Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a fancy watch for a while now, and the Richard Mille RM 07-01 Carbon TPT has been on my radar. I mean, it’s a pretty penny, but the design is just too cool to pass up. Finally, I decided to take the plunge and see what I could do about imitating one.
First things first, I needed to gather some intel. I hit up the usual spots online, just browsing through forums and watch enthusiast sites. I found some listings for the real deal, and man, those prices are serious. We’re talking like, $285,000! But I wasn’t deterred. I dug deeper, trying to find out more about the materials and the specifics of the design.
I found out that the RM 07-01 uses this stuff called Carbon TPT, which is apparently some high-tech material that’s super strong and lightweight. It also has this distinctive layered look, which I think is what really sets it apart. Also it has some diamonds on it, which is a nice touch.
Then I started thinking about how to get my hands on some Carbon TPT. Turns out, it’s not exactly something you can just pick up at the hardware store. I did some more searching and managed to find a few suppliers that deal with carbon fiber materials, but nothing that specifically said “Carbon TPT.” I figured I could probably get away with a regular carbon fiber sheet, as long as it had that layered look. Also I need some rose gold for the case, since I found out the original one’s case is 45.66 x 31.4mm rose gold and Carbon TPT.
Sourcing the Materials
So, I ordered a sheet of carbon fiber online. It wasn’t cheap, but it was definitely way cheaper than a real Richard Mille. I also found a local jeweler who was willing to sell me some scrap rose gold.
- Carbon Fiber Sheet: This was a bit of a gamble, but I found a seller online who had good reviews.
- Rose Gold: I got lucky with a local jeweler who had some leftover pieces from other projects.
Next up was the actual imitation process. I’m not gonna lie, this was the tricky part. I’m not exactly a watchmaker, so I had to rely on my DIY skills and a whole lot of YouTube tutorials.
I started by carefully cutting the carbon fiber sheet into the shape of the watch case. This took a lot of patience and a steady hand. Then, I used the rose gold to create the other parts of the case. Again, lots of careful measuring and cutting. Also, I bought some diamonds from other sources and put them on the case. I feel like it really makes the watch look more authentic.
The movement was the biggest challenge. I ended up buying a cheap quartz movement online and modifying it to fit the case. It’s not automatic like the real RM 07-01, but it does the job.
After a lot of trial and error, I finally managed to assemble the whole thing. It wasn’t perfect, but it definitely looked like a Richard Mille. I even managed to get the layered carbon fiber look down pretty well.
The Final Product
All in all, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. It’s not a perfect replica, but it’s a decent imitation that scratches that itch for a fancy watch without breaking the bank. Plus, I learned a lot about watchmaking and materials along the way.
Would I recommend doing this yourself? Only if you’re really into DIY projects and have a lot of patience. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely satisfying to create something like this with your own two hands. And hey, now I have a cool-looking watch that’s a real conversation starter!
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