Alright, so, I’ve been messing around with watches lately, and today I wanna talk about this Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph I tried to imitate. It all started when I was watching a movie and saw this slick JLC Master Reserve de Marche, and I thought, “Hey, I wanna try making something like that.”
First, I spent some time researching Jaeger-LeCoultre and their Master Control series, especially the Chronograph model. I didn’t have a real JLC movement lying around, but I remembered this old mechanical watch movement my grandpa gave me a while back. I figured that could be a good starting point.
Next, I started thinking about the dial. I recalled the one in the movie, then I began to do research online, and I found a lot of variations, but I decided to keep it classic. And I sketched out a rough design, just to get a feel for the layout.
Then came the case. I found this old 40mm stainless steel case that was just collecting dust. It wasn’t in perfect shape, but it was good enough for my little project. I also stumbled upon a steel bracelet with a deployant clasp. I thought it would look cool, so I snagged it. And for an alternative look, I got my hands on a blue leather strap with a double folding buckle. I saw something similar on the JLC website for a reference called Q413813J or something, and it gave me some inspiration.
Putting it all together was a bit of a challenge, to be honest. I carefully cleaned the movement, trying not to break anything in the process. Then, I worked on fitting the dial and hands. I tried to line everything up as neatly as possible, but it wasn’t perfect. I assembled the case with the movement and dial inside, and attached the bracelet. Swapped it out for the leather strap a few times, just to see how it looked.
The whole thing took me a few days, working on it here and there. It wasn’t as refined as a real Jaeger-LeCoultre, obviously. I mean, those guys are known for their Reverso models and really detailed Master Control features. But, for a fun little project, I think it turned out alright. It’s a bit rough around the edges, and the timekeeping isn’t exactly precise, but I learned a lot along the way.
I even started looking into those online stores that sell imitation watches, just to see what’s out there. I saw a bunch of fake JLC Master Control Chronographs, and it got me thinking about the whole replica watch scene. I was reading about them around 2024-12-29.
Anyway, that’s my little adventure in trying to imitate a Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph. It’s not something I’d wear out to impress anyone, but it was a fun way to spend some time and learn a bit more about watches.
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