Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and you know how sometimes you get these crazy ideas? Well, I got it into my head that I wanted to try and make a fake Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique. Yeah, I know, it sounds nuts, but I was curious to see if I could even come close. I mean, those watches are insane, right? All those tiny parts, the craftsmanship, it’s like a whole other world.
Finding the Parts
First off, I needed to figure out what parts I needed. This wasn’t like going to the store and buying Lego pieces. I spent hours online, looking at pictures, reading descriptions, anything I could find about the real watch. I ended up with a list of components as long as my arm. I mean we are talking about the mainplate, the bridges, the tourbillon cage, the balance wheel… it’s a lot.
Then came the fun part – actually finding these parts. This took forever. I was on every watch forum, every online marketplace, you name it. I even tried to contact some watchmakers, but most of them just ignored me. I guess they thought I was some kind of lunatic, which, fair enough.
Putting It Together
Eventually, after weeks of searching, I managed to get my hands on some parts that were somewhat similar to the ones used in the real JLC. They were not the same quality, obviously, but they were the best I could do.
- Started with the mainplate, the base of the whole thing.
- Attached the bridges, which hold the other parts in place.
- The tourbillon was the hardest part. I don’t know what I was thinking taking on the whole thing.
- Took a couple days to get the tourbillon assembly in place.
Putting it all together was a nightmare. I don’t have the proper tools or the skills, to be honest. I used tweezers, a magnifying glass, and a whole lot of patience. It took me days, and there were times when I thought I’d just throw the whole thing out the window. But I kept at it, and slowly but surely, the watch started to take shape.
The Result
In the end, did I have a working replica of a Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique? No way. Not even close. But did I have something that looked kind of like it from far away if you squinted your eyes? Maybe. I mean, it had a round case, a dial, hands, and even a sort of tourbillon-looking thing. It didn’t keep time, and if you looked at it too closely, you’d see all the flaws. The whole case was a platinum 42MM if I measured it right.
But you know what? I was proud of it. I had taken on this crazy project, and I had actually managed to make something. It wasn’t perfect, but it was mine. And I learned a lot in the process. It felt like a small win. So that’s my story, it is a bit rough but that’s it.
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