Okay, so, today I want to talk about something I’ve been messing around with lately – a replica of the Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Reverso Tribute Monoface. Yeah, I know, it’s a mouthful, but trust me, it’s a pretty interesting project. I mean, I have wanted a JLC Reverso for a long time, but I don’t have that much money, so I’m trying to imitate one myself.
First off, I started by doing a bunch of research. This watch is a classic, you know? It’s got that whole Art Deco vibe and a really cool history. I read that it was made back in 1931 for polo players. They needed a watch that wouldn’t break during their matches, so Jaeger-LeCoultre came up with this design where the watch face could flip over to protect the glass. Pretty neat, right?
After getting a feel for the original, I began hunting for parts. I found this stainless steel case that’s a pretty good match for the Reverso’s. It wasn’t easy, though. Most of the stuff I found online was either way too expensive or just looked cheap. But I finally got lucky with this one – it’s got that nice, polished look without being too flashy.
Then came the movement. Now, the real Reverso uses this fancy hand-wound movement called Caliber 822. It’s super slim and runs at 21,600 vibrations per hour. I obviously couldn’t get my hands on that, so I settled for a decent automatic movement I found online. It’s not the same, but it does the job, and it’s hidden inside the case anyway.
Assembling everything was a bit of a challenge. I had to be really careful with the small parts, especially when fitting the movement into the case. There were a couple of moments where I thought I’d messed the whole thing up, but I took it slow, watched a bunch of tutorials online, and eventually got it together. It’s surprisingly satisfying to see all those tiny pieces come together to form a working watch.
The dial was another story. I wanted to get that classic opaline silver look, but replicating it perfectly was tough. I ended up printing a custom dial design on some high-quality paper and carefully applying it. It’s not perfect, but from a distance, it looks pretty close to the real deal. And hey, it’s hand-made by me, which feels awesome.
- Case: Stainless steel, polished finish.
- Movement: Automatic, sourced online.
- Dial: Custom printed, opaline silver design.
- Strap: Generic leather strap, for now.
I’ve been wearing my homemade Reverso for a few days now, and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s not an exact replica, of course, but it captures the spirit of the original. Plus, it’s a great conversation starter. People are always curious when they see it, and I get to tell them all about the process of making it.
So, that’s my little adventure in watchmaking. It’s been a fun and educational experience, and I’m already thinking about my next project. Maybe I’ll try to replicate another classic, or maybe I’ll even design something entirely new. Who knows? The possibilities are endless!
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