Okay, so, I’ve been eyeing this Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon for a while now. You know, the one that costs more than a car? Yeah, that’s the one. I mean, 21 grand? Come on! But I really dig the design, and that whole “Sphérotourbillon” thing just sounds cool. I’m no watchmaker, but I like a good challenge, you know?
First off, I started to do some digging. Found a few articles about this watch. Apparently, it’s a big deal in the watch world. Some guy named Jerome Lambert, CEO of JLC, was talking it up back in 2012. Seems like it was their “big novelty” that year.
The Plan
So, I figured, why not try to make my own? Not the real deal, obviously, but something that looks like it. I’m calling it an “imitation” because let’s be real, I’m not crafting a masterpiece here. More like a fun project. I started gathering materials, whatever I could find around the house and some cheap stuff I ordered online. You know, some parts like a used watch, some wires, glue, the usual.
The Process
I began by taking apart the old watch. It’s trickier than it looks, those tiny screws are a real pain. Then I started sketching out the design of the Duomètre, trying to copy that double-wing layout. It took a few tries, but I got something I was happy with.
- Disassemble: Took apart an old watch. Tiny screws everywhere!
- Design: Sketched out the Duomètre’s double-wing thing.
- Assemble: Put it all together with bits and bobs.
- Test: See if this thing even remotely resembles the real one.
Next, I started to put together. It was a lot of trial and error, gluing things here, soldering some wires there. I had to be careful, didn’t want to mess up the whole thing. I won’t bore you with all the details, but let me tell you, it was a lot of work. But, after many hours and a few failed attempts, I finally had something that resembled the JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon.
The Result
Now, I’m not saying it’s perfect. It doesn’t have a real tourbillon, obviously. But it looks pretty decent, if I may say so myself. I even managed to get the two “wings” on the dial somewhat right. It’s not going to fool any watch expert, but it’s good enough for me. It’s more about the process, the challenge, and the fun of making something myself, right?
All the watches from the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre 2024 collection are now available, but I’m happy with my imitation for now. It sits on my desk, a reminder of this little project. And hey, I saved myself over 20,000 bucks! So, yeah, that’s my story of imitating the Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon. It was a fun ride, and who knows, maybe I’ll try another watch next. Stay tuned!
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