Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 for like, forever. It’s one of those classic watches, you know? But man, those things are expensive. I heard somewhere that even the basic blue dial version goes for over $180,000 these days! Crazy, right? And don’t even get me started on the waiting list. I heard it could take up to 8 years to get one! Ain’t nobody got time for that.
So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I’m no watchmaker, but I’m pretty handy, and I figured, why not try to remake one myself? I did some digging online and found that there are a few factories out there, like PF, PPF, and MK, that make pretty decent replicas of these watches. I think the latest version of the 5711 is V2 from PF and PPF, and MK has a V6.
First, I ordered a bunch of parts online. I’m talking about the case, the bracelet, the dial, the hands, the movement, everything. I even found some diagrams and videos online to help me figure out how to put it all together. It was like a giant, complicated puzzle.
Breaking Down the Build
Getting the Case Together
- I started with the case. It was surprisingly heavy, which is a good thing. It felt solid and well-made.
- Then, I carefully placed the movement inside. This was probably the trickiest part because everything is so tiny and delicate. One wrong move and you could mess up the whole thing.
Crafting the Dial and Hands
- Next, I attached the dial. I made sure to align it perfectly so that the hands would be in the right place.
- Then came the hands. I used a pair of tweezers to gently press them onto the movement. You have to be super careful not to bend them.
Bracelet Assembly
- Assembling the bracelet was a bit tedious, but not too difficult. It’s just a matter of connecting all the links together.
- Finally, I attached the bracelet to the case, and voila! My very own, homemade Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711.
It took me a few weeks to get everything just right. I had to redo a couple of things along the way, but in the end, it was totally worth it. I mean, it’s not a real Patek, but it looks pretty darn close! And the best part is, I made it myself. It’s not perfect, and there are some minor details I still wanna tweak, but I’m really proud of it. Now I can finally rock that classic Nautilus look without breaking the bank or waiting forever. Plus, I’ve got a cool story to tell about how I made it. This is one of my favorite projects so far.
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