OK, so I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and I’ve always had a thing for Jaeger-LeCoultre. You know, they’re like, super classy and all that. I especially dig their Master Control line, it’s just so clean and timeless. Anyway, I recently decided to try and, uh, “imitate” one of their models, the Master Control Chronograph, just to see if I could pull it off. It’s a good model of the line up. I thought it would be a fun little project, plus a good way to learn more about how these things tick, literally.
First thing I did was dive deep into researching JLC. I mean, I already knew they were a big deal, but I wanted to know everything. I spent hours reading articles, watching videos, the whole nine yards. Found out they’re famous for their Reverso, which is cool, but I was more interested in the Master Control stuff. I also learned about their older models, which is important, I guess, if you’re trying to fake one. Oh, and I found out that their first automatic movement, the Calibre 476, came out in 1946, 20 years after the first automatic wristwatch. So it’s not a quartz.
Then came the part where I had to decide which Master Control Chronograph I was gonna try to copy. Turns out there are a few different versions. After comparing them all, I settled on one with two pushers on the case, because why not make it harder on myself, right? I also noticed some have different colored straps, like blue and brown, but that’s not really important for what I was doing.
Next, I had to find some, shall we say, “reference materials.” I browsed some forums like, you know the names if you are familiar with watch, and online marketplaces. I wasn’t planning on buying a real one, obviously, but I needed to see as many detailed pictures as possible. I even found a few sellers who were offering, ahem, “high-quality replicas.” Those were actually super helpful because they often had really good photos from every angle. Then I learned about how to check if it’s a fake one or not. They say that the only way is to ask a trusted jeweler who specializes in watches. Pretty useful.
After I felt like I had a good grasp on the design, I started gathering the parts I needed. This was probably the trickiest part. I had to find a movement that was similar enough to the real JLC movement, at least in terms of how it looked. I ended up getting a used movement from an old watch I found at a flea market. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for my purposes.
The case was another challenge. I couldn’t find one that was an exact match, so I had to modify one I found online. That involved a lot of filing and polishing, let me tell you. My hands were sore for days. The dial was also tricky. I ended up printing one out on some high-quality paper and then carefully aging it to make it look older. It’s not perfect, but it looks pretty convincing from a distance.
Putting it all together was a real pain in the neck. It took me like, a whole weekend, and I almost gave up a few times. But eventually, I managed to get it all assembled and working. And you know what? It actually looked pretty good! I mean, it’s definitely not going to fool any experts, but for a homemade imitation, I was pretty proud of it. I learned that there are two quick set pushers to adjust the month on the side of the case from some guys on the forums.
So, yeah, that’s my story of how I “imitated” a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph. It was a fun, but super challenging project. I’m not planning on doing it again anytime soon, but I definitely learned a lot about watches, and about my own patience, or lack thereof.