I’ve been wanting a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712 for a while now, you know, the real deal. But, man, those things are crazy expensive and hard to get. I heard there’s like a 7-year waiting list, and they might even stop making them soon! So, I thought, screw it, I’m gonna try to make my own version. A little project, you know?
First, I did some digging online. Found out the original is made of stainless steel, 40mm wide, and 8.52mm thick. Okay, cool. And it can handle being underwater up to 60 meters. Good to know, though I don’t plan on diving with my homemade watch.
Then came the hard part: finding the parts. I wanted it to look as close to the real thing as possible. I started emailing those TDs, the trusted dealers. I emailed them directly, asking for specific parts instead of just browsing around.
I spent hours, days even, looking at photos of the real Nautilus 5712. I studied every detail, the dial, the hands, the little power reserve indicator, everything. I wanted to get it just right.
- Sourcing the case: Finding a stainless steel case with those exact dimensions was a pain. I ended up getting one that was pretty close, but not perfect.
- The movement: This was the biggest challenge. I’m no watchmaker, so I knew I couldn’t build a movement from scratch. I found a decent automatic movement that had some of the complications I needed, but it wasn’t exactly like the Patek one. I ended up modifying it a bit to make it work. It was a real headache, but I eventually got it to fit into the case and run most of the complications reasonably well.
- The dial and hands: I managed to find some replica dial and hands that looked pretty good. They weren’t exact, but they captured the general look and feel of the Nautilus.
- Putting it all together: This was the fun part, but also the most nerve-wracking. I carefully assembled all the pieces, following some online tutorials and using my common sense. It was like building a tiny, intricate puzzle.
After a lot of trial and error, I finally had my finished product. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot, but it was my own take on the Nautilus 5712. It actually told the time, and some of the other features worked too! I was pretty damn proud of myself.
The whole process was a huge learning experience. I’m not sure I’d do it again, it was a lot of work. But, hey, I now have a watch that kind of looks like a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712, and that’s good enough for me. And you know what? It looks amazing on my wrist. It’s a conversation starter, that’s for sure. I tell people about the struggle, the emails, the tiny screws, everything. They’re always impressed.
Lessons Learned
This little adventure taught me a lot about watches, and about myself. It showed me that I’m more patient than I thought I was, and that I can actually figure stuff out if I put my mind to it. It also made me appreciate the craftsmanship of real watchmakers even more. I wouldn’t want to get in a fight with one. They are tough.
So, that’s my story. My journey into the world of DIY watchmaking. It was a wild ride, but I’m glad I did it. Would I recommend it? Maybe, if you’re really into watches and have a lot of time and patience. Otherwise, you might be better off just saving up for the real thing, I guess, or maybe not. Who knows.
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