Okay, so, today I messed around with something pretty cool – trying to copy a fancy watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique. You know, those super expensive, complex watches that are like art pieces for your wrist? Yeah, that’s the one.
I started my day by diving deep into what makes this watch so special. I found out it’s a “rose gold tourbillon and perpetual calendar wristwatch.” Sounds fancy, right? It’s made by Jaeger-LeCoultre, a big name in the Swiss watch world. They call this model “Master Grande Tradition” and this particular one has a reference number Q1662510, also refer to 1662510 sometimes. I guess that’s how watch people keep track of all these different models. And this thing is not just a watch. I mean, it’s got a tourbillon – which is some crazy mechanism that’s supposed to make the watch super accurate. And it’s also a perpetual calendar, so it knows the date, even in leap years.
First, I just stared at a bunch of pictures of the watch online. I looked at it from every angle, trying to get a feel for its shape, the way the light hits the rose gold case, and how the brown alligator leather strap looks. You could tell even from photos that this was high-quality stuff.
- I spent a good hour just zooming in on the dial. The details are insane! There are all these tiny little numbers and markings.
- Next, I started sketching. I’m no artist, but I tried to draw the basic shape of the watch case and the layout of the dial.
- Then came the hard part – trying to figure out how the tourbillon works. I watched a bunch of videos online.
Getting Down to Business
I grabbed some clay to start making the shape of the watch. After I got a basic shape that I liked, I wanted to put some details on it. I printed out a picture of the watch face and tried to carve the details into the clay.
I tried to make the strap out of some old leather. Let me tell you, cutting and stitching leather is tough! It didn’t look anywhere near as nice as the real alligator strap, but I could see what I’m doing.
And of course, I didn’t even try to make the actual watch movement. That’s way beyond my skills. I just focused on the look of the thing.
In the end, did I create a perfect replica of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Tourbillon Cylindrique? No way! But did I learn a lot about this amazing watch and have a fun time trying to recreate its beauty? Absolutely!
This whole experience gave me a whole new appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into these luxury watches. It’s not just about telling time, it’s about creating a miniature work of art. And maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll be able to afford the real deal. Until then, I’ll keep practicing with my clay and leather!
Click to consult