Okay, guys, so I gotta tell you about this little project I just finished. You know how I’ve always been into watches, right? Well, I got this idea in my head that I wanted to make a watch that looks like the Rolex GMT-Master II with the “Root Beer” bezel. You know, the one with the brown and black? Yeah, that one. I’ve always thought it was a sharp-looking watch, but, uh, the price tag is a little out of my league. Okay, a lot out of my league.
So, I started looking around online, and I saw some “High imitation Rolex GMT-Master II Root Beer Bezel” listings. The pictures looked pretty good, I gotta say. It had that two-tone bracelet, the black and brown bezel…it looked the part, for sure. So, the hunt began for that special “Root Beer” look.
First I dug around for information about the Rolex I was interested in. I saw that its Model number could be found between the lugs at 12 o’clock. And I learned that getting to the numbers between the lugs, whether it is the model number or the serial number, is pretty straightforward. And since I was going to be basically building my own watch, I also found some general maintenance tips to keep in mind.
Then I went looking for parts. I found a few different options, but they weren’t exactly what I was going for. I saw a Stuhrling Meridian 3968 GMT Quartz watch, which was okay, but not quite the right vibe. Then there was a Mathey-Tissot Mathy Vintage GMT Two-Tone Root Beer Dial, which was a little closer, but still not perfect. I even looked at a Meccaniche Veneziane Nereide GMT, which was a cool watch, but not what I wanted for this project. Finally, I found a Squale Atmos Heritage Ceramic 1545. This one had a matte black dial and a brown ceramic bezel with gold-filled index markers. Bingo! This was what I needed!
I ordered all the parts and waited not-so-patiently for them to arrive. It felt like Christmas morning when the package finally showed up! I cleared off my workbench, laid out all my tools, and got to work. Putting it all together was a bit of a challenge, I won’t lie. There were some small parts, and my hands aren’t exactly the steadiest. But, after a few hours of tinkering, I finally got it all assembled.
The Finished Product
- Case: From the Squale Atmos Heritage Ceramic 1545. Perfect size and feel.
- Bezel: That beautiful brown ceramic with gold-filled index markers from the Squale. Exactly the “Root Beer” look I was going for.
- Dial: The matte black dial from the Squale. Clean and simple.
- Bracelet: I found a two-tone bracelet that matched the style of the Rolex. It really pulled the whole thing together.
And you know what? It turned out pretty darn good! It’s not a real Rolex, obviously, but it captures the look and feel of the GMT-Master II “Root Beer” pretty well. And I did it all for a fraction of the price. Plus, I had a blast putting it all together. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine, and I’m pretty proud of it. This was a fun little adventure, and it really tested my skills. It’s cool to have a watch that looks like a classic, but without having to, you know, sell a kidney to afford it.
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