Alright, so I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712 for the longest time. That thing is a beauty! But, you know, they stopped making them back in 2006. I heard they replaced it with some other model, the 5712, I think, but it’s just not the same. Anyway, I figured, why not try to remake one myself? A little DIY project, you know?
First, I started by digging up everything I could find about the Nautilus 5712. Pictures, articles, old forum posts, you name it. I really wanted to get a feel for what made this watch so special. They say it’s a “timeless classic” and “iconic,” and I guess that’s true. It’s got this simple, clean look, but it’s also super elegant.
Next, I tried to find parts. This was the tricky part. I mean, where do you even find parts for a discontinued luxury watch? I scoured the internet, checked out some online marketplaces, and even asked around in some watch forums. It was a real treasure hunt, I can tell you that.
- I managed to find a decent case that looked similar to the original Nautilus. It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough.
- The dial was another story. I ended up getting a custom-made one from some guy online who specializes in this sort of thing. It cost me a pretty penny, but it was worth it.
- As for the movement, well, I decided to go with a generic automatic movement. It’s not a Patek Philippe movement, obviously, but it gets the job done.
Once I had all the parts, I started putting them together. I’m not a watchmaker or anything, so this was definitely a learning experience. I watched a bunch of videos online and read some tutorials. It was slow going, and I definitely made some mistakes along the way. But, hey, that’s part of the process, right?
The Result
After a lot of trial and error, I finally finished my “remake” of the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712. And you know what? It actually turned out pretty good! It’s not an exact replica, of course, and I’m sure any watch expert would be able to tell the difference in a heartbeat. But to me, it looks great, and I’m proud of what I accomplished. It’s a reminder that sometimes, if you want something bad enough, you just gotta roll up your sleeves and make it happen yourself.
It’s not a real Patek Philippe, but it’s my Patek Philippe. And that’s good enough for me. It looks great on my wrist, keeps time pretty well, and always gets people talking. Not bad for a little DIY project, huh?
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