I gotta tell you, I’ve been itching to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 for ages. It’s just one of those watches, you know? Super classy, everyone wants one, and hard as hell to find. Well, I finally decided to just do it myself. I mean, how hard could it be to remake a watch, right?
Getting Started
First, I started digging around for any info I could find on this watch. Turns out, Patek Philippe only makes about 60,000 watches a year. That’s not a lot! And the 5711, especially the original ones, are like gold dust. I found out that even the used ones are selling for crazy amounts, like hundreds of thousands of dollars. This made me even more determined to remake one.
The Hunt for Parts
Next, I started looking for parts. This was a real pain. I couldn’t just walk into a store and buy them. I had to search everywhere. I read somewhere that Patek Philippe has like 246 different models, so finding the exact parts for the 5711 was like finding a needle in a haystack. I spent days, maybe even weeks, searching online, calling up watch repair shops, and even asking around in watch forums. It was exhausting, but I was on a mission.
Assembling the Watch
- The Case: I found a guy who was selling a used 5711 case. It wasn’t perfect, had some scratches, but it was the real deal. Paid a small fortune for it, but it was worth it.
- The Movement: This was the hardest part. I managed to get my hands on a similar movement from an old watch. It wasn’t the exact one, but it was close enough. Had to take it to a watchmaker to get it serviced and fitted.
- The Dial and Hands: I got these custom made. Found a small shop that could do it. Took a while, and the guy messed up a couple of times, but in the end, they looked pretty good.
- Putting It All Together: I tried doing this myself at first, but quickly realized I was way out of my depth. Ended up taking it to a professional watchmaker who put it all together for me.
The Final Result
After all that work, I finally had my “remade” Patek Philippe 5711. It wasn’t perfect, and it certainly wasn’t an original, but it looked the part. When I wore it out, people would do a double-take. Some even asked if it was real. I never lied and said it was, but I definitely enjoyed the attention. This whole process taught me a lot about watches, and I gotta say, I have a newfound respect for watchmakers. It’s a tough job! And honestly, I’m pretty proud of my little project, even if it did cost me a small fortune and a ton of time. Now, onto the next project, maybe a Grandmaster Chime? Just kidding… or am I?
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