So, I decided to remake the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980, and let me tell you, it was quite the journey. I’ve always been fascinated by the intricate designs of luxury watches, and the Nautilus 5980, with its white gold case and blue dial, is a real beauty. I figured, why not try to recreate it? I mean, how hard could it be, right?
I started by looking up everything I could find about this watch. I mean, there is a lot. The 5980/60G-001 model, that’s the one with the 40.5 mm white gold case, caught my eye. It’s a stunner, but apparently, not many are sold each year. I saw some stats saying only about 14 were sold in the past year on the secondary market. That’s not a lot!
I also found out that the 5980-60G brings back this cool stacked subdial layout. It’s pretty unique and adds to the watch’s charm. And prices? Man, they are all over the place. On one site, Chrono24, I saw prices for the 5980R-001, and let’s just say they weren’t cheap. There were 105 listings! Also I found there were like 167 sales for the 5980/1A, which I guess is a different model.
Getting Down to Business
First things first, I needed to get the materials. I wasn’t going to use real gold, obviously, so I opted for some high-quality stainless steel instead. I also managed to find a nice blue dial. It wasn’t the exact shade as the original, but it was close enough. Getting the right tools was also essential. I had to buy some tiny screwdrivers, tweezers, and a magnifying glass to see all those tiny parts. I felt like a real watchmaker, even though I was just doing this in my little workshop at home.
The Assembly Process
Putting the watch together was a real test of patience. I followed a bunch of tutorials online and some diagrams I found of the Nautilus’s insides. The movement, the tiny gears, and springs – it was all so delicate. I had to be super careful not to break anything. There were moments when I almost gave up. Like that one time, I dropped a tiny screw, and it took me an hour to find it. Talk about a nightmare!
The Final Touches
After a lot of trial and error, I finally managed to assemble the watch. The hardest part was getting the hands to align perfectly and making sure the subdial worked. I spent days just on that! But in the end, it all came together. I even managed to engrave “Patek Philippe” on the back, just like the original. It wasn’t perfect, but I was pretty proud of my handiwork.
The Result
The final product looked pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. It wasn’t an exact replica, but it captured the essence of the Nautilus 5980. The blue dial looked great against the silver case, and the subdial, though a bit tricky to make, added a nice touch. I wore it around a few times, and it felt awesome. It’s not every day you get to wear a watch you made yourself. I showed it off to some friends, and they were impressed, even though they knew it wasn’t a real Patek Philippe.
So, that’s my story of remaking the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980. It was a challenging but fun project. I learned a lot about watches and gained a new appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into making them. Would I do it again? Maybe. But next time, I might pick a simpler model. Or just save up and buy the real deal!
If you have read this far, let me know in the comments if you have any similar experience, and feel free to ask me anything about the project.
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