Okay, so I’ve been into watches for a while now, and I’ve always had a thing for the Patek Philippe Nautilus. I mean, who doesn’t? It’s like the holy grail of luxury watches. The 5713/1, with those diamonds, is especially stunning. But let’s be real, the price tag is way out of my league.
So, I started looking into how I could maybe, just maybe, get something similar without selling a kidney. That’s when I thought, “Why not try to remake one myself?” I’m pretty handy, and I love a good project. It seemed crazy at first, but the more I thought about it, the more excited I got.
First, I spent ages just studying pictures and videos of the 5713/1. I mean, I really got into the details – the shape of the case, the way the bracelet links together, how the diamonds are set. I printed out a bunch of photos and even made some sketches.
Then came the hard part: finding the parts. I went online, just looking everywhere for watch parts. It was a mess, to be honest. Lots of sketchy sites. Finally, I found a couple of places that seemed legit. I ordered a basic case that was kind of like the Nautilus’ shape, some hands that looked similar, and a decent automatic movement. Getting a dial that looks right was tough, so I got a plain one, planning to do something with it later.
- Found a stainless steel case with a similar octagonal shape.
- Ordered some hands that mimic the original’s style.
- Sourced a reliable automatic movement.
- Found a plain dial to be modified.
When the parts arrived, I felt like a kid at Christmas. I laid everything out on my workbench and started putting the movement in the case. That was actually pretty smooth. Then I attached the hands, which was a bit fiddly, but I got it done. It’s important to use the proper tools, you know? I have some small screwdrivers, and tweezers.
Now, for the dial. I wanted to get that iconic blue color and the horizontal lines. I found some metallic blue paint and very carefully painted the dial. It took a few tries to get it even. For the lines, I used a tiny ruler and a very fine-tipped tool to make grooves. It’s not perfect, but it gives the right effect. After that, I had to get those “diamonds” on there. I found some tiny cubic zirconia stones online and glued them onto the dial where they should be. It was super tedious, but I just put on some music and powered through. Use some glue and make those “diamonds” stick.
The bracelet was the biggest challenge. I ended up using a generic steel bracelet and modifying the end links to fit the case. It involved a lot of filing and bending metal. I even had to buy a small metal file for that purpose. I spent hours getting it just right.
Finally, after weeks of work, it was done. It’s not a real Patek, obviously, and it’s not perfect. But it looks pretty darn good, especially from a distance. I wear it all the time, and people always ask me about it. I tell them the whole story, and they’re usually pretty impressed. Also, I feel happy when I look at it.
The Results
It was a lot of work, but I’m really proud of what I accomplished. I learned a ton about watches, and I have a unique piece that I made myself. It’s not about fooling anyone into thinking it’s a real Patek. It’s about the process and the satisfaction of creating something with my own hands.
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