You know, I’ve always been fascinated by those super fancy watches, especially the Patek Philippe Nautilus ones. They’re just so sleek and stylish. So, I got this crazy idea to try and remake one myself, specifically the 5713/1 model. I mean, why not, right? It’s a discontinued model, which makes it even cooler, and way out of my price range, anyway.
I started by looking up everything I could find about this watch. I learned it’s made of 18K white gold and has a diamond-set bezel. That made things tricky, but I was set on that look. I also found out that the original has a 40mm case, which seemed like a good size to work with. After that, I started looking for watch movements that might work. I’m not a watchmaker, so I needed something I could manage.
The first thing I did was gather materials. Of course, I couldn’t use real white gold or diamonds, so I had to find some alternatives. I ended up using stainless steel for the case and bracelet, which I thought looked pretty close to the original. I mean it weighs pretty close to what I could find online for the original, like 131 grams. For the diamonds, I used these shiny little cubic zirconia stones. They sparkle just like the real deal, or at least close enough for me! I grabbed some tools from my garage—pliers, screwdrivers, you name it. I even bought a cheap watchmaker’s kit online for the smaller stuff.
Next, I started working on the case. I found a plain, round stainless steel case that was about the right size. Then I had to shape it to look like the Nautilus, which has this unique, sort of rounded square shape. I used a file and some sandpaper to get it just right. It took forever, and my hands were killing me by the end, but it was worth it.
The bracelet was another big challenge. I found a stainless steel bracelet that was similar to the one on the Nautilus. It has this mix of shiny and matte finishes, which I tried to copy. I used a polishing cloth and some masking tape to get that effect. It wasn’t perfect, but it looked pretty good to me.
Now, for the dial. I found a dark blue dial online that looked a lot like the one on the 5713/1. It even had a little window for the date, just like the original. I had to carefully remove the old dial from the case and put in the new one. It was super delicate work, and I was so scared of breaking something.
Once the dial was in, I started placing the little diamond-like stones around the bezel. This was probably the most fun part of the whole project. I used some strong glue to stick them on, one by one. It was like making a tiny, sparkly puzzle.
- Case: Stainless steel, 40mm, shaped and polished to resemble the Nautilus.
- Bracelet: Stainless steel, with a mix of polished and matte finishes.
- Dial: Dark blue, with a date window.
- Bezel: Decorated with cubic zirconia stones.
- Movement: I went for a basic automatic movement.
After everything was assembled, I put the watch on my wrist. It felt amazing. I know it’s not a real Patek Philippe, but I made it with my own two hands. It’s not perfect, but it’s mine. And honestly, it looks pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. Plus, I got to learn a ton about watches along the way. Who knows, maybe I’ll try to remake another one someday.
What I Learned
This whole project was a huge learning experience. I discovered that making a watch, even a simple one, is way harder than it looks. There are so many tiny parts, and everything has to be just right for it to work. I also learned that I’m pretty good at working with my hands. I mean, I managed to make a watch that actually tells time! Overall, it was a fun and rewarding project. It took lots of time, but it was worth it.
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