Man, let me tell you about this project I just finished. I’ve been wanting to remake the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5713/1G, the classic style, for a while now. It’s such a good-looking watch, you know?
So, I started by gathering all the materials. I needed to get my hands on some 18k white gold. That stuff is not cheap, let me tell you! I also found some diamonds, because you can’t have a 5713 without that diamond-set bezel, right?
First thing I did was work on the case. I shaped the white gold into that iconic Nautilus shape, 40mm across. It’s got that cool porthole design that everyone loves. I spent a lot of time getting the rounded octagonal bezel just right. I wanted it to look like a genuine Patek Philippe.
- Polished some parts of the case to a mirror shine.
- Brushed other parts to give it that satin finish.
It’s all about the details, you know? I carefully set the diamonds into the bezel. This part was tricky, gotta be precise, and make sure they are secure. The dial was next. I managed to make a blue dial, trying to mimic the original. I added the date window and the classic hour markers.
Then came the bracelet. I crafted it out of white gold, too. It’s got that twin-trigger deployant clasp, just like the real deal. I double-checked all the hallmarks on the case back, “750” for 18k gold, just like a real Patek Philippe. I tried to make it look as authentic as possible.
The movement was the hardest part. I didn’t even try to make that from scratch! I found a decent automatic movement that would fit inside and keep good time. I know it’s not a real Patek Philippe movement, but hey, I’m just doing this for fun, right?
Putting it all together was satisfying. I carefully assembled all the pieces, making sure everything fit perfectly. When I finally strapped it on my wrist, I felt a real sense of accomplishment. It’s not perfect, but it’s my version of the Nautilus 5713/1G, and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.
This whole project took me a good chunk of time, but it was worth it. It’s a great feeling to create something with your own hands, especially something as cool as a Patek Philippe. Now I have a nice looking watch on my wrist!
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