Alright, so, I’ve been wanting a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 for the longest time. It’s like, the watch, you know? But let’s be real, the price tag on a genuine one is just insane. So, I started looking into this whole remake scene. It’s pretty wild, and I gotta say, I was a bit lost at first.
I started by just digging around online, checking out forums and stuff. You wouldn’t believe the amount of information out there, it’s almost too much. Anyway, I kept seeing people talking about the 3KF version of the 5711. Apparently, it’s one of the better ones, especially when you start tweaking it a bit. I read about someone who put in a Buff dial and date disc, which made it look pretty darn close to the real deal.
So, I thought, “Okay, let’s do this.” I found a dealer online who could source the 3KF 5711, the V2 version, which is apparently even better. It comes with a 324 clone movement, which is supposed to be pretty good. I went ahead and ordered it, and while I was waiting, I started looking into these Buff parts that everyone was talking about.
Turns out, you can get a Buff dial and hands separately. And there’s also this SW date wheel that people recommend. So, I ordered those too. It felt a bit crazy, ordering all these separate parts, but I was determined to make this watch as good as it could be. Also, I decided to upgrade the crystal to a Deep crystal to make it more accurate.
When the watch finally arrived, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. I took it straight to my local watch guy. Now, this guy is a legend. He’s been fixing watches for like a hundred years, and he knows his stuff. I showed him the watch and all the parts I’d bought. He raised an eyebrow, but he agreed to do the work.
He swapped out the dial, hands, and date wheel, and he also did some polishing to make it look more like the genuine 5711. He even did this thing where he adjusted the first links of the bracelet to make them more flexible, just like the real one. I was watching him work, and it was honestly amazing. It was like watching an artist. All the stuff from the forums started to make sense, it wasn’t just random people, they actually know what they’re talking about.
- Ordered a 3KF 5711 V2 from a dealer I found online.
- Bought a Buff dial, Buff hands, and an SW date wheel separately.
- Got a Deep crystal for upgrade.
- Took the watch and all the parts to my local watch guy.
- Had him install the new parts and polish the watch to gen spec.
- Adjusted the first links of the bracelet for flexibility.
A few days later, I picked up the finished watch, and man, it was awesome. It’s not perfect, of course, but it’s way closer to the real thing than I ever thought possible. And honestly, for the price, I’m beyond happy. And yeah, I did a bit of research, and apparently, the newest version of the 5711, the 5811, is actually made of white gold, which is kind of cool.
I’ve been wearing it for a few weeks now, and I get compliments all the time. Most people just think it’s a really nice watch, and some people think it is a real 5711. It’s definitely a conversation starter. And you know what? I feel good wearing it. It’s a reminder that you don’t always have to spend a fortune to get something you really want. Sometimes, a little bit of research and some elbow grease can go a long way.
My final thoughts?
If you’re thinking about getting a remake, just do your research. There’s a lot of information out there, and it can be overwhelming, but it’s worth it. And don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. It’s actually kind of fun to learn about this stuff and to see the transformation happen. And who knows, you might even end up with a watch that you love, for a fraction of the price of the real thing. This project was quite the experience, and honestly, it turned out way better than I expected.
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