Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with this Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre Sphérotourbillon, trying to get an imitation piece looking just right. It’s been a bit of a journey, let me tell you.
First off, I started by digging into everything I could find about the original. I spent hours looking at pictures online. You know, the usual stuff, product pages, some reviews. I wasn’t going into this blind, no way.
Then, I got my hands on the imitation. It was decent, but not quite there. The devil’s in the details, right? The real Duomètre Sphérotourbillon has this crazy multi-axis tourbillon, and the replica, well, it was trying, but it wasn’t quite the same.
- The first thing I tackled was the dial. The original has this grainy texture, really fine, and the imitation was a bit off. So, I experimented with some different finishes, trying to get that same look. It took a few tries, but I think I nailed it.
- Next up, the case. The size was okay at 42mm, but the material wasn’t quite right. The original is platinum, and this one, well, it was some kind of alloy. I researched platinum-like finishes, and after a few attempts, I managed to get it closer to the real deal.
- Then there was the movement. Now, I’m no watchmaker, but I know the basics. The original has this “Dual-Wing” concept, which is pretty unique. My imitation had a standard movement, nothing special. I looked into swapping it out, but that was way beyond my skills. So, I focused on the visible parts.
- I studied the finishing of the original movement, all that non-treated nickel silver. I tried to replicate that look on the visible parts of the imitation’s movement. It’s not perfect, but it’s a heck of a lot better than it was.
After many hours of doing this and that, I finally got the imitation looking pretty darn close to the original. It’s not 100%, but for a fraction of the price, I’m happy with it.
The End Result
It has been a fun little project. It’s not just about having a watch that looks like the real thing. It’s about the process, the learning, and the satisfaction of making something with your own hands. Would I do it again? Probably. There’s always another watch to tinker with, you know?
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