Okay, so, I wanted to try my hand at remaking the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5713/1, you know, the one you see on their official flagship store. I’m no expert, just a guy who likes watches and wanted to see if I could do it. So here’s what happened.
First, I spent a ton of time just staring at pictures of the real thing online. I mean, I really zoomed in, looking at every little detail, every curve, every glint of light. I wanted to get a real good feel for what made this watch tick, visually speaking.
Then, I started sketching. Nothing fancy, just rough drawings on paper, trying to capture the basic shapes and proportions. I drew the case, the bezel, the bracelet, the dial – everything. It was messy, but it helped me understand how all the pieces fit together.
- Gathering References: I spent hours on the official Patek Philippe website and other watch forums, studying high-resolution images of the Nautilus 5713/1.
- Initial Sketches: With a pencil and paper, I started sketching the watch from different angles. I wasn’t aiming for perfection, just trying to get the basic shapes and proportions right. I must have filled a dozen pages with these rough drawings.
- Digital Design: Next, I took to a design software, not even a specific one. This was the hardest part. I tried to recreate my sketches digitally, but it’s way harder than it looks. I kept tweaking and refining, adjusting every line and curve until it started to resemble the real thing. It took forever, but I learned a lot about digital drawing along the way.
- Choosing Materials: Once I had a design I was somewhat happy with, I started thinking about materials. I knew I couldn’t use the same stuff Patek Philippe uses. But there is some company which services B2B markets with jewellery design, manufacturing, fabricated metals.
- Assembly: After what felt like an eternity, I finally had all the pieces. Putting them together was nerve-wracking. I was so afraid of messing something up. I took it slow, one step at a time, double and triple-checking everything. Finally, it was done.
Next, I moved on to digital design, I use some design software. It was rough, let me tell you. I was basically trying to recreate my sketches but on a computer screen. I kept messing with it, adjusting lines, changing shapes, until it started to look somewhat like the Nautilus. I learned so much about the digital drawing through this process.
The design is completed, the next step is to choose the material. I know I can’t use the same stuff as the official store, but I found a local jeweler. I showed him my design and picked out some materials that looked similar to the original. They even helped me refine a few details to make it more practical.
I asked the jeweler if they could help make the parts for me. They agreed, and a few weeks later, I had all the pieces in hand. Putting it all together was a real test of patience. I was super careful, checking and rechecking every step. And guess what? I actually did it! I assembled the whole thing, and it looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.
Now, it’s not perfect. It’s not a real Patek Philippe, obviously. But it’s my remake, and I’m proud of it. I learned a ton about design, materials, and just the sheer amount of work that goes into making a watch. It was a fun, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding experience. And who knows, maybe I’ll try remaking another watch sometime soon!
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