Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon watch lately. It’s pretty wild, and I wanted to try to make a classic style one by myself.
First, I went to check out what’s out there already. I found that the Duomtre Chronograph Moon is pretty modern. I’m going for more of a classic vibe, but it gave me some ideas.
Then I looked up some movements. The calibre 853 in the Reverso Tribute Duoface Calendar seemed super fancy and totally in the spirit of what Jaeger-LeCoultre is all about. I don’t know if I can do something that complicated, but it’s cool to learn about it.
After that, I started browsing for parts. I found some listings for pre-owned Duometre watches. Some were going for over $29,000! Way out of my budget, but it’s interesting to see what people are willing to pay for these.
Getting Started
I decided to start simple. I found some old watch parts in a box in my garage. They’re probably not Jaeger-LeCoultre quality, but they’ll do for practice.
- First thing: Take apart an old watch. I used a cheap one I didn’t care about ruining. I just took it apart piece by piece, trying to be careful.
- Next up: Clean all the parts. I used some soapy water and an old toothbrush. They were pretty grimy, so this took a while.
- Then: Try to put it back together. This was way harder than taking it apart! I had to use some tiny screwdrivers and tweezers. Some parts were so small I could barely see them.
Roadblocks
I definitely hit some bumps along the way. The first watch I tried to put back together? Total failure. I couldn’t get the hands to move properly. I think I messed up the mainspring or something.
I tried again with another old watch. This time it went a little better, but it still wasn’t perfect. The watch would run for a few minutes, then stop. Frustrating!
Small Victories
But I didn’t give up! I kept practicing, taking apart and putting back together different watches. I even watched some videos online, which helped a bit.
Finally, I managed to get one watch working মোটামুটি reliably. It’s not perfect, but it keeps time for the most part. I’m pretty proud of that, considering I’m just a regular dude with no real watchmaking experience.
This whole thing has been a fun learning experience. I definitely have a new appreciation for the skill and precision that goes into making a real Jaeger-LeCoultre watch. Maybe someday I’ll be able to create something that’s actually close to the quality of a Duomètre Sphérotourbillon, but for now, I’m happy with my little Frankenstein watch.
It is far from success, I have just simply learned some basic knowledge of watchmaking, I will keep learning and practicing about this. Hopefully, one day I can make my own classic-style watch.
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