Alright, today I’m going to share my experience with trying to imitate a Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar, the classic style. You know, JLC watches are pretty awesome, but also super pricey. I’ve always loved their design, especially the Master Control collection, which reminds me of the cool watches from the 1950s. They launched this collection back in 1992, and it’s like a tribute to their history in watchmaking. And yeah, limited edition ones are even more expensive because they’re rare.
So, I started looking around. Man, these watches can cost anywhere from $5 to over $16,000! I found a bunch of listings for the Master Ultra Thin Perpetual at around $15,811. There were tons of them on some websites, with all sorts of deals. It was tempting, but still way out of my budget.
Diving into the Specs
I dug deeper into the details. The watch I liked had a 39mm stainless steel case and was super thin, only 7.8mm thick. It had this elegant silvered grey dial and used a calibre 899/1 automatic movement. This movement is pretty neat, showing the date, hour, minute, and seconds, and it runs for about 38 hours without needing to be wound. Another one I looked at had a JLC 868 Automatic movement with 46 jewels and 336 parts. It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour and also lasts for about 38 hours. Plus, it’s got scratch-resistant glass, which is a must-have.
I was getting more and more into it, especially because the Master Ultra Thin Date model just screams precision and elegance. But I had to be realistic. Buying an original was just not gonna happen.
The Imitation Game
This is where my imitation project started. I figured, why not try to make something that looks like it? I began by gathering materials that could mimic the look. I found some cheap stainless steel cases online, and I managed to get a dial that looked similar to the silvered grey one. For the movement, I had to settle for a much simpler, cheaper quartz movement. It wouldn’t have all the fancy features, but at least it would tell the time.
Putting it all together was a challenge. I had to resize the case a bit to make it thinner and more like the 7.8mm of the original. I used some basic tools I had at home, nothing too fancy. The dial was easier to handle, but getting the hands to fit right on the quartz movement took some fiddling. I even tried to add some fake jewels to make it look more authentic, though anyone who knows watches would spot the difference immediately.
The Final Product
After a lot of trial and error, I finally had something that resembled the JLC Master Ultra Thin Perpetual Calendar. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot, but it had the look I was going for. It was thin, had a similar dial, and the hands moved smoothly. Of course, it didn’t have the prestige or the craftsmanship of a real JLC, but it was a fun project.
- Cost: Way less than $5, let alone $15,000.
- Look: Pretty close from a distance, but definitely not the same up close.
- Movement: Basic quartz, nothing like the intricate JLC calibres.
- Satisfaction: High, because I made it myself and learned a lot in the process.
In the end, this project was more about the journey than the destination. I got to appreciate the design and complexity of these luxury watches without breaking the bank. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to get the real thing. Until then, I’m pretty happy with my little imitation.
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