to the Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon. No, it doesn’t tell time, and it certainly doesn’t have a fancy tourbillon, but it’s a nice little display piece. And hey, I made it myself, so that’s something, right?
I heard that the LeCoultre trademark expired in 1985 and was replaced by the Jaeger-LeCoultre trademark. The brand history is long. I also found that certain Jaeger-LeCoultre collections, like the Reverso and Master series, are pretty popular and expensive because of their unique features and classic designs. My imitation is far from these famous watches. It’s just a fun project for me.
So, that’s my story. A bit of an adventure in the world of fancy watches, without the fancy price tag. It was a fun little project, and I learned a lot along the way. Maybe I’ll tackle another watch someday. Who knows?
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