Okay, so, I got this thing I gotta share with you guys. It’s about me trying to make a copy of a really fancy watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Master Grande Tradition Gyrotourbillon 3. Yeah, that’s a mouthful, right?
Getting Started
First off, I spent a ton of time just staring at pictures of this watch online. I mean, this thing is insane! It’s got this crazy spinning thing called a “Gyrotourbillon” that looks like it’s straight out of a sci-fi movie. It’s also got a “perpetual calendar,” which is just a fancy way of saying it knows what day it is, even during leap years. And don’t even get me started on the “instantaneous digital display chronograph” – I still don’t fully understand what that is, but it looks awesome.
The Tricky Parts
Now, trying to copy all that? Forget about it. I’m no watchmaker, that’s for sure. But I figured I could at least get the look right. The hardest part was definitely that Gyrotourbillon. I spent hours messing around with these little metal bits and bobs, trying to get them to spin around like the real thing.
I tried to build the Gyrotourbillon using three different methods, but they were not stable. I decided to simplify the structure of the Gyrotourbillon to make it more solid. I watched a lot of videos about the Gyrotourbillon and finally got an idea of it.
- First try: I thought, maybe I could use some tiny gears and stuff. Nope. Way too complicated.
- Second try: I found this little motor from an old toy, thinking I could make it spin. That didn’t go so well either.
- Third try: I simplified the structure and used the biggest frame to contain the smaller two, and made them rotate. It looked similar to the original one.
The Movement
The real watch has this super complex “movement” inside called the “caliber 950.” It’s like a tiny engine that makes everything work. There’s no way I could recreate that. So, I just focused on making the outside look as close to the real thing as possible. I didn’t pay much attention to the inside part of the watch.
Putting It All Together
After a lot of trial and error, and a whole lot of glue, I finally had something that kinda resembled the Jaeger-LeCoultre watch. It didn’t actually tell time or anything, but it looked pretty cool on my wrist. I used the big frame to contain the smaller two and made them rotate. It looked similar to the real one. It was a success!
Lessons Learned
So, what did I learn from all this? Well, for one thing, those Swiss watchmakers are seriously talented. Making a watch like this is way harder than it looks. But more importantly, I learned that it’s okay to try something new, even if you’re not sure you can do it. You might surprise yourself with what you can accomplish. Plus, it’s a whole lot of fun. I really enjoy making things by myself!
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was definitely a challenge, but I’m pretty proud of how it turned out. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll even try to make it actually tell time!
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