Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, and I finally got around to it. I tried to remake a Patek Philippe Nautilus, specifically the 7010 model that’s usually in their specialty stores. Let me tell you, it was a journey!
First off, I did a bunch of research. I’m talking hours scrolling through their official website, just looking at pictures and reading about the history of the company. You know, Patek Philippe is like the last family-owned watchmaker in Geneva, pretty cool, right? And these Nautilus watches, they’re not cheap. We’re talking an average of around 100 grand! Some even go up to half a million. Crazy, huh?
I also dug into some history about this specific model. Turns out, there’s a special edition called the “Children Action 5711” which is the first Nautilus sport watch from Patek Philippe. And before they upgraded the movement in the midsize models, they experimented with a new look, which they called the Ref. 5060/SJ. Interesting stuff.
Now, for the actual remake. I started by sketching out the design, trying to get every detail just right. The case, the dial, the hands, the bracelet. I bought some decent quality materials. Not real gold, of course, but good enough to practice with and get a feel for the watch.
The hardest part was definitely trying to get the proportions right. The Nautilus has this unique octagonal shape with rounded edges, and getting that perfect was a real pain. I spent days just shaping and filing, trying to match the pictures I had. My hands were sore, but I was determined to get it right.
Then came the dial. I wanted to mimic that iconic horizontal embossed pattern, so I used some tools to carefully press the pattern into the material. It wasn’t perfect, but it gave it a similar texture. I painted the dial this beautiful gradient blue, just like the original. For the hour markers and hands, I used some luminescent paint, so they’d glow in the dark.
Assembling everything was like putting together a very complicated puzzle. Each piece had to fit perfectly, and I was sweating bullets the whole time. But, seeing it all come together, piece by piece, was so satisfying.
After I finished, I felt like I needed a break. I decided to treat myself to some good food. I looked up the best places to eat in Ashburn, Virginia, because I was planning on visiting soon. Found a few spots that looked amazing: Ford’s Fish Shack, Efesus Mediterranean Cafe, RoadHouse Momo & Grill, and Akira Sushi Bistro. Can’t wait to try them out!
While I was researching, I also learned that Ashburn is this fast-growing place in Loudoun County. Its population has exploded since the 90s. That’s pretty interesting, you know how much I love learning about new places.
Oh, and speaking of watches, I also read that Patek Philippe was joining the Watches and Wonders Geneva 2021 for the first time. I was planning to follow the event online to see what new models they’d unveil. In fact, I might also go to the Regal Fox movie theater in Ashburn to see if there is anything interesting to watch. After all, it’s always good to relax a bit.
Anyway, back to the watch. The final result wasn’t an exact replica, obviously. I’m no professional watchmaker. But I was pretty proud of what I managed to create. It looked pretty darn close to the real thing, at least to my untrained eye. And the whole process taught me so much about the craftsmanship that goes into making these luxury watches. It was a great learning experience, and I’m already thinking about which watch to try and remake next!
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