Alright, so I’ve been eyeing this Jaeger-LeCoultre JLC Duomètre à Quantième Lunaire for a while now. It’s a beauty, but the price tag on the real deal? Ouch. So, I went down the rabbit hole of looking for a good imitation. It wasn’t easy, let me tell you.
First, I started looking up online and tried to find some forums, there were some threads about Jaeger-LeCoultre fakes, but most people were talking about the Reverso. There are some websites that have this watch and some people recommend them, so I decided to try them.
I hit up a few of these sellers that claimed to have high-quality imitations. I mean, we’re not talking about those cheap knock-offs you see on the street corner. These were supposed to be pretty darn close to the original. The sellers had all kinds of models, but the Duomètre is not as common.
I specifically looked for information about the size. It is listed as 42.5mm wide and 14.2mm thick, which is big. It was essential to verify that the imitation I bought was the same size.
After a bunch of back-and-forth emails with a seller, I finally settled on one. Paid through some online payment system, it felt a bit sketchy, but what can you do? They kept me in the loop with emails, which was somewhat reassuring. It took a couple of weeks, but it finally arrived.
When I opened the box, I was pretty impressed, not gonna lie. The weight felt right, and the details were really good. It has this classy stainless steel case, just like the original from the 1930s.
- The dial: Looked pretty spot-on. The moon phase, the subdials, everything seemed to be in the right place.
- The strap: Felt like decent quality. Not as amazing as the real thing, I’m sure, but good enough.
- The movement: Obviously, it’s not the same as the in-house movement from JLC. But it kept time well, and the power reserve seemed decent.
Now, I’m not trying to fool anyone into thinking this is a genuine Jaeger-LeCoultre. But for a fraction of the price, I got a watch that looks great on my wrist and gives me that same vibe. It’s a conversation starter, for sure.
Would I recommend going down the imitation route? It depends. If you’re a die-hard watch collector, maybe not. But if you’re like me, just someone who appreciates a beautiful timepiece but doesn’t want to break the bank, then yeah, it’s worth considering. Just do your research, be patient, and don’t expect perfection.
Overall, I’m happy with my purchase. It’s a solid watch, and it scratches that luxury itch without emptying my wallet. That’s a win in my book.
Click to consult