I’ve always been a watch guy. Not in a super fancy, collector way, but I appreciate a good timepiece. Recently, I got it into my head that I wanted a Rolex Sea-Dweller. Now, I’m no millionaire, so a brand new one was out of the question. That’s when I started thinking about building a high imitation one. This seemed like a fun project and it wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.
The first thing I did was dive into some research. I needed to find the right parts. I found some forums and some guys talking about the ref 116600, which was some update to the Sea-Dweller series. I’m not sure what it meant, but I kept looking for parts. I even looked up this other watch, the Sky-Dweller, which looked cool, but that was not what I had in mind.
I started looking for parts, a case, a dial, and a bracelet. I also read somewhere that the original came out in 1967. I just thought that was a cool fact. I found the case I wanted. It was a good-looking VN case, from some website that people on the forums recommended. It took a bit to get here, but it was worth the wait.
The Build Begins
Then came the bracelet. I wanted something solid and reliable, and after reading reviews on different forums, I found one that had a really good reputation. I didn’t go for anything fancy, just a standard bracelet that looked like the original. The dial was trickier. I spent a long time comparing photos online to make sure I got one that looked authentic. It’s crazy how many tiny differences there are.
Putting it all together was a bit of a challenge. I’m not exactly a watchmaker, but I’m pretty handy. I watched a bunch of videos online and took my time. It was a slow process, and I definitely made some mistakes along the way. I had to order a few extra small parts because I messed up the first time. But hey, that’s part of the learning process, right?
I finally got it all together. It took a few weeks of tinkering in my spare time, but seeing the finished product was worth it. It looked great, and it felt great on my wrist. It wasn’t perfect, but it was my creation, and I was proud of it.
- Spent hours searching for parts.
- Ordered a VN case.
- Found a bracelet.
- Carefully selected a dial.
- Watched videos to learn how to assemble.
- Made mistakes and learned from them.
It’s not a real Rolex, but it’s a pretty good imitation, and it’s a fun story to tell. Plus, I saved a ton of money. For now, this watch is a great addition to my small collection. Maybe one day I’ll get a real Rolex, but for now, I’m happy with my custom-built Sea-Dweller. It’s a reminder that you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy a nice watch.