Okay, so, I’ve been messing around with watches for a while now, and let me tell you, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711? That’s a whole other level. This time I really wanted to get my hands dirty and remake one, just to see if I could. Here’s how it went down.
First off, I started by gathering all the parts I needed. Getting everything was tough, but not impossible. I spent weeks just looking for the right pieces.
Research and Planning
- Studied the Design: I spent hours looking at pictures and videos of the 5711. I mean, we all know the Nautilus, right? That octagonal bezel, the porthole case, and that dial with the horizontal lines. But to remake it? You gotta know it inside and out.
- Sourced the Materials: This was a challenge, I’m not gonna lie. Finding parts that could match the quality of a Patek Philippe wasn’t easy. I looked into different types of steel, trying to find something that felt right. Also had to think about the gold variants. From what I could gather, there’s yellow, rose, and white gold, called 5711J, 5711R, and 5711, respectively. I opted to work with steel for this project, keeping it simple.
The Hands-On Part
- Shaping the Case: I got my hands on some good quality steel and started working on the case. I used some tools to shape it, trying to get that classic Nautilus look. It was tough, I messed up a few times, but I didn’t give up.
- Making the Dial: The dial was tricky, those horizontal lines needed to be perfect. I tried a few methods and ended up using a special tool to carefully create each line. It was slow work, but it had to be done right.
- Assembling the Watch: Putting it all together was the moment of truth. I carefully assembled each part, making sure everything fit perfectly. It felt amazing to see it take shape after all the hard work. I even managed to find a blacked out version of the dial, which I think looks awesome.
After a lot of trial and error, I finally finished my remake of the Nautilus 5711. It’s not perfect, but I’m really happy with how it turned out. It was a great learning experience, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into making these watches. This was just a personal project, a way to challenge myself and see what I could do. It’s definitely one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever taken on.
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