Alright, so I’ve been eyeing the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726 for a while now. It’s a classic, you know? But, man, that price tag is something else. So, I thought, why not try to remake one myself? Yeah, I know, it sounds crazy, but I was determined.
First, I started digging around for info. I hit up some watch forums and found some folks talking about remake. There was mention of specialty stores and the official flagship, but I wasn’t going that route. This was a DIY project.
I found out that the 5726 has this cool annual calendar thing, which Patek Philippe developed. It’s a pretty unique complication. I figured that would be the hardest part to replicate, but I was up for the challenge.
Next, I started gathering materials. I needed a good base watch. I managed to find a decent automatic watch with a similar case shape. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start. I also got my hands on some watchmaking tools – tiny screwdrivers, tweezers, the whole shebang.
Then came the real work. I carefully disassembled the base watch, piece by piece. I labeled everything meticulously, so I wouldn’t get lost when putting it back together. Trust me, you don’t want to mix up those tiny screws. I used my phone to take pictures on the whole process.
I spent days studying the movement of the base watch, trying to understand how it all worked. I researched online and watched countless videos on watchmaking. It was tough, but I slowly started to grasp the basics.
- Disassemble the base watch.
- Study the movement.
- Figure out how to modify it for the annual calendar.
- Craft the new dial and hands.
- Reassemble everything carefully.
The annual calendar was the real kicker. I spent weeks just trying to figure out how to add that complication to the base movement. I ended up crafting some extra gears and levers from scratch. It was a lot of trial and error, let me tell you.
The dial was another challenge. I wanted it to look as close to the original 5726 as possible. I practiced on some scrap metal before attempting the real thing. I carefully painted the dial and applied the hour markers. Then I crafted some new hands that matched the Nautilus style. I must say my wife helped me a lot on this part as she is good at painting.
Finally, after months of work, it was time to reassemble everything. I carefully put all the pieces back together, following my notes and photos. It was a nerve-wracking process, but I managed to do it without messing anything up.
The Result
And there it was, my homemade “Nautilus 5726.” It wasn’t perfect, of course. It didn’t have the same prestige or craftsmanship as a real Patek Philippe. But it worked, and it looked pretty damn good, if I do say so myself. The annual calendar function actually worked, which I was super proud of.
Some folks might say I am crazy to spend so much time on my own to make a “fake” watch. But for me, it wasn’t about that. It was about the challenge, the learning process, and the satisfaction of creating something with my own hands. And hey, I saved a ton of money! Plus, I have a pretty unique watch that no one else has. And now I wear it almost every day. I think I will keep improving it, maybe it will take another 10 years, who knows.
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