Okay, so I got this idea to remake a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5713/1. Yeah, the super fancy watch. I’ve always been into watches, and the Nautilus is like, the holy grail. I thought, “Why not try to make my own version?” So, I jumped right in.
First, I spent days just looking at pictures and videos of the 5713/1. I needed to get every detail right in my head. The way the bezel has that rounded octagon shape, the contrast between the polished and satin-brushed finishes, everything. This watch is a work of art, and I wanted to capture that as best as I could.
Next, I started sketching. I’m no artist, but I did my best to draw out the watch from different angles. I focused on the case, the bracelet, and especially that iconic dial. It took a few tries, but I finally got something I was happy with.
Then came the hard part – finding the materials. I needed some rose gold, but I wasn’t about to break the bank. I found some rose gold-plated stainless steel that looked pretty good. It wasn’t the real deal, but it gave the right vibe. I also got some special tools for shaping and polishing the metal, that was a bit tricky.
I spent weeks, maybe even months, working on the case and bracelet. I used my sketches as a guide and slowly started shaping the metal. Let me tell you, it was tough. There were times I messed up and had to start over. But I kept going. I polished, I brushed, I did everything I could to get that Patek look.
- Shaping the Case: This was the hardest part. Getting that unique Nautilus shape right took forever.
- Polishing and Brushing: I learned a lot about different finishing techniques. Getting the contrast just right was a real challenge.
- Making the Bracelet: Each link had to be shaped and polished individually. It was tedious, but seeing it come together was satisfying.
For the dial, I found a nice blue sunburst one online. It wasn’t exactly like the 5713/1’s, but it was close enough. I added some simple hour markers and hands that I made myself. It wasn’t perfect, but it looked pretty decent.
Putting it all together was nerve-wracking. I used a basic quartz movement I got online. I carefully assembled all the pieces, praying I wouldn’t mess anything up. And then, it was done.
The Final Result
My homemade Nautilus 5713/1. It wasn’t a perfect replica, not even close. But it was mine. I made it with my own hands. And honestly, it looked pretty cool. I wore it around, and people actually asked me about it. They thought it was a real Patek! I was pretty proud of that.
This whole project was a crazy ride. It was frustrating, challenging, but also really rewarding. I learned a ton about watches, about metalworking, and about myself. Would I do it again? Maybe. But for now, I’m just happy to wear my one-of-a-kind, not-really-a-Patek watch.
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