Alright, so I’ve been messing around with this idea for a while, and today I finally decided to just go for it. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711. I mean, who isn’t, right? That watch is a legend. But let’s be real, the price tag on those things is just insane. We’re talking about prices ranging from $640,000 to a whopping $2.8 million. And get this – there are only 170 models of the Tiffany Blue Patek Philippe 5711 out there. Talk about exclusive! I saw some post online saying the average price for one of these is around $1.3 million on Chrono24. Crazy, right?
So, I started thinking, “Why not try to remake one myself?” I’m not talking about making a perfect replica or anything, but just something that captures the vibe of the 5711. I know, I know, some folks in those replica watch forums might think it’s a bit thick, but I just wanted to see if I could do it. I read somewhere that Patek Philippe stopped making the 5711 in 2021. That’s part of what makes them so darn expensive. I even saw a post saying the 5711R goes for around $76,000. I mean, they only make about 246 models, so it makes sense. It’s all about that scarcity, you know?
First, I started gathering materials. I’m not using any fancy stuff, just some basic stainless steel for the case and bracelet. I figured it’s a good starting point. I did a ton of research, looking at pictures and videos of the 5711, trying to get the dimensions and the look just right. I even tried to understand the automatic movement they use, you know that thin one with a 45 hour power reserve. Not that I could replicate it, but I just like to know how things work.
Design and Assembly
The design part was tricky. I spent hours sketching and making templates. It’s not easy to get those curves and angles just right. I wanted it to look decent, not like some cheap knock-off. Once I had the basic design down, I started cutting and shaping the steel. It was a lot of trial and error, let me tell you. I had to redo the case a couple of times because I wasn’t happy with how it looked. Then I found an old automatic movement that I took from a watch I no longer used and put it inside this case.
The bracelet was another challenge. Getting those links to fit together properly and have that smooth, polished look took forever. I spent a whole weekend just working on the bracelet, and I still wasn’t completely satisfied with it. But hey, it’s a learning process, right?
The Dial and Finishing Touches
Now, for the dial. I wanted to go with a blue dial because that’s what the 5711 is famous for. I found a piece of blue material that looked pretty close to the real thing and cut it to fit. I used some old watch hands I had lying around and tried to make them look like the ones on the 5711. It’s not perfect, but it’s close enough for me.
Putting it all together was the most satisfying part. Seeing all those individual pieces come together to form something that actually looked like a watch was pretty cool. I polished the case and bracelet as best as I could, trying to give it that luxurious feel. I even added a display case back so you could see the movement, even though it’s nothing special.
The Final Result
So, here it is – my homemade version of the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711. It’s not going to fool anyone into thinking it’s the real deal, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to see if I could create something that paid homage to this iconic watch, using my own two hands and a bunch of tools. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot along the way.
- Is it perfect? Absolutely not.
- Is it worth anything close to the real 5711? Not a chance.
- Did I enjoy making it? You bet.
Would I do it again? Maybe. It was a lot of work, but it was also a great way to challenge myself and see what I could come up with. Who knows, maybe I’ll try to remake another classic watch in the future. Any suggestions?
Anyway, that’s my story. Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think in the comments!
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