Alright, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712. I mean, have you seen that thing? It’s gorgeous! But, you know, they’re super expensive. Like, crazy expensive. I saw one online, and they wanted, like, a quarter of a million dollars for it! I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that kind of money just lying around.
So, I thought, “What if I try to make my own?” I’ve always been pretty good with my hands, and I’ve tinkered with watches before. I know there was no way I could make an exact copy, especially the movement, but I figured I could maybe get something that looked similar enough from the outside. The most difficult parts were the face and the case, and especially the hands with the luminosity, but I got it done.
I started by looking online for parts, the case was the easiest, but the face was more difficult. And for the bracelet I went for a generic one. I bought a cheap but not too cheap movement. I did not expect to find the original parts, so I spent time looking for parts that could fit my project.
Assembly
First step was to prepare the movement with the face, then the most difficult part, the hands. And finally I closed everything in the case. The process was more difficult than I anticipated but not impossible. I assembled the whole thing over a weekend, taking my time, making sure everything was in its place.
The final result was not perfect, of course. It’s not a real Patek Philippe, and anyone who knows watches could tell right away. But for me, it’s close enough! It has that same general look, that blue dial, and the little power reserve thingy. And you know what? I made it myself, which makes it kind of special, at least to me. At the end, for the price, it was a cool project, I could build a watch that resembles the iconic Nautilus 5712, and it was a great experience.
- Project: Remake Patek Philippe PP Nautilus 5712
- Difficulty: Hard
- Satisfaction: High
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