TEMPUS Manufacture Jaeger LeCoultre - Master Class Workshop

As mentioned before during the TEMPUS there was an abundance of opportunities to get various hands on experience with different aspects of watch making art through various workshops offered. I was very keen on taking a full advantage of this opportunity during this trip as many times previously I was always constrained by lack of time.

During TEMPUS one of the workshops offered was a Master Class by the Manufacture Jaeger LeCoultre.

In this instance Master Class was a 4-hour watch training course during which we were fully educated on all the nuances of disassembly and reassembly of Jeager LeCoultre Calibre 875 both virtually and in reality.

The very sympathetic Frank, Manufactures Master watchmaker, was our knowledgeable, helpful yet very easy going instructor that made this one class I didn’t mind attending.


First it was theory time. Sitting at our work benches over our laptops and following the action on the plasma screen we got acquainted further with all the parts comprising the Reverso Grand Date Calibre 875. Via the interactive CD-ROM watch making game we proceeded with virtual disassembly of all the sum of it parts, proper order, adjustment and then returning it back in the working order.

After the theory it was time to put all that in actual practice. Before each set of actions about to be taken we were instructed in detail by Frank and then it was on us to follow through.

Reassembly following the proper steps …

… until there was noting more to disassemble.

I can tell you that viewing all the much bigger parts on the computer screen as well watching Frank do it so effortlessly is a whole other thing when you’re doing it (especially after a whole night and only 2.5 hours of sleep)
You really can easily lose some of the tiny parts …


… YES I said real easy. Duh!


As the assembly work slowly progressed …

… S L O W L Y ….

… the things started looking better

… until TA DA!


At the end if the mechanically manual-wound double-barrel eight-day power reserve movement was properly assembled we were a recipient of a very nice Master Class Diploma & the same software CD for future practice.


All in all a wonderful experience of the mechanical complexity and detailed functioning of what constitutes a properly operated fairly complicated movement. I would strongly recommend anyone interested to further expand their horological interest to try out this class. Thanks again to MJLC and Hour Glass for organizing this event.