Okay, so I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712 for a while now. I mean, who wouldn’t? It’s a beautiful watch. But man, it’s tough to find one. I went to a few authorized dealers, and they all told me the same thing – there’s like a 7-year waiting list! Some even said it might be discontinued soon. Can you believe that? And you need some kind of long history with them even to be considered.
So, I thought, “Screw it, I’m gonna try to remake one myself.” Sounds crazy, right? But I was determined. I started by looking up everything I could find about the 5712. I read about its features, like the power reserve, moonphase, and calendar displays. It’s amazing how they fit all that into such a slim watch. It’s like the 5711, but even cooler, you know? I learned that some of the older models, like the 5712G-001 and 5712R-001, they were made of white gold and rose gold. They are not produced anymore, maybe this is one of the reasons why the price is that high now.
I spent days just looking at pictures and videos. I was practically drooling. I even looked up the Nautilus 5740, which is like the ultimate Nautilus, but way too big for my wrist. They called it the best of what the Nautilus can be. It gave me some ideas for my project, though. If you are looking for a Patek Philippe watch for sale, you may easily find some post online, but it is so hard to find a trustworthy dealer, not to mention the price…
First, I needed to find some parts. I started with the case. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to find something that looked pretty close to the Nautilus shape. Then came the dial. That was a real pain. I had to make my own, using some thin metal sheets and a lot of patience. It was like being a watchmaker, except I had no idea what I was doing. This is why I would like to know more about its origins and design elements.
- Case: Found a similar shaped case after a long search.
- Dial: Made my own from thin metal sheets.
- Movement: Used a cheap one I found online.
- Hands: These were tricky, but I shaped some wire.
- Strap: Used a leather strap I had lying around.
For the movement, I just used a cheap one I found online. I mean, I wasn’t trying to make a real Patek here. Just something that looked like one. I even tried to make the hands myself, shaping some wire to look like the ones on the 5712. It was a real mess, but I kept at it.
The strap was the easiest part. I just used an old leather strap I had lying around. After weeks of work, I finally put it all together. It wasn’t perfect, not even close. But it kinda looked like a Nautilus 5712, at least from far away. I was pretty proud of myself, to be honest. Some people say that the greatest concern for them is that the new collector can not just walk into the shop and buy a Patek Philippe. I do not care about that, I just want to have one for myself.
Of course, it didn’t have any of the fancy functions, but it told the time. And it looked cool on my wrist. I even wore it out a few times, and nobody seemed to notice it wasn’t the real deal. It’s like wearing any Patek Philippe watch, such as the Nautilus, the Aquanaut, and the Calatrava. It was a fun project, and I learned a lot about watches. Maybe one day I’ll try to remake another one. But for now, I’m happy with my homemade “Nautilus.”
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