Alright, so, I got this itch to remake a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5713/1. I know, I know, it sounds crazy, but hear me out. I’ve always been fascinated by watches, and the Nautilus is a real icon, right? So I thought, “Why not give it a shot?”
First off, I started by gathering all the info I could find. I scoured the internet, read every forum post, watched every video about the 5713/1. I needed to know this watch inside and out, from the movement to the dial, to even the tiniest details on the bracelet. I wanted to get a feel for the materials, the dimensions, everything.
Then, I started thinking about the actual components. I knew this was going to be the hard part. I couldn’t exactly call up Patek and order parts. I had to be resourceful. This meant hours, no, days, of hunting down parts, or at least, the next best thing. You know that feeling when you type “restore point” in your computer, you got so many restoration choices. It’s like those backup utilities and shell scripts that Ubuntu uses, I was digging deep, man, you won’t believe the rabbit holes I went down, just trying to find parts that would work.
I decided to break it down into smaller steps, just like those flashcards people use to study binary. I figured if I could tackle each part separately, it would feel less daunting, you feel me? Started with the case, then the movement, then the dial, hands, and finally the bracelet.
The case was tricky. I wanted something that felt solid, you know, substantial. I ended up settling on a similar style case that I found after a lot of searching. It wasn’t perfect, but it had the right vibe, the right weight. It was like climbing and jumping in VR using only your hands, no buttons, that’s how I felt, all over the place but on a mission.
The movement was a whole other beast. I did a ton of research, trying to find something that would not only fit but also give me that smooth sweep of the second hand that the Nautilus is known for. I must have looked at hundreds of movements. Finally, I found one that was close enough, but it definitely needed some tweaking.
Next up was the dial. Man, the dial. This was where I really wanted to nail it. I spent hours, maybe even days, just staring at pictures of the original 5713/1 dial. Those details, the way the light hits it, everything is so specific. I tried a few different things, even considered trying to make my own, but that was way out of my league. Eventually, I found a dial that was pretty close, but I still had to make some adjustments to get it just right.
The hands were surprisingly difficult. It’s those little things, you know? Finding hands that had the right shape, the right length, the right finish. I went through so many sets of hands before I found ones that I was happy with, I felt like a designer, a programmer, just going at it for fun.
Finally, the bracelet. I wanted that integrated look, that seamless flow from the case to the bracelet. I looked at so many options, but nothing felt quite right. I ended up having to modify a bracelet to get it to fit the case properly. It was a real pain, but I think it turned out pretty good in the end.
Putting it all together
Once I had all the parts, it was time to assemble everything. This was the moment of truth, man. I carefully put everything together, one step at a time. It was like doing a reset on my PC, had to choose between keeping my files and removing everything, a big decision. I was nervous, I’m not gonna lie, but it was also exciting, like learning the lyrics to songs to understand the meaning behind them.
And you know what? It actually worked! I mean, it’s not perfect, it’s definitely not a real Patek Philippe, but it’s my version of the 5713/1, and I’m pretty damn proud of it. I wear it all the time, and it always gets a lot of attention. People are always asking me about it, and I love telling them the story of how I made it.
It’s not just a watch to me, it’s a reminder that you can do anything you set your mind to, even if it seems crazy at first. It was a fun project, a learning experience, and a cool story all rolled into one.
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