Today, I want to talk about my little project of imitating a Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Master Ultra Thin Date. You know, the classic style. I’ve always admired these watches, but they are way too expensive for me. So, I decided to get my hands dirty and see if I could create something similar.
First off, I started by looking up everything I could find about this watch. I found out that the original model has been around for about five years. This specific watch is called the Master Ultra Thin Date, and it’s a real beauty. It’s super thin, only 7.8mm, which is crazy for an automatic watch! The case is 39mm in diameter, made of steel, and it looks so elegant. I was particularly interested in the automatic Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 899 movement. The functions are simple: hours, minutes, and seconds, just what I like.
I looked at some replicas, like the ZF and VF V2 versions of the JLC Master Ultra Thin Moon. They seemed pretty good, but I wanted to make this thing myself.
- Case: Finding a 39mm case that was also super thin was a bit of a challenge. I didn’t want to spend a fortune, so I looked for used watches and parts online. I finally found a case that was close enough, although it wasn’t exactly 7.8mm thin.
- Movement: I knew I couldn’t get my hands on a real Calibre 899, so I opted for a decent automatic movement that I found online. It wasn’t a Jaeger-LeCoultre, but it did the job.
- Dial: This was the fun part. I wanted to recreate the classic look of the Master Ultra Thin Date, so I spent hours looking at pictures and trying to find a dial that matched. I ended up modifying an existing dial to get it as close as possible to the original.
- Hands: Getting the right hands was also tricky. I wanted them to be elegant and match the overall style of the watch. After some searching, I found a set that looked pretty good.
Putting it all together was a real test of patience. I had to be very careful not to damage any of the parts, especially the movement. I watched a bunch of videos online and read some guides on watch assembly. It took me a few tries, but I finally managed to assemble the whole thing.
Result
The final product isn’t perfect, of course. It’s not a real Jaeger-LeCoultre, and it doesn’t have all the fancy features of the original. But, it looks pretty darn close, and I’m really proud of what I accomplished. It’s got that classic, elegant look that I love, and it’s thin enough to feel like a luxury watch. Plus, I learned a lot about watches in the process, which was a nice bonus.
I know some people might say it’s not worth the effort, or that I should just save up for the real thing. But for me, this was a fun project that allowed me to get a taste of the luxury watch world without breaking the bank. And honestly, I think a man who appreciates a well-crafted watch, even if it’s a homemade imitation, definitely values quality and craftsmanship.
So, that’s my story about imitating a Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Master Ultra Thin Date. It was a fun and challenging project, and I’m happy with the result. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, I say go for it! Just be prepared to spend some time and effort, and don’t expect perfection. But hey, where’s the fun in that anyway?