So, I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and I always wanted to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5713. But, you know, those things are crazy expensive. So, I thought, why not try to remake one myself? I mean, how hard could it be, right?
First, I did a bunch of looking around online, trying to find any info I could on this specific watch. I looked at a whole bunch of pictures, really trying to understand what I was going for here, to decide which characteristics I had to reproduce. I wanted to get as close to the original as possible. I learned about which factory to start with to get a good base, so I had to really focus on that. I needed to understand which objective to pursue first.
I started with a base watch that was, you know, somewhat similar to the Nautilus. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a good starting point. This was a recommendation from some experienced people online, so I felt pretty good about it. I got the base, and then I started hunting for parts.
I spent days, maybe even weeks, just looking for the right parts. I found a guy who could do a custom dial for me, which was awesome. The dial is super important, it’s like the face of the watch, you know? I had to get that grey sunburst look just right. And the 3D numerals, man, those were a pain to find! But I found some that were pretty close, thankfully.
Once I had all the parts, I started putting it all together. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Lots of tiny screws and delicate parts. I almost messed up a bunch of times, but I kept at it. You gotta be patient with this kind of stuff.
- Sourcing the base watch: This was the first big hurdle. Finding one that was close enough to the Nautilus to work with.
- Custom dial: Getting that grey sunburst and those 3D numerals was key to making it look like a real Patek.
- Finding the right hands and other small parts: It was a real scavenger hunt, but I eventually found what I needed.
- Assembly: Putting it all together without breaking anything was the biggest challenge.
After a lot of work, I finally got it all assembled. It wasn’t exactly like the original, but it was pretty darn close. I was super proud of myself for pulling it off. It’s not perfect but I agree it looks quite good, and I think I did well for a first try.
I learned a ton from this project, and it really made me appreciate the work that goes into making these high-end watches. It’s not just about slapping some parts together. There’s a lot of detail and precision involved. But yeah, it was a fun project, and now I have a watch that looks kind of like a Patek Philippe Nautilus, without having to sell my car to buy one.
Next, I think I’ll try to remake a different model. Maybe an Audemars Piguet? We’ll see. For now, I’m just happy to have this one on my wrist.
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